There has never been a painter who did not make mistakes. For every perfect finish, you see on a wall there was someone who learned to make the perfect finish because they learned to correct an imperfect one. Most of our readers are a novice or part-time painters who want to know how to fix painting mistakes on walls.
We knew of a few tricks just from our own past experiences, and we sought out the professional advice of professional painters to help us provide solutions to a wider range of flaws, mistakes, or mishaps that happen with interior paint.
How to Fix Painting Mistakes Like a Pro
There are a lot of different painting mistakes that can occur. We tried to address several of them in detail.
Uneven Paint Coverage
When you finish painting and the walls have dried it can be very disappointing to see patchy areas, areas where the old color is bleeding through, and areas where the paint is darker. There is an easy remedy for this problem.
- Prime the walls before you paint to make sure you create an even palette to paint. The primer also blocks the old paint from bleeding through.
- Let the paint on the wall dry and apply another coat. Most of the time patchy paint or uneven paint coverage can be corrected with another coat.
What To Do With Paint Bubbles on the Wall
If your paint dries and you see tiny bubbles in the paint that appear to be pockets of air you are looking at paint that did not adhere properly. The first order of business is to identify what caused the problem so you can correct it before you apply any more paint to the surface.
Common Causes of paint bubbles are:
- You are painting when it is too cold for the paint to adhere properly – if this is the cause of your bubbles you need to remove the bubbled paint and do not try to repaint until the temperature is above 350 F. You have to scrape away the loose paint, re-prime the area, and then paint again.
- The surface was not primed – this is the cause of most adhesion problems. When the surface is not primed old dirt and grime can interfere and stop the new paint from sticking as it should. You have to scrape away the bubbled paint, prime the walls with a quality primer, and then paint the walls after the primer has completely dried.
Erasing Drips and Runs
Drips and runs may escape your attention until the paint is already starting to cure. These places may not be very big in size but they can ruin the perfect smooth finish on your wall. Do not be dismayed, drips and runs are easy to eradicate.
What you need
- Fine grit sandpaper
- Paint scraper
- Cleaning cloth
- Additional paint
The best thing that you can do when you see drips and runs is to wipe them away while the paint is still wet. When you do that a simple repaint of the area with another coat can correct the problem.
If the drip or run has dried or partially dried then go ahead and wait until it totally cures before you address it. When the pain cures you want to use a paint scraper to scrape away as much of the excess as possible.
Then use fine-grit sandpaper and sand the area smooth so you cannot feel where the mistake is.
Take some paint and repaint the area, feathering the edges out thinly so it will dry evenly and look smooth on the wall.
Getting Rid of Roller Marks
Roller marks create a pattern on the surface that messes up your finish. The roller marks may not even be visible until the paint dries and the light is reflecting off it. When they do appear do not get upset because you can fix this.
To stop yourself from creating roller marks in the future remember that you always have to maintain a wet edge on the surface. You cannot roll the roller in one direction for a while and then go another direction allowing the first section to dry before you return. Work in sections on the wall and always overlap your passes just a little so there is a wet edge and a continuous coverage amount.
If the paint dries and you see roller marks the only real solution is going to be to remove the marks and then paint over the wall.
To learn more about color washing paint techniques for walls check this out.
What You Need:
- Fine grit sandpaper
- A clean dry cloth
- Slightly damp cloth
- Primer
- Paint
- Roller cover
- Paint pan
Step 1: You cannot simply paint over the roller marks. They will bleed through and cause your next coat of paint to look bad. You need to take fine-grit sandpaper and sand the marks to create a perfectly smooth surface. You can attach the sandpaper to a small block of wood to keep your hands from cramping as you sand. Stop periodically and run your hand over the wall. The marks may still be visible even when they are no longer feel able. When you cannot feel the marks, you have sanded enough.
Step 2: Dust the wall using a clean dry cloth. You are removing dust particles that were created by the sanding.
Step 3: Take a slightly damp cloth and wipe over the surface of the wall. This will allow you to remove any lingering particulates of dust. You want all dust cleared away to create the perfect surface to paint.
Step 4: Apply a new coat of primer using the roller. Your primer will help to stop the look of the marks from being visible through the next layer of paint. You should also prime the surface because the primer will fill in small indentations and scratches to create a more level and uniform area.
Step 5: Wait for the primer to completely cure before you apply the paint. If the primer is not cured first you may get lines, marks, or even bubbles.
When you start to apply your paint load your roller up with plenty of material to create a thick coat on the wall. You want smooth and complete coverage so work in sections and make certain you do not roll the same way repeatedly because that will create a pattern. Painting in a V shape with a roller is often the best method of eliminating patterns created while you apply the paint.
Getting Rid of Brush Marks
One of the worst things about painting with a paintbrush is the appearance of brush marks. They happen when we do not use a light enough touch and they also happen when we use a cheap paintbrush.
Do not despair you do not have to live with the brush marks and you do not have to paint the entire room over again.
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What to do:
Identify the section that has brush marks. This is often where the paint was cut in around a door or window. This is the area that needs to be fixed so you are going to have to let this portion dry completely and then use fine-grit sandpaper to sand the marks smooth.
Once the marks can no longer be felt when you run your finger over the wall you will need to clean away all dust and particulates. Use a dry cloth to wipe away the dust, and then use a slightly damp cloth to remove any dust that you did not get with the dry cloth.
Let the area dry, and then carefully repaint the area. Keep your brush at the proper angle and do not try to press on the brush to make all of the paint come off of the bristles. You need a light touch, a steady hand, and patience.
Final Word
The most important thing to remember about painting mistakes is that they are correct. Do not let a mistake ruin your day. The aforementioned correction methods can help you to turn a mistake into a never again thought-of event.
Even the pros make mistakes, the difference between the novice and the pro is the pro knows how to correct the situation and forget it ever happened. Don’t be too hard on yourself and take everything that does not go perfectly and use it as an experience that will make your next job go better.
