When you are ready to sell your home, you will first need to make it presentable to prospective buyers. A lot of time and planning must go into the preparation of the sale. One important aspect of the preparation process is renovating your home. This includes landscaping the outer property, fixing appliances, repainting the walls, and touching up any other imperfections. Since it can take months or even years to sell a home, you need to get it looking its best, a handyman from Men Behaving Handy can help with all these tasks.
Out of all the renovations that need to be done, touch up paint is one of the most important ones. You’d be surprised at what a difference a new coat of paint can make to a home. It can make an old home look completely new. This is the kind of first impression that will motivate a buyer to make a deal.
Touch up painting is a little more complex than just popping open a paint can and applying the paint to the walls. You need to take the right precautions beforehand to protect the sensitive areas of your home. The whole process is very simple and any homeowner can learn to do it themselves by just following a few simple steps.
Here is a quick version of the steps:
- Place tarp on the floor to protect it from the paint.
- Apply painter’s style tape to the air vents, baseboards, hardware, and so on.
- Clean the area that will be painted. Let the surface dry.
- If there are any dents or nail damaged areas, repair them.
- Paint the surface and then let it sit until it is dry.
Interior Walls: Paint Touch Ups
If this is your first time applying touch up paint, you need to get the right tools for the job. The tools that you’ll need are fairly small and simple to use. They will make the work so much easier.
The tools are as follows:
- Nail Filler
- Sanding Block
- Paint Can Opener
- Paint Tray
- Foam Paint Roller
- Paint Brush (Small Angled)
- Magic Eraser
Purchase the Paint
Aside from purchasing the right tools, you need to purchase the right paint too. One quart of paint is going to run you between $5 and $20. You should understand that all paint brands are different. Some brands don’t have all the colours that you might want. For interior painting, be sure to choose interior paint. Then you will need a finish for the paint so that touch-ups can be easily applied in the future.
Do not buy too much paint for future projects because certain temperatures and climates can cause paint to separate and go bad. Just purchase enough paint to cover what you’ll need for the current project and your touch-ups. With each paint can you purchase, remove the barcode label and save it. Then you will be able to get the same paint colour in the future if you need to make touch-ups.
Here is a tip: Make a list of all the finishes, brands, and colours of paint that you are using on your home. Use the paint label stickers to make the list and then keep it somewhere safe like a filing cabinet. Refer to the list anytime you need to purchase paint in the future.
Preparation
By this point, you should have the proper colour paint and the right supplies. This means you are ready to begin the touch-up work. Place a plastic tarp down on the floor to protect it. Use painter’s tape to wrap all the nearby vents, hardware, and baseboards. Clean the wall’s surface before you begin. You can use a Magic Eraser or combine dish soap and regular water. If there is soap residue on the walls, wipe it clean and let the moisture completely dry.
If your walls have nail holes or some other kind of damage, you need to repair them. Just use a nail filler to fill the holes. After the filler solution becomes dry, sand the surface to level it out. Now you can finally start painting the wall.
Performing the Touch Up Work
Touch up work should be simple enough, but let’s go over some tips on how to do it properly.
Any original paint should be stirred thoroughly. You’ll want to ensure that the condition of the paint is still good. If it looks discoloured or watery, then it is bad. If there is no other paint that is good, you will need to get new paint. Remember that the finish of the paint is the same as the original.
Do not worry if the paint is wet after you apply it to the wall. It may not look like it matches, but it most likely will after it completely dries.
A small roller brush should be used for larger areas that need a touch-up. A roller brush was likely used originally on these larger areas, so you’ll need to use it again to match the texture. If there are small areas that need a touch-up, then a small angled paint brush will do the trick.
Paint Storage
You’ll want to store paint in a container that is airtight. If you use the original paint can for this, make sure it is properly resealed on top. Otherwise, use a glass jar which comes with an airtight lid.
The paint container needs to be kept in an environment at room temperature. This would exclude the shed and garage. If you can control the climate of your storage area, that would be the best option.
If you plan to do touch-ups in the future, use a wood block or rubber hammer to seal the paint can that you want to save. It is recommended to use a wood block and place it between the hammer and paint can. The paint can could get damaged from the hammer, which would jeopardize the airtight seal. Not only that, it would make the paint can harder to open.
Place an adhesive label on the can. Write down where the paint was applied in the house. Be sure to include the type of finish and the year it was used. On your paint list, add this information to it too.
If you want any more information on home improvement tips check out our other articles. If you are planning a home improvement project contact our team and find out if a handyman from Men Behaving Handy can be of assistance. We’re here to help where we can, contact us today to find out more!
