Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to some common questions and concerns

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Read some of the most common questions we receive at Nova Painting.

How long will a paint job last?

The lifespan of a coating depends on many factors. The type of coating used, location of the building, exposure to sunlight, quality of materials used, and the color can all affect the longevity. Typically, buildings should be painted every 5-10 years.

Why is my paint bubbling?

There are many reasons that can contribute to bubbling paint. Most commonly, bubbling can occur as a result of water/moisture ingress. If water is getting into the building, it is very likely that when the moisture tries to escape it will try and push its way through the paint from behind which causes it to lift and bubble.

Another reason paint can bubble can be because the existing paint has failed. When the new paint is applied over top of the old failed paint, it can reactivate the coating and cause bubbling. Often times the old coating may appear sound until the new coating is applied over top.

Is it necessary to prime all bare wood and metal surfaces?

We believe that proper preparation is the key to a long lasting coating. Typically, we will prime bare surfaces, however, in some situations, priming is not necessary.

For example, when applying a translucent or semi-tranparent coating, priming is not usually necessary (due to the penetrating nature of stains). Another example is when we use DTM (Direct to Metal) products for metal surfaces. These products are self priming and, in some cases do not require a separate primer. Overall, primers will not help if the surface underneath is not properly cleaned, abraded and prepped.

How long will the project take?

We like to give our customers an estimated timeline for their projects. The length depends on availability of our crews and the size of crew we put on site. Sometimes unforeseen delays may occur such as sudden changes in weather, rot/damage found mid-way through a project, or other contractors onsite delaying work. Nova does our best to keep communication flowing effectively throughout your project and avoids delays whenever possible.

Do you always wash before you paint?

Yes. It is important to remove all contaminants from the surface before painting. Dirt, algae, mold or mildew left on the surface can cause adhesion problems down the road. Algae, mold and mildew can also continue growing underneath the new coating which will eventually lead to bubbling and delamination.

How important is choosing the right paint?

Different types of surfaces require different types of coatings. It is not only important to choose the right paint coating, it is just as, or more important, to do the right preparation before the surface is painted. 

Before painting, we will send one of our experienced estimators to assess the surfaces prior to making recommendations.