Paint smudges when I touch it?

Question

I just finished painting my room a dark brown color. The problem is, everytime I touch the paint (It's dried by the way), it leaves smudges where my fingers touched. Is it just the color, since it's dark and shows smudges easier? Or could it be the paint? I would hate having to have to repaint my whole entire room, is there some sort of sealer or whatnot I could use? What's wrong and what is it actually called in painting lingo (if there is such a term). Thanks alot!

Answer 1

If you used a matte finish paint (matte or eggshell) or a suede look paint or ceiling paint (which people often do to save money...), the oil from your fingertips is causing this. You can wash this off but you'll need to wait at least 30 days to let the paint cure so that it doesn't rub off. I'm assuming you used a latex paint (water-based) and not an oil-based paint. Anyway, no matter what you do, your fingertips always have some oil on them so this will happen again and again... But have hope. There is a solution.

1. Wait 30 days and lightly wash the oil off the walls. I suggest a soft dishwashing soap in warm water and a soft cloth.
2. Either you buy more paint and use a satin finish. This will leave some gloss in the paint but it won't give your walls a shiny look that most people don't like. I know you're disappointed to hear this... so here's the next solution
3. Buy a clear satin varnish that is water-based. Once the walls have dried after washing them, use a roller and roll the varnish just like paint. This will solve your problem as you will be able to wash it easily, and it won't show the fingerprints. Or again, here is another solution:
4. Take some of your same paint and mix 2 parts of it with 1 part beige or white paint and 2 parts water. Use this lighter mixture to rag the walls. Use a rag, soak it in the mixture and wring it out. Roll this all over the walls (Roll it, don't wash the walls with it). Take some more of the brown paint, 1 part and mix it with 1 part of the same white or beige. Rag the walls again. Your walls will have a visual texture that won't really change the overall color look. The visual texture will hide any fingerprints you make on the walls. And on the plus side, the texture will make your wall seem 3 dimensional and will give the room depth so the room will look larger...

Sorry for the bad news.... Matte, Suede, Ceiling and Eggshell paint should really only be used in areas that you're sure people won't touch the walls... Too bad the person who sold you your paint didn't tell you this..

Good luck!

Answer 2

if you used a flat paint it is most likely the oils from your fingers doing it. I had that problem when I pained a wall very dark purple. I bought a glaze (that you are supposed to mix with paint) and I put it directly on the wall. It of course made the wall very glossy. It also glazed it... like you can see the glaze on a glazed donut... but I REALLY love the way it turned out. If you don't want that look then maybe try a matte finish polyurethane over it.

Answer 3

The dark color will show your fingerprints easier. It's not the paint. It's the oil and dirt on your fingertips. Just like touching a dark wood table.

Answer 4

it's more likely that you used a flat or eggshell finish... there isn't a lot of gloss to the surface texture of those types of paint and it absorbs oil from your hands. if you like the color and it's not a big expense, i'd buy a gallon of satin finish and repaint it... otherwise the marks will make you crazy...

Answer 5

is it a flat paint, even white flat paints tend to show handprints. if that is the case i would suggest a sealer your local home improvement store should be able to suggest the one or maybe switch to a latex if thats not possible

Answer 6

sounds like moisture or maybe the paint was not mixed well enough

Answer 7

Why did u touch the wall for.