Sea Air and House Paint in Phuket: Damage and Care

What does sea air do to house paint in Phuket, and how should the paint be cared for?

Sea air carries salt spray that settles on the walls, roof and steelwork of a house. Salt draws moisture from the air and holds that moisture on the surface, so the surface stays damp for longer. As a result, exterior paint chalks sooner and steel rusts faster than on a house in the inner part of the island. Care comes down to four things: rinse the salt off with fresh water at intervals, choose an exterior paint system that resists UV and humidity, use anti-rust primer on every piece of metal, and repair small damage before the damage spreads. This guide to sea air and house paint in Phuket belongs to the collection of house painting guides for Phuket from Phuket Pro Painters.

Phuket is an island, and a large share of its houses stand within reach of the sea wind. The west coast faces the open Andaman Sea, including the beach strip of Kata, Karon, Patong, Kamala, Surin and Bang Tao. Capes and hills open to the wind, such as Cape Panwa and Rawai, are exposed as well. Many sea-view villas owned by foreign residents sit in exactly these positions.

How does salt make wall paint and steelwork deteriorate?

How are rendered walls and exterior paint affected?

Salt sitting on a paint film holds moisture, so the paint surface stays wet for longer than normal. Combined with strong UV, the film breaks down into a white powder that comes off on the hand, the colour fades quickly, and mould and algae take hold more easily on shaded sides. Salt left under a new coat of paint also causes blistering and peeling, so salt has to be washed off before every painting job.

How is steelwork affected?

Salt speeds up the rusting of steel a great deal. Fences, gates, balcony railings, window grilles and steel roof frames on houses near the sea rust quickly, starting at welds, edges, corners and chipped spots. Rust that forms under the paint film pushes the paint up into blisters and spreads outwards.

How is timber affected?

Outdoor timber near the sea faces sun, rain and salt-held moisture together. Wood stain fades and the timber surface dries and splits sooner than normal, so the coating has to be renewed more often than on a house far from the sea.

Which houses in Phuket are most at risk from sea air?

Distance is not the only factor. The direction a wall faces and whatever shelters the wall from the wind matter a great deal, so one wall of a house can wear several times faster than another wall of the same house. In the monsoon season, the wind from the Andaman Sea carries more salt spray ashore than in the dry season.

Which paint system should a house near the sea use?

For rendered walls, choose a pure acrylic water-based exterior paint in a grade that the manufacturer states is UV-resistant and resists mould and algae, used with a primer that matches the condition of the wall. Pale to mid shades suit better than dark shades, because dark shades show salt as a white haze and show fading more clearly.

For steelwork, the paint system must always include an anti-rust primer, and the type of primer must match the metal. Mild steel, galvanised steel and aluminium take different primers, so rely on what the paint manufacturer states on the label. Some manufacturers offer paint systems designed for coastal environments, which are worth considering for front-row beach houses.

The inside of a house near the sea is more humid than normal too, above all in a house kept open to the sea breeze all day. Choosing a mould-resistant paint for indoor walls is covered in the guide to choosing interior house paint.

How should surfaces be prepared before painting a house near the sea?

1. Wash walls and steelwork thoroughly with fresh water to remove salt, dust and algae, with extra attention to the areas under the eaves and to corners that rain does not rinse.
2. Let the surface dry completely before the next step.
3. Scrape off paint that has blistered, flaked or turned powdery, then sand the surface.
4. Sand rust on steelwork back to bare metal and wipe the dust away.
5. Prime soon after preparation is finished, above all on sanded steel, because surface rust returns quickly in salty, humid air.
6. Apply the agreed number of top coats, leaving the interval between coats stated on the label.

If there is a long gap between washing and painting, for example when rain stops the job for several days, wash or wipe the salt off again before carrying on, because salt settles again.

How should a house near the sea be looked after once painted?

Rinsing with fresh water is the lowest-cost and most effective upkeep for a house near the sea. Use moderate water pressure, because very high pressure can damage the paint film. Owners who are away for part of the year can ask a property manager or gardener to do the rinsing on a regular schedule.

Which symptoms are not a paint problem?

White salts coming out of the render itself, paint that blisters repeatedly in one place, cracks that are widening, and rusting reinforcement that breaks the concrete away are problems caused by water or by the structure. Painting over them does not help. Phuket Pro Painters does not take on waterproofing, structural crack repair or leak repair. A specialist has to inspect and fix those symptoms first, after which our painters can prepare the surface and paint.

Does painting a house near the sea cost more than an ordinary house?

A house near the sea usually needs more surface preparation, such as washing off salt and sanding rust, which is quoted as separate lines. Owners also tend to choose a higher paint grade to push back the next repaint. Estimated rates are on the painting prices in Phuket page.

What should you check when hiring a painter for a house near the sea?

Check that the quotation clearly states the wall washing, the rust removal, the type of primer and the number of coats. How to check each item is set out in the guide to choosing a painter and comparing quotations.

Phuket Pro Painters surveys and measures the site free of charge and issues a written quotation before work starts, every time. The scope of wall work is described on the exterior house painting service page, and work on fences, gates and steel railings on the gate and fence painting service page.