Wrong Primer: Bubbling

Bubbling is usually associated with the base primer coat. Many manufacturers still use solvents or other additives that cause off-gassing of some of their VOC’s. VOC's (volatile organic compounds) are associated with health concerns and will cause issues with the indoor air quality.


The off-gassing will diminish over time and eventually will no longer cause the bubbling. How long that process takes depends on the amounts of gasses and their speed of being released.

When choosing a primer please use a water-based, low VOC content acrylic primer. Ask your supplier to check the technical data sheet to ensure the primer is free from off-gassing substances. Bauwerk Colour Lime wash paint does not contain any gases or VOC's and will never be the cause for bubbling or a lowered air quality.

To test which layer is the incompatible material causing the bubbles you can prepare a piece of board used in the wall construction and paint several sections.

One section may be just Bauwerk Prep Coat with Bauwerk Limewash Paint as a control panel (there will be no bubbles).

Another board or a section of the board may be painted with the primer used as an underlying material, another with the primer plus Prep Coat and limewash paint. That will allow you to identify the material that causes the bubbling.