Common Painting Problems and Solutions

Reasons for woodpecker damage

Wood peckers hammer or peck on wood or even metal objects for a few distinctive reasons:

Making a nesting home

One of the most common reasons is a woodpecker making a nesting hole.
A nesting hole from a woodpecker will be round and large. Nesting holes are usually built in the beginning of the breeding season between late April and May.

Breeding / Mating

Another reason for woodpeckers making loud hammering noises (drumming) is for proclaiming the birds territory and attracting a mate. If this is the case, they will most likely stop once breeding has begun in spring and they don’t drum when looking for food.

Feeding on insects and worms

Woodpeckers often make small irregular shaped holes when forging for food such as insects.

Woodpeckers are particularly fond of the larvae of carpenter bees, leafcutter bees, and grass bagworms.

Possible solutions

Build / install modular bird home

Providing the birds with a home is on of the most simple and cost effective options. I’s also good for everyone involved!

Joyner’s painting can build and install birdhouses for you! View Our Woodpecker Box Construction and Installation Service

Or call us Today (269) 501-6269 to have us install one for your home!

Installing a feeder to feed the birds

Adding a bird feeder around the area may draw the birds away from your house. Make sure to keep the feeder constantly supplied with food, especially throughout fall and winter when natural food becomes scarce and birds become hungriest because of cold weather.

Placing a statue in surrounding area

Placing a statue such as an owl or hawk in surrounding area may scare away wood peckers from the home

Hanging Aluminum foil strips or reflective tape

Aluminum foil strips or reflective tape can be hung from areas where damage is occurring and may scare away woodpeckers. The strips should be able to hang freely and blow in the wind.

Please Note: No solution has been proven to always be 100% effective. Situations may vary.

How to fix woodpecker damage holes

• Wash Exterior of home and let dry.
• Patch with putty, bondo or light cement compound. Replacing wood or boards may be necessary depending on severity of damage.
• Paint house with exterior stain of your choice. You can optionally get a special additive to mix into the paint to help get rid / prevent bugs/insects making nests in your home.

Do not damage or remove eggs from an established woodpecker nest. Woodpeckers are protected under the Migratory Bird Act and such actions are illegal without the proper authorization.

Do not injure or attempt to capture the birds. This is also illegal under the Migratory Bird Act and can result in fines or jail time for any violations.

Please contact a humane wildlife removal and control service expert for more information.

Cause: Tannin escaping moisture and primers that don’t block staining. Most likely to happen to Cedar, redwood, mahogony and knots in wood without priming or sealing. Severe cases may require more than one coat. Staining is more visible with lighter wood colors.

Solution: Locate and fix any sources of moisture. Wash with commercial grade bleach or washing solution. Rinse thuroughly and allow surface to fully dry for at least 48hrs. Severe staining will require 2 coats and or a stain blocking primer. Cedar and redwood should always require a stain blocking primer before applying finish coat.

Causes: Excessive moisture. Inadequate ventilation of high moisture areas. High pH levels and or lack of curing time. Excessive lime in concrete mix. Soluble salts in masonry when dissolved by water appear on the surface as crystallized salts.

Solution: Eliminating moisture with proper ventilation. Repair any leaks if necessary. Remove all loose paint and other particles with scraper or wire brush. Fill and patch any holes and cracks with patching compound or bondo. A primer/sealer is necessary to apply before a finish coat to help block out moisture. Surface must completely dry before applying paint.

Cause: Usually due to natural weathering occurring on aluminum siding. Interior paints being used for exterior surfaces. Over thinning paint or applying to thin. Paints containing excessive amounts of clay in place of titanium dioxide.

Solution: Remove all chalk dust from surface by washing and spraying with power washer. Rinse thoroughly and let surface dry completely. A good penetrating primer is important to seal off any remaining chalk. Select top quality exterior paint and apply to surface.

Cause:

Alligatoring: Can be caused from multiple coats of naturally aged oil based paints that have become brittle and start cracking. An Inability to bond smoothly to a surface and or undercoat. Insufficient drying time between coats. A hard coating over a soft primer.

Checking/Flaking: Poor Surface prep. Applying paint too thin. Loss of elasticity, not expanding or contracting with humidity and temperature flucuations. As wood swells, stress breaks the bond between layers. Delamination of unprotected wood.

Solution:

Alligatoring: Remove old paint by sanding, scraping or power washing. Primer is essential for better adhesion and durability. After priming apply finish coat.

Checking/Flaking: Remove all loose paint with a scraper, wire brush and or power washer. Sand surface and rinse dust and particels off with garden hose or power washer. Primer is essential for better adhesion and durability. After priming apply finish coat.

Cause: Improper or no surface prep, not identifying conditions and areas that need pre-painting attention. Uncontrolled moisture conditions, painting over rust, loose / peeling paint, chalking paint, or dusty surfaces.

Solution: Make sure area to be painted is well ventilated and has ventilation system in place to help control moisture. Remove all loose / peeling paint and or rust with scraper, wire brush or power washer. Patch and fill any holes and cracks with patching compound and lightly sand areas to be painted. Spot prime all bare areas for better adhesion, sheen, and uniformity and coverage. Select a top quality paint in color and sheen of your choice and apply two coats as recommended.