How to Touch Up Paint on Walls: 4 Steps for Paint Touch-Ups

A painting touch-up is the process of color-matching paint across an entire wall, usually to hide imperfections or errors in paint application. For example, a rushed interior paint job with a spray applicator could result in overspray on trim, moldings, or an adjacent wall, requiring touch-ups. You can often use a clean towel or damp cloth to dab away small mistakes before the paint dries; otherwise, a touch-up might be necessary.

A simple touch-up involves a light application, while an extensive touch-up could also encompass drywall repair or the application of surface texture. The goal of touch-up painting is ultimately to create a consistent-looking wall surface and a seamless blend of new paint with old paint.

Collect these necessary tools and materials before you begin to paint walls or perform touch-ups:

1. 1. Fine-grit sandpaper: Use sandpaper to smooth out imperfections, dings, scuffs, or grime on walls. Sandpaper can also grind away the plastic-like shine of a high-gloss paint finish. Sand down raised spots of spackle or drywall compound near any drywall repairs before you paint.
2. 2. Paintbrush: Choose the proper application tool for each paint type. For instance, use a polyester brush, rather than a foam brush or roller, to apply a coat of latex primer or latex paint. Polyester brushes are stiff and will hold their shape well, so you can apply an even coat the first time.
3. 3. Putty knife: Use a putty knife to apply spackle or joint compound if you want to create a textured surface before you paint. A putty knife is useful when you’re fixing drywall mud at corner beads and drywall panel joints.
4. 4. Spackling compound: A gypsum-based paste or mixable powder, spackling compound is a patch material you can use to fill in small dents and blemishes. Any damage larger than small holes will require a repair kit with mesh or a replacement drywall piece.

Follow these general steps to fix your painted walls:

1. 1. Match the original paint. Acquire a swatch or sample sheet of similar paint colors. You can find these swatches at your local home improvement center or paint store. Ensure both the pigment and finish match as closely as possible. Even a flat paint and a high-gloss paint of the same color will appear considerably different next to each other on a wall.
2. 2. Prepare your touch-up area. Tape off and cover the flooring near your immediate work area to expedite cleanup afterward. It’s unnecessary to place drop rags and painter’s tape throughout the entire room.
3. 3. Test a small section. A swatch or color wheel might not mirror a paint’s true color. Furthermore, lighting, the number of coats, and wall texture can alter the final appearance of paint. Before you repaint a whole wall, test a small section and allow the paint to dry. This will provide you with the most accurate representation of the final product’s appearance.
4. 4. Lightly apply your paint. Slow, gentle strokes will blend the new paint into the original coat. Take note to follow the original painter’s stroke direction for seamless blending. Work in small sections so the areas can dry simultaneously.

Master everything from color theory to pattern mixing with the MasterClass Annual Membership and exclusive lessons from award-winning interior designers like Corey Damen Jenkins and Kelly Wearstler. From shopping for statement furniture to designing a lighting scheme to choosing the newest member of your plant family, the skills you’ll pick up are sure to make your house, apartment, or condo feel even more like a home.