Why are there Shiny Spots on My Wall

We have all been at a place – In your home, in someone else’s home, maybe a business location. When you look at the walls- something just does not look right. Why is there a shiny (or dull) spot on the wall? While at friends house last week,  a friend asked me just that question Why are there Shiney spots on my wall? We just painted the walls!

Well friends this problem can happen to any painter. Professional or homeowners alike.

The quick answer is that the issue is where a repair was made to the walls. So how can these shiny spots on walls be eliminated?

What is a Paint holiday- or shiny spots on my wall

Holidays in the painting industry rarely mean vacations or days off. How this name came to be I have no idea. The issue can also be referred to as flashing. (that typically references when one coat of paint is added to another the coats do not blend together causing a different sheen (shine) and it looks “flashy”.

Can a wall be fixed and repair not seen?

Wall repairs can be tricky. They cannot be rushed. There has to be an expectation of what it will look like also.

We cannot take a 30-year-old wall that has been painted dozens of times and make a repair look like the rest of the wall. It can be close- but not exactly. The walls have had layers of paint, with different textures on the walls- there is no way to re-create that. Think of how many types of paint, rollers, and brushes there are- all of that makes it hard to duplicate.

Other issues depend on the surface itself- like plaster- think of it like fixing concrete- you’re going to see it.

Can wall repairs be made to look good yes- flawless-.. well it depends on your budget.

How to fix drywall to smooth-looking walls

Going back to my friend’s issue of spots on the wall…After some further conversation,  I found that the previous homeowner repaired several holes were repaired from Molley bolts that used to be on the wall.

When homeowners call us to have a painter come to paint their homes, we have to diagnose several issues. How much do you want to spend on a painting contractor? When do you need the painting of your house to be completed? What is your budget for painting a house? These questions determine the level of prep work we do, they type of paint we use and how many coats of paint we are applying to a wall.

So as we provide a painting estimate, the prep work determines the final result. In a perfect world, when we fix drywall repairs;

• the walls will get power sanded with a large head sander and HEPA vac
• any holes will get filled with drywall repair – sometimes spackle- but usually Durabond drywall compound.
• Once the areas have been filled, we wait for them to dry
• once the repairs are dry, we can resand the area smoothly- this may take 2-3 coats to get a smooth uniform surface
• after everything is dry and sanded- we have to prime it. Primer is the key!! (read more about primer here) I am a huge fan of drywall primer or guards sealer on new drywall. It is a very runny/wet product that soaks into the newly repaired walls. Sealing a wall allows for paint to adhere correctly and give a correct sheen
• once the primer is dry- to mimic the surrounding areas that have some texture to it, we need to use a heavy stipple roller or the end of a paintbrush to dab on paint or heavy primer to re-create texture from the surrounding wall area.
• when you see the touchup area is fully dry, then you can paint the whole wall and get a clean uniform surface.

I said should.. if you look hard enough, you can usually find wall repairs.

Keep in mind those steps to fix drywall- are the best solution, take the most time which means takes the most money. We are often in situations where the homeowners are selling and want a coat of paint on the wall, to look good enough so they can sell it. I’m not a huge fan of it, but that is what that customer is paying for. (so it is not gonna look great see above video)

Why do my wall repairs look bad?

Dull, shiny, rough spots on a wall seen through paint are the result of one or more of these problems;

• when the holes were repaired the repaired area was not sanded down enough
• -after making the repairs to the holes the repair was not given a coat of primer before painting
• -the use of a paintbrush to paint the repaired areas which can cause paint to give the paint a different sheen than using a roller.
• -when clients have existing paint that was used it has often not been mixed enough prior to application.
• -finally the age of the paint being used and when it was last painted affect touch-ups.  Paint will fade,  the paint will have a different sheen due to wear,  and due to the usage of a way, there can be dirt or grime that will result in two different appearances from old to the new paint.

 

Hope that answers your question if you have any more contact us!