How to Fix Paint Flashing

by Jason D. Turner

Have you ever wondered why the paint on your walls seems like it’s bouncing off light even without any light source? If you notice this occurrence, then you might have a case of paint flashing. Paint flashing occurs when the one who painted your wall didn’t manage to apply the paint correctly. It might look aesthetic at first. However, in the long run, it will look uneven and out of place.

If you want to solve this problem on your own, you can do it yourself. Even if you’re inexperienced with handling paint, the directions on how to fix paint flashing are easy. If you are careful when doing it, you’ll be able to save money and go DIY. Here are the steps on how to fix paint flashing:

1. Even out uneven paint and texture.

Before you start, the most important thing to do is to prepare your walls. If you notice that there is an uneven texture to the surface or if one part sticks out, you can begin by evening them out. How can you do that? You can use sandpaper to smoothen out the surface. Remember to clean up with a dry cloth afterward, so that there won’t be any debris left.

2. Prepare your paint and primer.

You can’t start anything without your materials. The core materials that you’ll need are paint, primer, and roller. For your paint, make sure that you pick non-diluted paint. Aim to buy quality paint so that you can apply it easily later. When you choose the paint, pick one with the same color as the one on your walls. Otherwise, it might cause flashing. Primer and rollers are also essential. If you don’t have them, you can buy them first, too.

3. Start priming your wall.

Instead of applying the wall immediately, you need to prime your wall first. Most painters don’t realize that one of the main causes of paint flashing is because the wall is unprimed. To make sure that the surface will take to the paint easily, use a primer. To apply the primer, use a roller and follow a single direction.

4. Paint your walls.

After priming, proceed to paint. When you paint, make sure that you are doing a single direction. While there are no directions to follow, doing it from top to bottom, and then left to right will always yield good results. When you apply paint on your walls, make sure that there is always plenty of paint on your roller. You can also cut in first, and then do the back rolling. In between breaks, make sure that your roller is submerged in the paint. Otherwise, dry paint will stick on it.

5. Apply a second coat.

When you are finished painting, take a break, and let it dry. However, that is not the end of your DIY process. Once you are sure the paint has dried out, you should proceed to apply a second coat. This will ensure that you can fill in uneven parts that you have done during the first coat. When you set the second coat, follow the same directions as the first one – top to bottom and left to right.

Flashing paint might seem inconsequential at first, but it is better to remedy them when you can. If you choose to fix this problem, remember the importance of having quality paint and primer. You may think that you can save by buying cheaper materials, but in the long run, it will be less expensive to use quality materials than to repaint from time to time.

Repainting your walls might need a lot of patience, but the results will be worth it. Since it is something that even beginners can do, you can do them anytime you want as long as you have the right tools on hand.

Jason D. Turner

Hi there! My name is Jason, a keen enthusiast in power tools and their mechanisms and the sole mastermind behind the Noisy Tools. Working in a multi-national construction firm in Brooklyn for over a decade, I have developed a fair flair for different construction devices, gadgets, and their diverse operational aspects. By the dint of this platform, I have researched and reviewed various tools with utmost details of even the most trivial matters that will provide valuable insights for any prospective user.