Also known as: Poor flow, Texture defect.
What it looks like
A textured, dimpled surface resembling orange skin. It is most noticeable on high-gloss finishes and under raking light. It rarely affects protection, but it is one of the most common reasons architectural and cosmetic work is rejected.
Common causes
- Wet paint: atomisation too coarse, spray pressure too low, the gun too far away, the paint too viscous, or fast-evaporating thinners
- Powder coating: film too thin or too thick, poor gun settings, too slow a heat-up in the oven, or powder that has absorbed moisture
- Surface or ambient temperature too high, so the coating sets before it flows
Prevention
- Set up the equipment to the data sheet and check atomisation on a test panel
- Use the recommended thinner and viscosity for the conditions
- Control film build: both too little and too much can cause orange peel in powder
- Agree an approved sample for acceptable texture before production
Repair
Once cured, orange peel can only be corrected by abrading and recoating, or by polishing on some liquid finishes. For powder coating, stripping and recoating is often the only reliable fix.
Inspector’s note
Appearance disputes are much easier to settle with an approved sample agreed in advance. “Smooth” means different things to different people.