Fading and Poor Colour Retention

Premature and/or excessive lightening of the paint colour, which often occurs on surfaces with a sunny exposure. Fading/poor colour retention can also be a result of chalking of the coating.

Possible Cause

• Use of an interior grade of paint for an outdoor application.
• Use of a lower quality paint, leading to rapid degradation (chalking) of the paint
• Use of a paint colour that is particularly vulnerable to UV radiation (most notably, certain bright reds, blues, and yellows).
• Tinting a white paint not intended for tinting, or over tinting a light or medium paint base.

Solution

When fading/poor colour retention is a result of chalking, it is necessary to remove as much of the dirt as possible (see Chalking). In repainting, be sure to use a quality exterior house paint in colours recommended for exterior use.

Images courtesy of the Paint Quality Institute from Dow Coating Materials