How to Touch Up Exterior Paint
Chips, peeling, and faded spots make an entire house look tired. Strategic touch-ups refresh your facade for a fraction of full painting costs. The key is invisible repairs through proper prep and feathering.
Quick Summary
Time needed
2-4 hours
Cost
$30-$100
Difficulty
Easy-Medium
When to Touch Up vs. Full Repaint
Touch-Ups Work For:
- • Isolated chips and scratches
- • Small peeling areas (less than 1 sq ft)
- • Recently painted surfaces (under 5 years)
- • Damage from specific incidents
- • Trim and doors with minor wear
Full Repaint Needed For:
- • Widespread peeling or cracking
- • Severe fading or chalking
- • Paint older than 10-15 years
- • Multiple problem areas on all sides
- • Underlying wood rot or damage
Step-by-Step Touch-Up Process
1. Scrape and Clean
Remove all loose, peeling paint with putty knife or paint scraper. Scrape beyond obviously damaged area until you hit solidly adhered paint. Clean with TSP solution and rinse. Let dry completely.
2. Sand and Feather Edges
This step makes touch-ups invisible. Sand scraped area with 80-grit sandpaper. Crucially, sand edges where old paint meets bare wood to create gradual transition (feathering). Finish with 120-grit for smooth surface.
Pro Secret: Feathering is what separates amateur from professional touch-ups. Create 2-3 inch graduated transition at edges so new paint blends seamlessly into old.
3. Prime Bare Spots
Any bare wood or metal must be primed. Use stain-blocking primer for knots or water stains. Extend primer slightly beyond bare area onto old paint. Let dry per manufacturer directions (usually 2-4 hours).
4. Apply Touch-Up Paint
Use good quality brush (2-3 inch angled for siding, 1-inch for trim). Apply thin coat, feathering edges into surrounding paint. Multiple thin coats look better than one thick coat. Sand lightly between coats with 220-grit if needed.
5. Blend and Finish
Second coat (sometimes third) achieves full coverage. Brush strokes should match direction of original application. Step back frequently to check blending from 10-15 feet away.
Color Matching Strategies
Best: Use Original Paint
Leftover paint from original job matches perfectly and is already same sheen. Store exterior paint in climate-controlled area, not garage where freezing ruins it.
Good: Color Match at Paint Store
Remove 1-inch paint chip from inconspicuous area. Take to paint store for spectrophotometer matching. Specify exact sheen (flat, satin, semi-gloss) to match existing.
Reality: Faded Paint Won't Match Perfectly
Exterior paint fades over time, especially on sun-exposed sides. Fresh paint always looks slightly different than weathered paint. Touch-ups blend better after few months of UV exposure.
Tip: If house is more than 7-10 years old and touch-up doesn't blend, consider painting entire affected wall or section rather than just spot. Creates uniform appearance.
Common Touch-Up Mistakes
Skipping the Feathering Step
Hard edges between old and new paint create visible patches. Always sand and feather edges for invisible repairs.
Not Priming Bare Wood
Paint directly on bare wood peels quickly. Always prime any exposed substrate before topcoat.
Using Wrong Sheen
Flat paint on semi-gloss trim (or vice versa) is obvious even if color matches. Match sheen exactly.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I match existing paint color?
Best option: use leftover paint from original job. No leftovers? Take a paint chip (1-inch square) to paint store for color matching. Match in good lighting - bring chip inside store. Exterior paint fades over time, so fresh paint may not match perfectly on very old siding. Test in inconspicuous area first.
Ready for the Next Step?
With touch-ups complete, refresh your shutters for cohesive exterior appearance.