What Causes Hairline Cracks In Paint?

One of the most common interior paint problems is the appearance of hairline cracks. If you live in Singapore, where the climate is often warm and humid, then you stand an even higher chance for hairline cracks to appear in the paint. However, there are situations when the paint cracks because it was improperly applied. You can use this article in order to learn how to solve this problem and also how specialists in the field can be of assistance.

Most Singapore homes have small cracks in the paint, as the humidity is too high and it has a direct effect on the paint. If you have noticed small hairline cracks, then you should not waste any more time and call in a team of specialists. Don’t think that just because the cracks are small, they won’t get bigger. In fact, hairline cracks tend to worsen over time, especially if no measures are taken for them to be fixed. Lets find out the top causes that lead to the appearance of hairline cracks in paint and then the ways to solve them.


Among the most common causes of hairline cracks, you can find the following:

– Constant humidity (Singapore is known for its tropical climate) – paint contracts and hairline cracks appear.

– Increased temperatures – combined with the constant humidity, they lead to the contraction of paint and the appearance of cracks in the paint.

– Low paint quality -if the paint is not qualitative, then it will not properly adhere to the wall and, soon, you will notice the hairline cracks.

– Application of paint over another coat of paint – this is one of the most common mistakes. Before painting a wall, you should first take down the other paint. Be sure to do that, as the application of oil-based paints over other types (such as latex paint, for example) can lead to hairline cracks.

– Just because you find yourself under a tight budget, this does not mean you should apply on a thin layer of paint on the wall. If you apply thin layers of paint, then soon they will have a lot of hairline cracks and you will certainly have to pay more to cover them.

– If you do not prepare the area to be painted properly, then the paint will crack soon after it was applied.

– Unfortunately, the Singapore temperatures can cause the paint to dry faster than it should. You can avoid that by using the air conditioning or closing the windows immediately after you have painted.

– If you have taken too long to re-pain the house, then it is only normal hairline cracks have appeared in time. It is common knowledge that paint brittles with age.

– If you do not wait for the first layer of paint to properly dry off and you quickly apply another layer, then you have a very good chance of hairline cracks to appear. Wait for the paint to dry off before applying it. Also, this kind of cracking can appear if you use two different types of paints, one for the first layer and another for the second layer.

So far, we have talked about the reasons that might lead to the appearance of hairline cracks. The main culprit, as you have seen for yourself, is related to the fact that Singapore is located in a tropical climate. However, this does not mean that there are not certain things you can do in order to solve the problem. Below, you will find the most common solutions for hairline cracks in the paint. Be sure to try them out and soon you will have the most beautiful, freshly-painted walls.


This is what you can do to repair hairline cracks in the paint:

– Analyze how far has the paint cracked; if the hairline cracks are not too deep, then you might be able to solve the problem easier than you imagine. Just take one of those scrapers that are commonly used for the preparation of the area to be painted and try to remove the loose paint. You can also use a wire brush to remove the flaking paint, but this depends on the tools that you have available. The area in which you have removed the paint should be sanded in order to soften the edges. Then, be sure to prime the area, as you would normally do with any part of your wall that is about to be painted. Last, apply paint to the surface. Wait for it to dry off before applying a new layer, if that is necessary.

– If the hairline cracks are deep and they have gone through all the layers of the paint, then you might have to use a special material in order to fill the cracks. Only after you have used filling materials, you can apply a fresh coat of paint in the area.

– If the hairline cracks have affected an extensive surface, you will have to remove the paint in the area. You can scrape it off using a scraper or, if you want to save some time, you can resort to a heat gun. Once you have finished scraping the area off, you can proceed to the next step. Sand the affected surface to soften the edges, prepare it for the application of paint and then, re-paint. Wait for the first layer to dry off before applying one or two others layers of paint. Latex paint is recommended for better resistance.

So, you see, there are solutions to repairing the hairline cracks that appear in your paint. Sure, given the tropical climate of Singapore, you will probably have to deal with such problems all of your life. If you feel like you cannot handle the repairing of the hairline cracks on your own, then you can always call a team of specialists and let them handle the actual repair process. They can also identify the exact cause that led to the appearance of hairline cracks and suggest methods or measures you can taken in order to prevent their appearance in the future.