Who can paint a wall mural in the Chicago area?

Painting a patched area on a wall to ensure no visible lines after paint dries

• I have a small (< 1/4" diameter) hole in a drywall wall which has been already patched and sanded. I have matching paint for the wall. How do I paint over the patched area to ensure that after the paint dries there are no visible lines between the newly painted area and the rest of the wall? I've found lots of information on maintaining a "wet edge" when repainting an entire room to prevent lines showing after the paint dries, but nothing on how to repaint a small portion of a wall.

• Answer:

  Hi rig913- The key to making a small patch "disappear" is to make sure the spackle is totally dry (over night is good) and then apply a coat of primer (allow primer to dry overnight, then sand lightly with 220-grit sandpaper) and a final coat with a technique called "feathering." To accomplish this, put very little paint on your brush and very, very lightly apply it from the center of the patch outward using only the very tips of the brush bristles and lifting the brush with a sort of flick of the wrist at the end of the stroke. This makes an uneven edge like the edge of a feather so that the new paint is laid in ever descresing density away from the center. Here are several links to sites that give instructions for patching. However, they simply say "feather the edge." The instructions above are based on my experience as a professional painter. http://homedoctor.net/tipsfaq/9.5.html http://www.ivillage.com/home/experts/handy/qas/0,9505,167077_188901,00.html http://www.bobvila.com/wwwboard/messages/21907.html search strategy: painting patch spackle If you have questions about this response or require additional information, please post a Request for Clarification before rating this answer. Nellie Bly