Tips to Touch Up Paint on Walls and Other Surfaces

Blemished paint on the walls looks unsightly, and it can attract unwanted attention to that area of the wall. However, attempts to hide flaws can go very wrong, and make the area look worse. You will never be able to make touch-up paint blend in perfectly, but as long as you use the following tips for touching up paint on walls and other surfaces, you will be able to make the area look a lot better.

#1 Tip for Touching Up Paint: Use leftover paint if possible.

It is always best to use paint from the original batch, if there is any left over. When you order another bucket of paint years--or even months--later, there is a chance that it might not match. Formulas changes, and sometimes the bases even change. But if you are forced to buy more paint, ask the salesperson to look up the original formula to make sure it will match as closely as possible.

#2 Tip for Touching Up Paint: Consider re-coating the wall.

Do you have a large area to touch up, or multiple splotches where the paint has been blemished? Re-coating the entire wall might be a better solution, since the patches of touch-up paint will not match exactly. Touching up large areas often looks worse than leaving the flaws as they are. Or, maybe it is time for a fresh, new color throughout the room.

#3 Tip for Touching Up Paint: Cover the smallest area possible.

Once you have your can of paint, make sure it has been shaken or stirred. If it sits too long, the pigments will begin to settle at the bottom of the can, and the paint at the top will look different than it should. Now dip your brush or roller into the paint, making sure to not get a lot of excess paint on it. Carefully fill in the area that needs to be touched up. Try to stay inside the lines of the chipped or blemished spot--the larger the touch-up, the more noticeable it will be.

#4 Tip for Touching Up Paint: Use a trim roller.

A trim roller has proven to be the best tool in touching up wall paint. It is smaller than a regular roller, so you will not have to paint a larger area than needed, and it will leave a little bit of texture on the wall. A brush will not leave an even texture; however, if the area you are touching up is really small, use a small brush rather than a trim roller.

#5 Tip for Touching Up Paint: Know that it's not going to match exactly.

Whatever you do, you should be prepared for the simple truth that a touch-up will never blend perfectly into a painted wall. Once paint has dried on a wall, any area that is touched up on that wall will look slightly different. And the shinier the finish, the worse it will look. Even if you were to run out of paint in the middle of a wall, then go to the store to buy more paint, and continue where you left off--you will be able to see a slight difference in color. However, by using the aforementioned pointers, it is possible to touch up paint on a wall to make it look nearly perfect.

References
DIY Touch Up Wall Paint
Painting Tips: Touch Up Paint