Peeling of water-based topcoats is the result of a failure of the new coating to bond to previous coatings. Some causes are:
i) Application directly to gloss oil paints
ii) Poor surface preparation
iii) Damage from abrasion or scratching during curing period (7 to 21 days)
Remedy:
- Glossy surfaces should be dulled by sanding prior to coating.
- Gloss oil surfaces should be primed with oil-based primer prior to applying a latex topcoat.
- Allow acrylic paints to cure for a minimum of 21 days before heavy use or cleaning.