Failure Analysis

Dry Spray & Overspray

Dry spray and overspray: what causes rough, porous films and wayward coating, why they cause later failures, and how to repair and prevent them.

Fisheyes & Cratering

Fisheyes and craters in coatings: how silicone, oil and other contaminants cause them, how to find the source, and how…

Edge Corrosion

Why coatings fail first on sharp edges, welds and cut ends, how to diagnose edge corrosion, and how edge rounding…

Efflorescence

Why white salt deposits bloom on concrete and masonry, how they lift coatings, and how to diagnose, clean, repair and…

Amine Blush

What amine blush is, why it forms on epoxies in cold, humid conditions, and how to detect, wash off and…

Floor Coating Failures

Why concrete floor coatings peel, blister, pinhole, crack and wear — how to diagnose each failure mode, repair it and…

Bleeding & Staining

Why stains bleed through coatings — tar, tannins, pigments, rust and surfactants — plus how to diagnose the source, block…

Solvent Entrapment

Solvent entrapment in coatings: causes like thick films and short recoat times, symptoms, field and lab diagnosis, and repair and…

Chalking & Fading

Why coatings chalk, fade and lose gloss in sunlight, how to rate chalk and color change, and how to clean,…

Intercoat Delamination

Intercoat delamination: why coats lose adhesion to each other, how to find the cause, and how to repair and prevent…

Mud Cracking, Checking & Cracking

What causes mud cracking, checking and cracking in coatings, how to judge crack depth and cause, and how to repair…