Can you touch up interior walls?

Over time, your freshly painted walls will begin to show signs of wear and tear. Whether it is in the form of stains or chipping, it is difficult to keep interior walls in tip top shape, especially in high-traffic areas.

Homeowners will often consider touching up their walls rather than repainting them entirely, but this usually isn’t as easy as it sounds. It can be incredibly difficult to maintain a uniform look when touching up damaged areas of a wall without repainting it entirely.

Before you consider touching up your interior walls, ensure that the flaw you are trying to cover cannot be fixed by cleaning it. Many scuffs and stains can be removed from painted surfaces using warm water and dish soap.

When can you touch up interior walls?

At Even Better Painting, we recommend interior painting every 3-5 years. This is the best way to protect the structure of your home from mold and mildew while keeping the paint colours fresh, vibrant, and beautiful. If it has been more than 5 years since you last repainted your home, it might be time to call a professional Vancouver interior painter to give your home the TLC it deserves. If it has been less than 3 years since your last interior paint job, here are some circumstances where touching up small areas of a wall can be successful:

You have leftover paint to use for the touch ups

Replicating paint colours is nearly impossible, even when a sample can be provided. Mixing paint is a delicate process, and while your new paint may come close to the colour of the original, it is unlikely it will be exactly the same. This is especially true if the sample is taken from a wall that has faded over time. Without leftover paint, it is likely that you will end up with spotty results.

The paint has a low sheen

Flat and eggshell paints are much easier to touch up than high gloss paints. Make sure to paint the smallest area possible, and carefully blend the new paint into the old paint for best results.

The area requiring a touch up is very small

If large areas of your wall require interior painting, it is best to repaint the entire wall. Small chips and flaws in the wall can often be touched up with a very small amount of paint. It is important not to use too much paint, as this will lead to bubbles and disproportionate textures. Importantly, even small touch ups can be noticeable if they are in prominent and well lit areas of a room.

What to do if your touch ups don’t work out

If you notice patchwork results and mismatched paint colours or textures after you have made your touch ups, you may want to consider painting the entire wall. This can be a bit of a challenge, but Even Better Painting is here to help! Our professional interior painters can help you achieve your dream results and get your walls back to pristine condition!