5 Ways to Touch Up without Painting the Whole Wall

Not even the best paint jobs are immune to damage. Touching up your walls and other surfaces is just part of regular home maintenance. Although these minor fixes are easy to complete, you’ll still need to know the proper ways to update the paint on your wall.

Steps to Touch Up Paint

Getting the best results from a paint touch-up does not have to be difficult. The age of the paint, size of the damaged area, and type of paint originally used can all affect the overall appearance of your home’s walls, but there are steps to follow to get perfectly matched paint touch-ups.

There is one lesson many homeowners learn the hard way: Don’t discard leftover paint. Keeping the same paint that was used when you first painted your walls makes touch-ups that much easier. Store leftover paint properly so you can use it again in the future. You never know when you’ll need it.

1. Check and Repair All Damages

Scuff marks, scratches, and things of this nature only require some proper cleaning or paint to fix the appearance. If the problem is more severe, like a dent or hole, you may have to do some drywall repair before applying paint. Fill in small holes with spackle, allow to dry, and sand smooth. Larger holes may require replacing sections of drywall.

2. Clean the Area

You’d be surprised at how much dust and dirt has accumulated on your walls over time. Paint adheres best to a clean surface. To make sure your touch-up goes on smoothly, carefully but thoroughly clean the affected area and let it dry before painting.

This can usually be done with a damp cloth or sponge with some water mixed with detergent. Additionally, cleaning the area may reveal that no touch up is necessary. Scuff marks, for instance, can often be removed with the right technique.

Be aware that if it’s been a while since you’ve painted or washed the wall, washing one spot may reveal dirt on the rest of the wall. To make it match, you’ll need to wash or repaint the entire wall.

3. Use the Same Color Paint

When touching up your walls, make sure you use the same brand, color, and type of paint you used in the beginning. Failing to do this will result in a noticeable disparity between the touch-up area and the rest of the wall. Seek help from a hardware or paint store with color-matching services if you don’t recall which paint was used.

4. Texture Matters Too

Matching color and sheen is crucial to a proper touch-up, but don’t forget about the texture. Different paint applicators leave different textures. The brush or roller you used when it was first painted should be used again for the touch-up. Don’t forget the direction in which you painted as well.

5. Don’t Use Too Much Paint

Touch-ups can range from a small spot to covering almost half of a wall. In either case, be mindful of how much paint you’re using. Professionals generally start with a small amount of paint. If more paint is needed you can simply add another coat. Using too much paint can lead to streaking.

Touching Up vs. Repainting

Over time, the paint on your home’s walls can begin to lose luster or even deteriorate. Even high-quality paint does not last forever and the condition of the paint on your walls can be affected. To determine if you need a touch-up or your walls repainted entirely, there are a few scenarios to consider.

If the damage to walls is small and contained or the paint is less than a year old, you should be able to just touch up the small area rather than repainting the whole wall. Small flaws include:

Nicks, scratches, dings, chips, scuffs, or marks
Flaws that are not highly visible
Small spots that were missed in original paint job

Repainting your home’s interior walls is a cost-effective way to update the appearance and condition of the walls. While touch-up paint can provide a quicker fix, repainting often provides a longer-lasting and more aesthetic solution. It is best to hire professional painters to repaint your walls if you have:

Larger areas of peeling, flaking, or stained paint
Obvious signs of wear and tear
Many damages or scuffs
Changes to the décor
A desire to change color
Paint that is over 5 years old
Paint with a higher sheen

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Trusted Painting Professionals

It is recommended that you repaint your walls every 5-10 years depending on the location. The most effective way to get long-lasting results is to hire a reputable paint company like Walla Painting. We deliver beautiful results whether you need to touch up a wall or repaint your entire home.

Jonathan Walla