Browse Forums DIY, Home Maintenance & Repair 1 Jan 03, 2024 4:21 pm Hi! I’d really appreciate some help for a problem I’m not able to crack on my own! We have a front garden wall with paint bubbling. I think it’s a double-brick wall with a cement render, then another cosmetic render applied years later (judging by the rest of the house). It was last painted about 3 years ago, but the bubbling seem to be happening under the render layer (i.e. above the ?cement), so I don’t know if the paint has anything to do with it. I first noticed it about about a year ago, and I’ve finally been forced into doing something because the rendering and paint has stated to break off in some of the bubbles. It only happens in the rain and is worse on the lower section of the wall and the South side. I assumed the problem was water ingress from the top of the wall (as it’s not happening in the main house, and the top was visibly damaged with cracks and little grass seeds taking root there). I’ve waterproofed a ~3 metre section of the top, and am sure it’s effective because I also put plastic over it (to let the membrane cure). Nevertheless, in yesterday’s heavy rain the bubbling recurred. I can’t figure out where the water is getting in. The worst sections seem too far from the non-waterproofed top section. To me it seems too high to be ground water. Could it be getting in through the paint itself? I’ve not found anything that says this can happen, but there are some sections of damaged paint (tiny holes visible). Photos below. Any help or ideas is appreciated!! Thanks! South side of wall, showing some bubbles (and waterproofed top): Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ More bubbles on South side: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ A particularly bad set of bubbles on the Northern side, with broken render. You can also see the higher section of the wall up the hill, which has some (but far fewer) bubbles. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Some of the few examples of bubbles on the upper part of the wall. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Examples of some of the tiny holes I refer to. They're hard to photograph (thank goodness for the iPhone macro feature though!). Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Re: Bubbling paint on freestanding wall, despite waterproofi 2Jan 04, 2024 7:58 am Moisture in wall, probably puddling on top and running down wall thru mortar and render, behind paint Paint forms a film on wall, traps moisture in and the get blisters Re: Bubbling paint on freestanding wall, despite waterproofi 3Jan 04, 2024 8:03 am Pedro4137 Moisture in wall, probably puddling on top and running down wall thru mortar and render, behind paint Paint forms a film on wall, traps moisture in and the get blisters That’s what I thought, but I’ve waterproofed the top and it’s still occurring even with plastic over the top as well, as shown in the photos. So I don’t know how the water is getting in — that’s the question. Re: Bubbling paint on freestanding wall, despite waterproofi 4Jan 04, 2024 8:15 am Not sure what your time frames are for completing waterproofing and whether took off paint and texture before waterproofing Could be a lot of residual moisture in wall, might feel dry to paint and paint drys Re: Bubbling paint on freestanding wall, despite waterproofi 5Jan 04, 2024 4:04 pm No, I waterproofed the top with Crommelin Exterior Grade Waterproofing directly over the paint (after pressure washing), then plastic to let it cure a few days ago. The bubbles continue to come and go depending on the rain, so I conclude that water is actively getting in still (and then drying out) via another route. In other words, the bubbles aren't there before the rain (at least to a large extent) and then they recur with rain despite the waterproofing. just talk to them, tell them it is unsightly and ask them for a solution. Any reasonable person would render it for you or do something similar. If they give you trouble… 4 18955 Bathroom renovation will likely include a back-to-corner bath and we’re considering a freestanding tap with hand-held shower such as the picture included. My hesitation… 0 24903 I have researched this topic in detail recently but for another state which has no licensing requirements at all so any handy man can waterproof any old way and not have… 1 8672 |