This is What Happens if an Oil Painting Gets Wet

Showcasing and maintaining an art piece are both processes that often expose the brittle oil paints to water-related contact. Therefore, even if you care for your paintings with the utmost caution, there’s always a chance of an unfortunate accident happening.

A beloved, one-of-a-kind oil painting getting wet is enough cause for any artist or enthusiast to have a small panic attack. I’ll be diving into a few approaches that might help you prevent or remedy the issue in a moment. For now, let’s answer the question: “What happens if an oil painting gets wet?”. 

If an oil painting gets wet, its aesthetics, overall quality, and longevity would deteriorate. The moisture would cause the painting to swell, warp, crack, or even flake off. It could also provide ideal grounds for mold growth.

Make sure to keep on reading to learn more about what ensues after an oil painting gets wet. You will also discover how to keep your art piece from getting wet in the first place, and what steps to take if a liquid-related accident has already occurred.

What Happens if an Oil Painting Gets Wet?

If an oil painting gets wet, it will likely suffer from water damage. Some of the most common issues that occur in this instance include buckling, wrapping, flaking, and mold growth. If left unattended for too long, the excess moisture could cause the art piece to start falling apart.

The most common issue you might have to deal with after getting an oil painting wet is usually shape-related. This means that in most cases, the first signs of water damage will appear in the form of swelling, shrinkage, or overall wrapping and distortion.

While in themselves, these problems might not be your biggest source of worry (provided that the piece will return to its original state shortly), they could potentially cause the already dry and brittle oil paint to flake and fall off the canvas. 

Even if the damage/shape change isn’t severe enough for the paint to fall off entirely, you might be exposing the work to unsavory cracks and lines that will affect its overall look and longevity. While it can be expected for oil paintings to naturally suffer from some cracks and imperfections as they age, excess moisture could help deteriorate their condition much quicker.

However, the paint isn’t the only component that suffers damage through a water-related accident. The harm caused to the canvas itself is sometimes enough to render a piece virtually worthless, with both its aesthetic appeal and quality getting damaged beyond repair.

Therefore, as soon as you suspect that your oil painting has come in contact with water, you’ll want to start monitoring the piece for any signs of wrapping. This is best spotted if you look at the painting from its side. You will also want to check for any discoloration, mold, cracking, flaking, or impurities collecting on the painting’s surface.

How To Keep a Painting From Getting Wet

As you can see, water exposure could cause a significant amount of damage to any oil painting. Therefore, the best course of action is always to try and prevent these accidents from happening in the first place — especially if the specific piece is of particular sentimental or monetary value.

Even though some art purists might tell you that a good painting should be able to withstand even the harshest conditions, this simply isn’t true. This is particularly so if you intend to store a piece for decades or centuries on end.

Most paintings (oil-based ones included) are highly sensitive to humidity, light, and temperature. Therefore, taking proper steps to ensure that a beloved art piece is sheltered from the elements is paramount. In the long run, placing the painting in ideal conditions could save you a lot of stress and repairs 

Generally speaking, most paintings do best when displayed in an environment whose relative humidity is as stable as possible. Excessive moisture isn’t the only issue that could cause the previously mentioned water-related issues. Extreme fluctuations in relative humidity could also lead to the same amount of wrapping, flaking, and discoloration.

According to the British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers, the ideal relative humidity level for storing most paintings falls between 40 and 60%. Moreover, it’s important to keep daily variation at below ten percent. Additionally, while excessive humidity levels spanning up to 70% may be sustained for short periods, they could significantly damage a piece if they remain unchanged over a prolonged time.

If you’re displaying an oil painting outside (which is not recommended), make sure to keep it in a sheltered area protected from excessive heat or water exposure. Alternatively, if displaying it inside, you’ll want to keep the most valuable pieces away from bathrooms or kitchens as both spaces often suffer from excess moisture.

What To Do if an Oil Painting Gets Wet

Suppose the worst has happened, and your beloved oil painting has gotten wet. While you should take the situation seriously and take all the necessary measures to remedy it, there’s no need to panic. There are still several approaches you can take to stop any sign of water damage before it even occurs.

In this instance, timing is crucial. You’ll want to attend to the damage as quickly as possible; otherwise, you risk your painting getting ruined beyond repair. Take the following steps:

Remove the painting from display

Immediately after discovering water damage to an oil painting (or after witnessing water contact firsthand), you’ll want to remove the piece from its display and lay it on a flat surface. Doing so will give it a better chance of drying as quickly as possible. On the same note, it’s crucial to ensure that the area you lay your piece on, along with any surrounding components, is as clean as possible.

Blot the paint’s surface

You can use a clean kitchen towel (or, ideally, blotting paper) to gently blot the entire surface. Don’t forget to blot the wooden stretcher bars too as they are especially susceptible to water damage. Beware, if mold has already started to grow on the surface, blotting will only worsen the issue, so please refrain from doing so.

Leave the painting to dry

Afterward, leave the oil painting uncovered in a sheltered, indoor area to allow it to dry naturally. If the issue persists, don’t hesitate to enlist the help of a professional.

If you would like to take matters in your own hands, you could also opt for this Lavender Retouch Varnish – Used for Protection of Oil Artwork and Breathability. But please consult with a professional first!

Last update on 2024-04-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Final Words

Avoid getting an oil painting wet at all costs, as doing so could cause buckling, wrapping, flaking, shrinkage, swelling, and mold growth. It’s always best to prevent the issue from happening in the first place by storing your oil painting in its ideal relative humidity levels. 

Sources

• Lux Fashion Word: What Happens If an Oil Painting Gets Wet? 
• The British Association of Paintings Conservator-Restorers: Care for Your Paintings