How do I paint patched stucco so it blends in?

You can take a sample to the paint store and have it color matched?

I have not had good luck with color matching. Tried several times and the computers at Home Depot do not do very well at all. Instead of just painting a spot, get the closest match to your paint and feather it outward to fade the paint into the existing paint. Get color samples and try them outside against your original paint in the sunlight. What you see in the store under artificial lights will not look the same in the sun.

I usually have great results when having paint color matched. for exterior be sure to get your 'sample" from the same exposure as the repaired area, sun fades paint. I think sometimes the texture and/or the sheen of the sample can cause the problem. Feathering is also key.

Start with a sample-size for your paint matching.

If you need to take it back & have it modified, take a photo of it on the house, so that the paint person can help you see what needs to be modified on the paint.

I have found that the person at the paint mixing counter varies a great deal. Some have a better eye than others.

Color matching at the paint store will give best results. Of course it may look cleaner as it ages. Feather the paint beyond the patch at least a few inches to blend the new with the old.

Select a few of the little color tone charts from the store and choose the best one, keeping in mind whether it needs to be a bit lighter or darker. The paint store can add a drop or two of black or a drop or two of white to get it close. As William said, you can feather out the edges to make any small variation less noticeable in the large area. Keep in mind you're painting onto gray patch, nor on white as is the case with the color cards you're first choosing from.

I found it handy to save the paint lid since the color was all over it. Took that into the paint factory across the street and they matched the color perfectly.

Stored paints can lose moisture, making it more difficult for touch-ups to match the original coat. However, there is good news: Matching older paint colors is easier and more precise with improved color-matching techniques, so you no longer need to buy more paint than necessary for fear you won't be able to match the color later.

Many of the larger paint companies offer mobile apps to make paint matching a breeze. Each works a little differently, but the gist is the same: Download to your smartphone, snap a photo of the painted surface you want to match (in natural light, for best results), upload it to the app, and voila! You’ll get that manufacturer’s closest colors. Bonus: You’ll even be able to preview recommended accent colors and design the perfect palette from the comforts of your own home.

Hi Dove. I think the best way to blend colors is to apply the new paint on the patch job and then use a dry brush and sweep it through the wet paint and on to the dry paint. You can use a dry roller the same way for the bigger patch jobs. Good luck Dove.

Hello Dove,

You will need to give the patched Stucco a sealer and a few coats of paint before re-doing the entire wall if you want it to blend in well.

I always take a photo of my paint formula when I first get a new paint so that exact paint matching is flawless, but paint technique is also critical. First, be sure to primer the patch so that it doesn't just absorb the paint like a sponge. Believe it or not, this can actually affect both the color and the sheen. Then using a good paint brush, stipple paint the area working from the center of the patch to several inches into the area that is already painted. This with blend both the color and sheen.