Interior mineral Paint Touch-up Guide
KEIM mineral paints are “dead” flat and exhibit excellent touch-up characteristics. Touch up of mineral paints is very similar in nature to touching up any flat latex or acrylic paint. Use of common “best-practices” for touch up of latex paint can be applied effectively to KEIM mineral paints. Prepare touch-up paint by stirring completely to ensure the paint is completely homogeneous and all color has been worked back into aged paint. Ideally, touch-up should be done using the same batch as the original paint to minimize the potential for color variations.
Cleaning: Interior mineral paints dry to a very hard finish and can be washed effectively to remove surface dirt. Use of mild detergent or cleaner is recommended using non-abrasive media such as a soft sponge or cloth. Wiping excessively with an abrasive media may “burnish” or polish the matte finish and change the appearance.
Here is a brief summary of best touch-up practices.
Equipment: Ideally touch-up should be conducted with the same type of applicator as the original mineral paint application. Application equipment can create a unique “texture” which should be reproduced as much as possible. Here a small 3/8” nap roller is used to touch-up a wall where Optil was originally applied by a 3/8” nap roller.
Thin touch-up paint 10—15% with water before applying. Thinner paint will avoid “build-up” that may occur using the thicker, original paint. Use a damp sponge and moisten the mineral paint immediately adjacent to the touch-up area. This will allow you to paint into a damp edge and not a dry one. Wet applicator, but do not “saturate” the roller to minimize the film build of the touch-up paint.
Apply touch-up paint as lightly as possible, paying attention not to create “harsh” edges or angular marks. Use only enough touch-up paint to cover the unsightly area. Do not overwork the touch-up paint or you may develop dry edges, which can appear lighter than the original color.
This is perhaps the most critical step. Feather edges of wet touch-up paint from the center of the touch-up area outward in all directions to end with as little paint build as possible. This feathering step will eliminate the potential of a “ridge” of new, thicker paint forming on the wall and being visible from an angle or in raking light.
This is what the wet touch-up area should look like upon completion of the feathering step. Note mineral paints are darker when wet and dry lighter to match the surrounding dried paint. Anytime the dried paint finish gets wet, as during washing, it naturally darkens, then dries back to the original color.
This is how the touch up area appears after a successful touch-up.
