Cracking and Flaking of Paint

What we're looking at here is a case of complete paint failure. This particular kind of paint failure is know as "cracking" followed by "flaking." While it may seem obvious that this paint cracked and flaked, it's actually a different kind of paint failure from alligatoring, blistering, chalking, and other more picturesque types of paint failure.

What cause this paint failure? One very likely reason is poor quality paint. Good quality paint is much less likely to come away like this from the surface.

In this case, you can see two layers of paint, both failing. This can also be a sign of a badly prepared surface. When the surface to be painted is not prepared properly, the paint may not stick to the surface. In fact, the second coat of paint my just stick to the first coat of paint -- and when the earlier coat of paint comes off, so does the second coat.

This kind of problem can also arise from painting on hot, windy days.  The paint can go on too thinly and dry too quickly, leading to overall poor adhesion.

Avoid this type of paint failure by doing it right the first time. Fix it by removing all the old paint and thoroughly preparing the surface before painting again.