Best touch-up paint for walls: how to choose the right one

Searching for the "best" touch-up paint for walls? The honest answer is that the best one is whichever matches your wall. A great paint in the wrong shine will still leave a spot you can see. Here's what actually matters when you choose.

1. It matches your color

This one is obvious, but it's where most touch-ups go wrong. "White" comes in hundreds of shades. If you still have the original can, that's your best match. If you don't, take a photo of the wall in daylight, or bring a small chip of paint to a store to be matched. Our free Color Match tool can help you find your shade from a photo. Test it in a hidden spot first, because lighting and the age of your paint can change how it looks.

2. It matches your sheen

Sheen is how shiny the paint is. Most walls are flat, matte or eggshell. Trim, doors and cabinets are usually semi-gloss. If you put shiny paint on a flat wall, or flat paint on shiny trim, the patch will catch the light and show, even if the color is perfect. When in doubt, look at the wall from the side with a light behind it and compare.

3. It's the right size

For touch-ups, you don't want a gallon. A gallon is expensive, dries out in the garage, and makes a small fix feel like a big project. A small bottle is easier to store and you'll actually use it when the next scuff shows up.

4. It goes on thin

Thick paint leaves a raised patch. The best touch-ups use a small amount, applied only to the mark. That's why the applicator matters as much as the paint:

• Roller for scuffs and marks on the flat part of a wall. A roller leaves the same texture as the rest of the wall, so the patch blends in. (Here's why you shouldn't brush a wall touch-up.)
• Brush for trim, edges, corners and small chips, where you need precision.

5. It's easy to grab and use

If touching up a wall means finding the can, a screwdriver, a brush and a tray, it doesn't get done. Touch-up paint in a squeeze bottle with the applicator built in makes it a one-minute job. That's the idea behind Mr. Brushable™: the built-in roller bottle for walls and the built-in brush bottle for trim and chips. Squeeze, apply, cap it. No can, no tray, no brush to wash.

6. It handles stains, too

Some marks, like Sharpie, crayon or water stains, bleed right through regular paint. For those, seal the mark first with a stain blocker, then paint your wall color on top.

Quick checklist

• Same color as your wall (tested in a hidden spot)
• Same sheen as your wall
• Small size you'll actually keep
• Roller for walls, brush for trim and edges
• Thin coats, only on the damaged spot

Want the step-by-step? Read how to touch up wall paint without it showing and how to fix wall scuffs without repainting the whole wall.

Shop Mr. Brushable™ Touch-Up Paint →