Why doesn’t my touch up paint match is at the very top of our Frequently Asked Questions. Technically it is second, directly behind “can you start tomorrow”, but you get the idea. For this reason, I am starting this blog with the solution BEFORE I get into the explanation of why. The answer is that you will most likely have to cut and roll the complete wall from corner to corner. One additional coat will normally take care of it, unless you are dealing with patching. In that case (and if you actually want to know the reason why this is happening), read on. This list will cover the most common issues we run into with professional painting in Mechanicsburg…
Wall Touch Up Problem #1 – Age Of The Paint
By age of the paint, I do not mean the year the can was produced and purchased. I am referring to the length of time that the paint has been on the wall. Please note – this answer differs from what the guys at my local Sherwin Williams store tells me. But paint starts to fade fairly immediately once it goes on the walls of your home. Yes higher quality paints last longer and you tend to get what you pay for. Yes sunlight and UV rays have an effect on paint. However, as full of thumb, any paint that has been on the walls longer than 6 months will not touch up perfectly. You might be thinking, “this paint was completely uniform before I touched it up with the exact same paint, how can you say it was faded”? The answer is that the paint fades uniformly. Even the highest quality paint tends to look different a few short months after application.
Wall Touch Up Problem #2 – Use Of A Different Applicator
The applicator used to apply paint to a wall has everything to do with the uniformity of appearance. And by applicator, I am referring to the tools used as well as the individual driving them. Professional painters spend a lifetime honing their craft, and finding the right brushes and rollers in an important part of that journey. I shudder to think at the amount of time a professional pushes a roller up and down against a wall over the course of a career! But a different roller will produce a different texture 100% of the time. Even the same roller with someone different using it can change the texture of the finish. Although most commonly we get the call when someone has used a brush to touch up a rolled wall area. This is the worst case scenario, and will never look right. And yes, this is also the reason you can still where you did the color tester patches on your walls.
Wall Touch Up Problem #3 -Uneven Sheen Build
Little known fact, sheen builds. Paint with sheen generally require 2 coats to look even, and this is due to the reflective properties. The 1st coat usually doesn’t absorb evenly into the builders grade finish or primer, producing splotchy results. A 2nd coat helps to even this out, and will produce a smoother appearance. The 2nd coat also serves the function adding some durability to the paint and making it wipeable. Touching up a wall with sheen will make the touchup up area look shinier than the rest of the wall. If you are not sure if this is your issue, it is much easier to see sheen level from the side. If the color looks good from the front but off from the side, the problem is uneven sheen build.
Wall Touch Up Problem #4, Patching Issues
If we want to get technical, this issue is a sub-issue of the above mentioned sheen build problem. Wall patch tends to soak up a LOT of paint, much more so than the existing paint on the wall. Because of this, a small area of patching can stand out like a sore thumb. You can minimize this by priming in the patched area with a primer so it comes closer to matching the rest of the wall. In some cases, priming with wall paint you plan to use can also work. Just remember so sand lightly between coats, and that it will most likely still be visible from some angles.
Wall Touch Up Problem #5, “I’ll take my paint shaken, not stirred”…
Our customers tend to have paint sticks laying around to stir their paint. However, paint that has been sitting for any length of time should be shaken at a paint store. You can also use a drill and a paddle attachment if you have them and don’t feel like leaving the house. (This is me today, which is why I am writing this blog). Just remember that “the good stuff” in paint is often sitting on the bottom of the can. I recommend stirring paint with a paddle for at least 2 minutes for the best results. Will this lead to a perfectly touched up wall? Most likely not, but it will give you the closest possible match that you can hopefully live with.
IN SUMMATION:
There are a variety of problems that can cause touch up paint to not match perfectly. Don’t feel bad if you are having trouble with this, in many cases it is mission impossible. Even professionals have issues in this area. And (most of us) have a very high level of skill and hundreds if not thousands of attempted fixes over the years. The best fix is to suck it up and plan on painting the whole wall corner to corner. This is true regardless of if you have the original can, or need to buy a new one. Even if the new paint is a hair off, this will not be visible if you paint the entire wall.
BONUS MATERIAL, TRICKS OF THE TRADE:
Touch Up Paint Hack #1 – Use A Mini Roller Or Whizz Roller
While there is most likely not an applicator that can solve your touch up problem, a mini roller is usually the best option. This little “painters helper” is the industry standard for touch ups. It has a similar texture to a full size paint roller, and it will minimize the difference in texture.
Touch Up Paint Hack #2 – Practice Blending
I have heard this technique called everything from “blending” to “laying off” to “feathering”. Basically, rather than just paint the touch up area, try to distribute the paint most heavily on the patch, and then “blend” the excess paint. This method will minimize the transition from the damaged area of the wall to the rest of the wall.
Touch Up Paint Hack #3 – Pull The Blinds
While not ideal, limiting light in the room or on the wall of a touch up is very useful. This is MOST helpful in open entryways and 2-story foyers where side lighting is present. But it will help anywhere that light shining from the side is accentuating a touch up or wall imperfection.
Thank you for reading our blog – Why Doesn’t My Touch Up Paint Match? ANSWERED! Please feel free to reach out to us for estimates – and also if you are a DIYer and just have some questions we can answer in an email. We are happy to talk shop about all things painting, even if you are planning to do a job yourself!
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