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So let’s say you need some touch up on a wall and to do that you also need to color-match the paint. What’s the best way to get a paint chip for color-matching without having to patch drywall? Here I’ll show you a couple tricks that you can use that will save you a ton of time and avoid any drywall repair! If you would rather watch the video click here!
Method 1: Recover a paint chip from behind an outlet cover.
What you need:
- Pencil
- Screwdriver
- Razor Knife
- Over-sized outlet cover
Steps:
- You’ll want to find a outlet or switch cover on the wall that you’re trying to color match.
- Turn the power off
- Remove the outlet cover
- Place the new over-sized outlet cover in place and make a small mark on the wall.
- Use your razor knife to cut through the existing layer of paint – This helps ensure that the paint doesn’t peel past the outlet cover.
- Gently peel off a paint chip
- Replace the outlet cover with the over-sized version
- Take the paint chip to get it color-matched!
Method 2: Cut a square and replace it with a blank cover.
What you need:
- A pencil
- A tape measure
- Key-hole saw
- Phillips and straight screwdriver
- A “low-voltage outlet bracket or a single-gang low-voltage bracket”
- A blank wall cover plate
Steps:
- You’ll want to find an inconspicuous spot on the wall you’re trying to match.
- Measure up from the floor to the center of an existing nearby outlet.
- Check to be sure you’re not on a stud. You can knock on the wall and listen for a change is sound or use a magnet to find a screw. Once you can usually measure either 16 or 24 inches from that stud to try and find another and confirm you are between studs.
- Place the outlet box on the wall backwards
- Use the marking holes to mark the 4 corners.
- Mark the rest of the lines with the straight edge of the box
- Use your drywall saw to cut the drywall.
- You’ll want to save this cutout for color-matching.
- Now install the box bracket
- Tighten the screws and ensure the tabs have grabbed the drywall
- Install the blank wall plate
- You’re Done!
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