7 Painting Problems in Bakersfield and How We Solve Them
Living in Bakersfield means enjoying our beautiful San Joaquin Valley, but it also means your home faces some unique challenges. Our scorching summers with temperatures regularly exceeding 100°F, dry conditions, and those occasional dust storms can wreak havoc on painted surfaces. At Steve Holloway Painting, we've spent years helping homeowners tackle these region-specific painting problems with our residential painting expertise.
Let's explore the most common issues we encounter and how we address them, because understanding these challenges is the first step to ensuring your home looks beautiful for years to
1. Paint Bubbling and Blistering
Those unsightly bubbles pushing your paint away from the surface? They're especially common in Bakersfield due to our extreme heat. When the scorching summer sun beats down on your exterior surfaces, moisture trapped beneath the paint expands, creating these bubbles. Poor adhesion between paint and substrate is often the root cause, particularly with vinyl siding, which expands significantly in heat.
How we solve it: Our preparation services make all the difference here. We meticulously scrape away all damaged paint using professional-grade scrapers, properly sand the surface with fine-grit sandpaper, and ensure it's completely dry before applying primer designed explicitly for high-heat environments. For exterior painting projects, we carefully schedule work during appropriate temperature conditions to prevent bubbling during application and ensure proper adhesion even on challenging surfaces like vinyl siding.
One Bakersfield homeowner near Panorama Drive had bubbling on their south-facing exterior wall for years until we implemented this comprehensive preparation approach. Three years later, their paint remains bubble-free despite our harsh summers.
2. Premature Fading and Discoloration
Bakersfield's intense UV exposure can cause exterior colors to fade significantly faster than expected. Those vibrant blues and reds you loved can look washed out within a few years. This is especially noticeable with lower-quality paints, where pigment breakdown occurs rapidly under our intense sun.
How we solve it: We recommend and use high-quality, UV-resistant latex paints with fade-resistant pigments specifically formulated for hot, sunny climates. For exterior painting, we often suggest slightly deeper initial colors when clients choose vulnerable color families, as they'll maintain their intended appearance longer as they naturally mellow. We also consider paint sheen carefully—higher sheens like semi-gloss offer better UV resistance for areas with direct sun exposure.
3. Cracking and Peeling in Dry Conditions
Our region's low humidity is great for outdoor activities but tough on paint. As paint ages in our dry climate, it loses elasticity faster, leading to cracking and eventual peeling, particularly around windows and doors that expand and contract. We often see this issue in both oil and latex-based paints, especially on poorly prepared surfaces.
How we solve it: Our interior painting approach includes using premium elastomeric paints where appropriate and proper priming techniques. We pay special attention to expansion-prone areas during preparation, ensuring surfaces are properly sealed before applying finish coats. For problematic areas like peeling bathroom ceilings or high-condensation areas, we use specialized primers and paints with superior adhesion properties to resist moisture-related peeling.
4. Dust Contamination During Application
Nothing ruins a fresh paint job like dust particles embedding themselves in wet paint—a particular challenge in our occasionally windy valley with agricultural activity nearby. This issue affects all surfaces but is especially problematic on smooth substrates like drywall, where every imperfection shows.
How we solve it: Timing is everything. We carefully schedule exterior painting around weather forecasts, avoiding rain and high winds, and utilize sophisticated containment methods to protect wet surfaces. For interior painting, we implement comprehensive dust control protocols, including proper room sealing, air filtration, and systematic cleaning procedures throughout the project. We also select the right paint sheen for each surface—flat paint can hide minor imperfections, while higher sheens require more meticulous preparation.
5. Improper Coverage from Previous Painters
We frequently encounter homes with patchy, uneven coverage or visible roller marks from previous paint jobs—often the result of rushed work or diluted paint. This problem is particularly noticeable in bedrooms and living areas where consistent wall color is essential for aesthetics.
How we solve it: Our thorough preparation services include evaluating previous paint jobs for problem areas. We then properly prime uneven surfaces with stain-blocking primers and apply the correct number of coats (never cutting corners) with professional application techniques using quality paintbrushes and rollers that ensure smooth, even coverage. Our cabinet painting service is particularly meticulous about this, as cabinetry demands flawless finishing. When appropriate, we'll use sandpaper to smooth surfaces before applying fresh paint, ensuring a perfect finish.
6. Stucco-Specific Painting Challenges
Many Bakersfield homes feature stucco exteriors, which present unique challenges, including surface irregularities, absorption issues, and a tendency to show patching. Efflorescence (that chalky white substance) is also common on stucco in our region due to mineral deposits.
How we solve it: We use specialized stucco primers and paints with appropriate permeability ratings for our climate. Before painting, we treat efflorescence by removing it with proper cleaning solutions and addressing the underlying moisture issues. Our exterior painting team employs specific techniques for stucco application, including proper pressure settings when spraying and detailed brushwork for consistent texture appearance. For stubborn stains on stucco, we apply stain-blocking primers to prevent bleed-through.
7. Moisture and Mildew Issues in Specific Areas
Despite our generally dry climate, bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and north-facing exterior walls can develop moisture issues and even mildew growth. Surfactant leaching—those brown streaks that appear on fresh paint—is also common in high-moisture areas.
How we solve it: For interior painting in moisture-prone spaces, we use mildew-resistant paints with appropriate paint sheen levels for easier cleaning. We address surfactant leaching by using quality primers and paints formulated to minimize this issue. Our preparation includes treating any existing mildew properly before painting and addressing underlying moisture sources when possible. In areas prone to tannin bleeding (like cedar siding), we use specialized oil-based or shellac primers to block stains before applying the finish coat.
The Bottom Line: Your Bakersfield Home Deserves Expert Care
These common painting issues don't have to be inevitable. With the right knowledge, techniques, and materials chosen explicitly for Bakersfield's unique conditions, your home can maintain its beauty despite our environment's challenges.
At Steve Holloway Painting, we've built our reputation by understanding these local challenges and developing specific solutions for them. Whether dealing with peeling exterior paint, faded walls, or cabinets that need refreshing, our team brings specialized knowledge of what works in our valley. Our expertise extends beyond residential painting to commercial painting projects where durability and appearance are equally important.
Let us help solve your painting needs!
Contact us today to discover how we can help protect and beautify your home with solutions made for our unique climate, including specialized techniques for challenging situations like painting over black mold or water damage with appropriate primers. We offer both residential and commercial painting services, with solutions for every surface from drywall and vinyl siding to ceilings and roofs.
