Easy Process Of Touching Up Wall Paint Without Leaving Brush Marks
Touch-up painting is a simple process provided you use the right tools as well as techniques, otherwise, it can result in unsightly blotches. In order to blend or mix your touch-up paint seamlessly into the surrounding wall, then it is important to use the same, or as similar as possible, paint and paint applicators (rollers and brushes) that were originally used when painting the wall. Preferably, you will have some leftover paint as well as applicators from when the wall was first painted. If not, then find a matching paint with the same color and sheen. If you are not sure what type of applicator was used, then rollers are usually regarded the best option for touch-up painting. Smaller rollers are usually recommended, due to the fact that they offer the highest level of control and precision.
Tools Needed
- Paint Applicator: Small Brush Or "Weenie" Roller
- Small Foam Brush & Putty Knife
- Dry Rag, Damp Rag & Fan (Optional)
- Face Mask Or Respirator (Optional)
Materials Needed
- Paint
- Interior-Grade Latex Primer
- Spackling Compound
- 120-Grit Sandpaper
- Paint Thinning Agent: Water, Turpentine, Or Mineral Spirits
- Paint Mixer: Mixing Stick Or Power Drill Mixer Attached To Power Drill
Step 1: Cleaning And Prepping The Area
- First of all, you need to get rid of dirt, holes, gouges, as well as other blemishes, otherwise it can prevent the paint from adhering to the wall. Clean the wall with the help of a damp sponge before making it dry using a clean rag. Keep cleaning the area as long as there is no trace of dirt, grease, or grime.
- Next, fill in any small holes, gashes, or gouges with the help of spackling compound. Start by knocking down any rough surfaces using 120-grit (or finer) sandpaper and wipe off residual drywall dust with the help of a damp rag.
- Load the end of a putty knife with spackle before smearing it over the spot as long as it is completely full. As soon as the spackle has dried, you need to use a fine grit sandpaper in order to smooth out the spackle as long as it’s flush with the rest of the wall. Clean off residual drywall as well as spackle dust with the help of a damp rag.
Step 2: Prime The Area
- Apply a light coat of interior-grade latex primer, which in turn, can help the touch-up paint blend into the surrounding wall, as well as it will promote better paint adhesion. Use a small brush in order to prime the area you prepped in the previous step and make sure not to paint too far past the area you are touching up.
Step 3: Prepare The Paint
- Thoroughly mix the can of paint in order to properly blend all the pigments as well as binders. You can manually mix the paint with the help of a mixing stick, or use a power drill mixer the is attached to a power drill.
- Consider thinning the paint in order to help it blend into the wall. As a general rule, latex paint should be thinned by adding sufficient amount of water in order to make up 5 to 10 percent of the paint’s volume, and oil-based paints should be thinned with the same amount of turpentine or mineral spirits. Follow or go through the specific thinning instructions provided by the manufacturer of the paint you are using. Thinning paint will help lighten the paint color slightly, test a small area for color matching before moving to the next step.
Step 4: Apply Touch-up Paint
- Load your brush or roller with sufficient amount of paint that would cover the touch-up area. Start in the middle of the touch-up spot, before proceeding to the edges. Without reloading the applicator, you need to feather the edges by making light strokes that extend, to a small degree, past the edge onto the surrounding wall. Feathering will create a less noticeable transition betwixt the new and old paint, which in turn, will help the touch-up spot blend into the wall. For areas that are not more then an inch in size, you can use a small foam brush to lightly dab paint onto the spot.