DIY Touch Up Wall Paint
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Paint touch–up on walls and ceilings painted long ago can sometimes create a more unsightly finish than the old paint itself. To avoid this it's important to use the original paint only, for retouching existing paint finishes.
It's also important to realize that any white paint will not match any white paint. There are hundred of shades of white paint available from dozens of manufacturer. And what about semi–gloss, eggshell, high–gloss, oil–based etc. Can these finishes be retouched successfully?
What is Paint Flashing?
As a general rule, only flat paint can be retouched without "flashing". Flashing is a term used by professionals to describe the obvious difference in finish that will occur when retouching old or shiny paints. Flashing is most obvious when viewing a surface from the side. Look down a wall while standing at one corner of a room. You will see all the imperfections in the surface when light is reflected off it. Any differences in the overall finish of the paint are called flashing.
Flashing will also occur when a shiny paint is applied over bare wall patches. Wall repair mud and spackle must be primed with flat latex paint before finishing with a shiny paint. If you're using flat paint for the finish it will be self–priming.
If you suspect that the irregular appearance of your walls is caused by failure to prime wall repairs before applying shiny paint, coat the spots with flat latex paint and then touch up the shiny paint finish.
Fixing Paint Flashing
When you have a flashing problem with your touch–up paint, the best solution is to paint a whole wall from one break to another. This "Paint from Break to Break" method will diminish the noticeable difference in the new paint color.
Choosing Paint for Touching Up
If possible, always use the original paint. That is, the can of leftover paint from the original paint job. If the original paint is not available and it is a stock color (a premixed color made at the paint factory, not mixed at the store) then a new can of the same color will most often work as well.
Custom mixed colors will usually not match the original paint. The problem is the accuracy with which paint is mixed at your local paint store. Different people, operating the same machine, will use slightly different amounts of tint. All it takes is a minute change in the amount of tint to change the color enough to make it show on the old paint. Even computerized machines can produce enough of a difference in the mixed color to cause a mismatch. If you must get a new batch of paint, check the color for matching before proceeding with your retouch job.
Touching Up Flat Paint
Make sure your paint is mixed well before putting it on your walls. Shake the can or stir the paint just before using it. Retouch using a brush on small areas and a roller on larger spaces. See Paint Brushing and Paint Rolling Techniques for more about applying paint.
Check to be sure the touch–up paint is blending well with the original finish. Touch up a small area and wait for the paint to dry completely. Use a hairdryer if you're pressed for time. When the paint is completely dry, examine the finish. Look down the wall. If you can see the spot where you applied the new paint, then your touch up job will not look very good. If this is the case, use the "paint from break to break" method to touch up the paint.
Touching Up Shiny Paint
Shiny paints can be the most difficult to touch up. This includes paints like, eggshell, semi–gloss and high–gloss, as well as any oil or alkyd–based paints. Even flat oil and alkyd paint will flash if you try to touch up in the middle of a wall or ceiling. For all these paints use the "paint from break to break" method to freshen the finish. Original paint or not, the only way to avoid a flashing problem is to paint a whole wall.
Touching Up Trim Molding
Trim should be treated in the same way, painting from one break point to another. Break points for trim are the points where two separate pieces of molding come together as at the corners of a door or window frame. The corners of an individual piece of trim molding can also form a break point between the edge and the face of the molding.
To touch up the paint on a door frame, for example, paint the case molding on one side, from where it meets the floor to where it meets the top of the frame. Don't paint the edge of the casing where it meets the wall, just paint the face. The touch–up will not be noticeable because the edge is seen at a different angle than the face of the molding.
Dealing with Stains
Touching up the paint is one thing, but stains present another problem. Some stains will bleed through the new paint coat if they aren't sealed first. Water, ink, cigarette smoke and grease stains will all ruin your touch up job. Use a shellac–based sealer to block these stains before repainting. It may be necessary to paint from one break to another when treating stains like this. See Repair Tips for Stains and Repair Water Stains for more.
Shellac sealers dry very quickly (about half an hour) and will block almost any stain with the exception of tannin from redwood trim. Redwood is not commonly found in new homes but historic homes will often have redwood trim that has been painted. When tannin from redwood bleeds through your paint, use a water–based sealer like Kilz2® to block the stain and then touch up as described above.
