Step-by-Step Instructions and Pictures: 10 Tips for a Perfect Paint Job

by Brett Martin

Professional painting contractors share their tips about how to make your painting job look great. Return to the article.

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2. Prime and texture wall patches to avoid a blotchy finish.

Freshly painted walls often look blotchy. The color is uniform, but the sheen isn't consistent. This usually occurs over the holes and cracks you patched with a filler or drywall compound. The porous fillers absorb the paint, dulling the surface (a problem called "flashing"). When light hits these dull spots, they stick out like a sore thumb. The smooth patch also stands out in contrast to the slightly bumpy texture of the rest of the wall. A quick coat of primer is all it takes to eliminate flashing and texture differences.

Primer seals the patch so paint won't sink in and look dull. To match texture, prime with a roller, feathering out the edges. Choose a nap thickness to match the surrounding wall texture (a 3/8-in. nap roller for smooth walls; 1/2-in. for textured).

"I've been in million-dollar houses and seen 'flashing' on the walls. It drives me crazy, especially since it's so easy to avoid it."
Butch Zang, President (retired) of Premier Papering and Painting

Step-by-Step Instructions and Pictures: 10 Tips for a Perfect Paint Job

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