Touch up walls and ceiling in your home before Christmas

I know there is not too much time left before Christmas for touch ups, but it is definitely enough if you know what to do. About one week ago I worked in a clients house just doing touch ups and repainting some walls. In about nine hours I was able to do following:

1. Patch several small spots on the wall in a sitting room and paint one coat over the whole wall.

2. Fix two cracks on the wall on both sides of the fireplace in a family room, patch it and touch up spots.

3.Paint two narrow walls up to the ceiling in a kitchen.

4.Patch several scratches on the wall in a mud room and do paint touch ups.

5. Patch drywall hole hit by the door handle in a daughters room and to do paint touch up.

6.Patch several scratches and paint one wall in a sons bedroom.

7.Paint one wall over with seem dirt spots in a master closet.

I think it is necessary to mention here, that the client was supposed to have the original left over paint by previous painters for touch ups. Later in the process, that paint did not match (walls are faded) or was completely the wrong color. So before starting all the touching up -here is the painting process:

Step 1 . Make sure that you have all of the paint needed: the right colors that are still in good condition. Be ready to go to the paint store if needed.

Step 2. Have ready all needed tools:

-painting tray and several liners for different colors;

-brush, and small painting brushes;

-small and big rollers with handles;

- 5 in one tool (scraper);

-drop cloth to cover the floor and plastic sheets for covering furniture;

Step3. Evaluate what paint finish you have on the wall; you will find this on the paint can. Typically on the ceiling should be Flat finish. On the walls it could be Flat, Egg-shell or Matt  finishes. Doors, trims, and baseboards are mostly semi gloss finish.

Step4. When you detected finish of the paint it is good to know how to handle each finish:

Flat- it does not have any sheen and it is not washable paint. But it is the best finish for touch ups, because touched up spots will be less likely seem. Unless it is painted for more than 3-5 years and possibly paint color might be faded from the sun light.

That is why landlords of the rental properties  like this paint. After tenant moves out often times it is enough to do just lots of touch ups around the unit and it is no seem Flashing spots after that.

Egg-shell- has medium sheen and considers a washable paint. Any touch up ,bigger than 1/4 of inch most likely will be seem as the Flashing spot, especially in a light room, where you have sun light . In a smaller bathroom without window or with the small window it might be seem less or not seem at all.

Matt-has less sheen and considers washable paint. Regarding touch ups is almost the same as the egg-shell finish. Any bigger touch up will be seem as the Flashing spot.

Semi gloss-has high sheen and it is washable paint. On the walls it could be used at the bathroom. Touch up on the wall most likely will be seem as the Flashing spot. On the door the touch up might work better, because typically door and trims will be white color.

For all finishes i would recommend several simple rules:

1. All small touch ups do with the very small painters brush. 

-Let's say you want to hide a nail hole (because you took off the picture). Just fill that hole with a caulk or putty carefully. Do not mess around, fill just in a hole and wipe with the wet and clean cloth around this hole. After that just do small 1/8" touch up (do not use roller in this case!)

-if you have small scuffs on the wall or the corner, do the same way. Take very small painters brush and touch up just tiny area.

2. if you have bigger repair, like a crack. Fix it, prime it and try to paint just locally at the start.

Let's say we have small crack closer to the fireplace , where the arrow  shows. After fixing it and priming , its enough to paint it from the baseboard up to the small window. I would stop at the both sides of the window where those narrow places are. If those colors would differ I would paint it up to the ceiling.

3. Follow this logic around the house. Try do small touch up. If it seems as the Flashing spot, paint whole section of the wall up to the narrowest place. If it does not work- than be prepared to paint whole wall.

4. If you don't have enough paint for whole wall, take old paint gallon to the store. They will scan bar code and you will have enough paint.

5. If you don't have any old paint- don't worry. Cut little peace of the top paper part of the drywall about 2'x2' square. After that just patch this spot, sand and prime. Any paint store (Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore) will match this color by using computer technique and you will come home with full gallon of the paint. Make sure you told them the right paint finish (Flat, Egg-shell or Matt, etc.).  And then "Paint It Easy!" Merry Christmas Everybody!

P.S. If you have specific situations needed for touch up, fixing or painting , send me a picture or the video I will be more than happy to help you.