I recently had two windows installed, and while the paint looks decent from straight on, the difference between the newly painted wallboard and the old paint is very noticeable from side angles. We've already applied two coats to the entire wall, but the mismatch is still glaring. What techniques or suggestions do you have to help make the paint blend better?
3 Answers
From what I see, are you sure it's totally flat? The bulge can sometimes cause light refraction that makes the difference even more noticeable from certain angles.
You really shouldn't just patch paint like that. The best way to get a seamless look is to paint the entire wall section. If you see that it’s different even after two coats, starting fresh with a full wall treatment might be necessary.
I appreciate the advice! Just to clarify, we did paint the entire wall with two coats already. Maybe we just need to go for an even better approach.
It sounds like the texture might be a bit too heavy, and that could indicate it needed more mudding and feathering out. Did you prime before you painted? In situations like this, I typically recommend priming both the patch and the entire wall before applying the color. A stain-blocking primer would definitely help, and using a high-build primer could assist in hiding some of the texture differences. Give that a shot, it should make a big difference!
Thanks for your input! We didn’t prime before painting because we thought it wasn’t necessary. It’s good to know that priming might be a must, especially since the patch was done by a friend who might not have been the best choice for this work.
I checked with a metal square, and it seems flat enough, so I don't think a bulge is the issue here.