Surfactant leaching

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Mid Glamorgan
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Just completed an exterior job, the customer had sandtex mixed into a very dark green colour. The finished job looked lovely, customer very happy but then a few days later there is surfactant leaching on one side of the property and it looks awful. Only once before have I come across this in 36 years of being in the trade, from memory it usually corrects itself in time and weathers off so to speak but trying to reassure the customer of this has been tough. Any thoughts fellas ?.
 
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The only times I have experienced this is when the substrate has been damp or if the temperature drops before the paint dries.
Is the side of the house in question shaded?
You are right that it usually fades or dries out somewhat but with dark colours it may still be noticeable so I understand the clients concerns. In this the case I would probably wait for some warmer conditions before applying another coat. Annoying but customer satisfaction is more important. ;)
However, if there is a problem with damp in the walls it is likely to re-occur so the client will have to accept this possibility.
 
Surfactant is I believe a general term for bleed or leach and is often unexplained, even efflorescence could be termed as this, important thing here is to try and establish exactly what is causing this to happen.

Effloescence will itself disappear of its own accord so you may be lucky.

Dec
 
The wall in question is a mixture of old render previously painted and some brand new render where repairs were needed, no damp issues in the property, seventies built, d.p. course intact, no cracks in substrate.
Surfactant is actually just a posh name for soap, its added to the paint and with a dark tinted colour, there is more surfactant then usual. Painting over it is a no no as it will seal in the stains and then they will never weather away. It's a real pain, I am just hoping it will correct itself through weathering, as it should do, just don't look pretty right now.
 
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Just to add, it was painted in glorious sunshine over a period of three dry days, the area is open to the sun, this leaching is usually associated, I believe, with moisture coming into contact with the paint before curing, unless dew settled on it after working hours, then I'm baffled as to the cause.
 
Just to add, it was painted in glorious sunshine over a period of three dry days, the area is open to the sun, this leaching is usually associated, I believe, with moisture coming into contact with the paint before curing, unless dew settled on it after working hours, then I'm baffled as to the cause.

Hmm, it has been getting pretty chilly in the evenings around these parts so dew would probably be the most likely cause then, although I believe it can sometimes be caused by applying a second coat before the first is fully dry.
I understand what you say about not painting over it which is why I suggested waiting for some warmer weather by which time it would have hopefully have more or less dried/cleared.
 
Well regardless of cause the sad thing is that it has happened, I think that you will have to play the waiting game pray and try and console the customer.

Dec
 
He was paid to apply the paint and nothing else. Bad walls aren't his problem, it's not his house.
 

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