All paintings are subject to deterioration due to age, accident, or the incompatibility of materials used by the artist called inherent vice.

Temperature cycling, intrusion of water, accidental mechanical damage, often cause the paint and/or ground layer to detach from the canvas support or wooden panel of a painting. At times artists will apply incompatible paint layers on top of one another causing the flaking of the top layer.

In order to prevent further losses, these weaknesses must be addressed by injecting media specific adhesives between the detached layers. This process consolidates and stabilizes the layers. Heat and vacuum are frequently employed to help the binder penetrate the between the minute, often invisible cracks. The treatment is usually performed on the vacuum hot table, or suction table and is followed by cleaning and compensation.