Nothing takes away the look of a freshly painted room like prominent touch-up spots that are as obvious as a sore thumb. Touching up scuffs from furniture moves or minor chips from normal wear and tear is not a miserable experience if you know how to touch up paint. The secret to success is patience and technique.
Why Touch-Ups Tend to be Obvious
Most homeowners plunge headfirst into painting oblivious to such details as differences in sheen, paint age, and surface preparation. Paint will usually appear newer than the wall’s present colour, and improper techniques will introduce texture differences that will also reflect differently.
Preparation is the Key to the Difference
Proper preparation is the secret to doing invisible repairs. Begin by cleaning the to-be-repaired surface using a damp cloth to wipe away greases, dirt, or other impurities. Allow the surface to dry thoroughly before proceeding.
Gently sand the peeled or chipped edges with fine sandpaper to smooth them and bring them level with the surrounding top surface. This will prevent the touch-up from creating a raised surface that will be noticeable. Clean off any dust with a tack cloth.
If holes or damage are involved, fill with a small amount of filler, let dry, and sand to level. Prime exposed areas for good adhesion and colour matching.
Learning the Application Technique
The secret to successful touch-up is to use thin coats rather than attempting to fill the damage in with a single thick coat. Apply it with a small brush or foam applicator, just like it was applied in the first place. If it was originally applied by rolling, apply the touch-up with a small roller.
Start painting in thin, smooth strokes, beginning in the centre of the damaged area and moving outward. Feather the edges by using less pressure as you paint outward from the damage. This will create a smooth transition that will blend the old finish into the new paint.
Let each coat dry thoroughly before the next one is applied. Two or three thin coats will usually be needed on most touch-ups to offer suitable coverage and blending.
Post-Application Blending
After your final coat has had at least 24 hours to dry, check the touch-up in a variety of light sources. While slight differences in gloss may still be apparent, in certain situations, you may be able to merge the spot by buffing lightly with a soft cloth.
For flat finishes, lightly sand the repaired area with fine-grit sandpaper to blend the texture with the surrounding surface. For semi-gloss and gloss finishes, you can paint a small coat over a slightly larger area so the touch-up is fully lost.
Delivering Professional Results Every Time
Touch-up success is a matter of patience and attention to detail. Wherever possible, employ the same batch of paint that you used when you applied the initial coat, and keep extra paint in good condition so that it will be ready for touch-ups in the future. Failing that, buy high-quality touch-up paint from the likes of briconindustries.com.au.
Remember that light makes a huge difference in how touch-ups appear. Observe your light at different times of day and in different light to get that perfectly flawless finish. With these tricks, you can maintain your home’s best appearance without the expense and hassle of full repainting projects.
