Tips for "Do It Yourself" Paint Matching & Touch Ups

By: Dennis Cummings

The walls of our houses tend to take a beating over time. It could be scuff marks from the kids, stains from the pets, or just natural wear and tear. Whatever it may be, there are solutions that will keep your walls looking new and fresh, without having to hire a paint contractor.

Getting a quality paint match is the key to matching paint. Using a utility knife, cut out a 1x2" section of the painted Sheetrock. 1/8" is deep enough. Use your blade to peel your section away from the wall. Take this sample to a quality paint store. They are the professionals and will always have success in getting a match. You can follow the same steps for plaster paint samples, but it may be a bit more difficult to get a usable sample.

Touch up painting works best on recently painted walls as, over time, the color of your paint will get old, will fade, and will only be half the paint it used to be. If the walls have not been painted for a while and there are numerous areas to touch up, the best solution is to paint the entire wall. It may take a couple hours to prep the area, but the results will be like night and day. You will notice a big difference in the sheen, freshness, and brightness of the wall, and it will also add sparkle to the surrounding area of your home.

For the best possible match, it is best to use the original paint. It is always a good idea to keep a quart of any interior or exterior house paint in stock after you've had your house painted. A quick touch up before Mom shows up may be the trick to keep the nagging at bay, but then again, probably not.

All good paint jobs always begin with primer. Primer will cover any imperfections and aid in the application of the newly applied paint. Wall repairs should be primed before the finish coat goes on; if not, you will see a noticeably different sheen. Primer is the key to an excellent paint job and should always be used.

Touch up painting is very easy and can be fun. You can schedule it on the calendar for every six months, before company comes over, or if you just need a project to get started on. You will save some money and have a great time adding new life to your lived home.