How to Touch up Interior Wall Paint

Touching Up Interior Walls

It’s nearly impossible to keep blemishes or scuff marks off home walls (especially if you have children). Once they’re there, we focus on the flaw and wish it would go away. Naturally, this leaves homeowners wondering, “Can I touch up the paint on that wall?”

You can! Here are some techniques to do the job right.

Scuff Marks

If you have a scuff on your wall, try removing it with a magic eraser or a slightly damp cloth. With luck, the scuffs will come right off, leaving the wall as it was. Higher sheens of paint will hold up to scrubbing better than flat or matte finishes.

Fixing Blemishes

It’s a bit more difficult to fix up a blemished wall. These two circumstances give you the best chance of success:

• On flat paint that is not too old
• On very minor flaws that are not in obvious locations.

In any other place, the touched-up location is not going to blend in with the rest of the wall, and the result may look worse than the blemish ever did.

Repainting

If faced with a significant blemish on one of your walls, the best solution is often to repaint it from “break to break.” A break is any place where a section of wall ends, such as in a corner or at the moldings (chair rail, crown molding, baseboards). This will disguise the seam between the new paint and the old. If the problem area is on a piece of trim or molding, just paint the single piece from end to end.

On a wall that has been painted with a flat finish and has not faded, it is possible to touch up just the affected area. Make sure you use the exact same can of paint in order to get a near-perfect match. Use a small foam roller or similar tool to apply a minimal amount of paint. Try to contain the new paint to the area around the blemish, and fade out the edges so it blends better.

Another option for very small blemishes in inconspicuous locations is to use a toothpick or a very fine artist’s brush. Use a tiny amount of paint and apply it directly to the flaw. Be careful not to get any paint on the surface around the problem you are seeking to correct.

Painting Happiness Around Los Angeles

ALLBRiGHT PAINTING is your go-to team for all interior painting projects. Contact us today at (661) 464-0771 to get started with your free estimate!