What is Alligatoring?
Alligatoring is patterned cracking in the surface of the paint film resembling the regular scales of an alligator.
Possible Cause:
- Application of an extremely hard, rigid coating, like an alkyd enamel, over a more flexible coating, like a latex primer.
- Application of a top coat before the undercoat is dry.
- Natural aging of oil-based paints as temperatures fluctuate. The constant expansion and contraction results in a loss of paint elasticity.
Solution:
Old paint should be completely removed by scraping and sanding the surface; a heat gun can be used to speed work on large surfaces, but take care to avoid igniting paint or substrate. The surface should be primed with a high quality latex or oil-based primer, then painted with a top quality exterior latex paint.
Source: Paint Quality Institute
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