5 Reasons Why Your Paint Touch Ups Look Off
It is only inevitable for your walls to get scuffed and scratched over time and become ready for touch ups. Whether you are trying to make your home look brand new to sell or just want to freshen things up, here is our process as professional painters for doing touch ups.
Here are some frequently asked questions about doing touch ups as well as 5 solutions for color matching to make sure the touch up paint on your walls does not have any discoloration and has a consistent, even finish
Do you have the paint already?
Yes? Perfect! If you already have the paint that was used on that surface we just make sure the can has been shaken well and we can get an exact match assuming the paint on your wall or other surface did not fade and/or lose color over time.
“I do not have any of the remaining paint!” - That’s okay, here are 5 ways to make your touch ups look perfect.
Do you know the color code, sheen, brand of paint, and paint store that it came from? If you are able to get this information either from your builder, your previous painter, or the paint store you used last time, you will be able to get a match!
There is a catch though: companies like Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, PPG, etc can not guarantee a perfect match every time. Here is why: Although the color code for a certain color is always the same tint recipe and although the bases, sheens, and products these companies offer are usually pretty consistent the actual tinting machines at the paint store that tint the paint are always calibrated different ever so slightly. Sometimes this difference is not noticeable until you look at the wall from a certain angle.
What if the color does not match?
If the color if close but not close enough there is always another option: paint the entire wall. Light hits each surface from a different angle which creates the optical illusion of different colors. If you have 4 walls and only 2 need paint we can paint the entire 2 walls top to bottom end to end and because the light will hit the walls differently you will not be able to tell the difference and go to all the trouble of painting the entire wall.
What if I do not know the color, the sheen, or even where the paint came from?
If you do not know the brand or color code of your paint do not worry there is still 2 options left for you. The first option is to take a color sample from your paint and get a match. By cutting out a piece of drywall in an inconspicuous corner of the room we can take that sample to the paint store where they can scan the color to get as close of a color as possible. This is by no means ever exact but it is most often close enough that you do not need to paint the entire room and just repair the cut out piece of drywall and paint the entire wall instead.
Is there a faster cheaper way?
Yes there is, if you do not know the color or brand of paint another option is to use a portable color scanner that we always carry in the truck for moments like this. These scanners are less accurate than the ones at the paint store however they can pull up a list of suggested colors. From there we will use a color wheel and hold that color sample to the wall and if it is within reason we can grab that color from the paint store.
Remember, if you do not have the exact paint or know exactly where it came from it will not be a perfect match. Fortunately we have a system so that doing touch ups around your house is quick, efficient and problem free. Our process for touch ups and color matching ensures that your home looks brand new in the end. For a local, family owned painting business call The Proud Paintbrush for a free estimate within 24 hours.
