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does color match paint work

by Lenore Schultz Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Typically, color matching is about 90 percent accurate, and accuracy really depends on the model of spectrophotometer and the computer software that goes with it [source: House Beautiful]. Spectrophotometers typically have between 16 and 31 filters, with 31 being the most accurate.Jun 16, 2009

Full Answer

How accurate is Home Depot color match?

a 90% accuracyThe Home Depot paint match is accurate but not always perfect. For example, if you have an older home and want to upgrade the look of your walls, you might not be able to get an exact match due to the age of the paint. Using the spectrophotometer, Home Depot can get at least a 90% accuracy on the color match.

Who does the best paint color matching?

Paint match apps run the gamut, but here are six picks that can help you find a more precise paint color, pronto.Sherwin-Williams ColorSnap Match.Paint My Place.Project Color by The Home Depot.Color Muse.Valspar Pinterest Analyzer.Nix Paint with the Nix Mini Color Sensor.

Is it hard to color match paint?

As it turns out, finding a color match is harder than it sounds. You can't just pick up whatever color sample looks closest and start painting your wall. (Having just one small section of a slightly greener shade of blue would look so tacky!)

How does Sherwin Williams color Match work?

The ColorSnap Match is a revolutionary color-matching system that uses a color scanning device that links to an app to scan and accurately match colors to Sherwin Williams colors.

How big of a paint chip do you need to color match?

You'll need a chip that's at least one-inch square for the best results. At the paint store, staff will use their spectrophotometer to analyze the chip and match it to their brand's closest color.

Can any paint stores match color?

Paint stores can typically recreate any paint hue through a variety of computerized color matching systems when they have the right information. Even if you don't have the original paint can, there are other sources you can draw from to get the needed data to accurately match your current wall color.

How do I get exact paint to match my wall?

Take a picture of your wall in natural light and bring it to the paint store. The same spectrophotometer that works on the paint chip can also match the paint from the picture, or get close. This works best if you're painting an entire wall, not just a patch, Wigington says.

How much does it cost to have paint matched?

Typically it will cost between $75 and $175 for a match, though the price can go higher. If you are buying enough paint, you may be reimbursed for the matching fee. If you're not sure how much it will cost or how much paint you will need, it's best to call your local store to get a better idea before going all in.

Does paint look lighter in a wall than the sample?

Q: Will the color I choose appear lighter or darker than it does on the paper color swatch? A: The basic answer is neither. If mixed properly, the paint color applied to a surface should remain true to the color swatch.

How accurate is Lowes color match?

Lowes paint matching is an accurate process. Although the results depend on the samples you bring, the spectrophotometer will give you at least 90% accuracy, which is pretty decent. Lowes paint matching isn't only accurate but also relatively fast.

Can Home Depot color match anything?

Of course, I had to go back and pull out a piece of the same vertical blind that was stored by me in a drawer, along with about 100 other pieces of the same cut-to-fit ends. Voila. New paint of the “same” color. The short answer is yes, Home Depot can match colors from other stores.

Can Home Depot color Match Sherwin-Williams?

Yes, Home Depot can match Sherwin Williams Paints. You can get a color match by bringing in your paint sample or entering the color name or number online. If you have the Sherwin Williams paint swatch, bring it to your local Home Depot store, and they'll match you.

Can Sherwin Williams match a Benjamin Moore color?

Furthermore, Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore share formulas so they can match each other's colors if needed. However, I recommend keeping the color choice and retailer the same when possible to reduce the risk of mismatched colors.

Can Home Depot color Match Sherwin Williams?

Yes, Home Depot can match Sherwin Williams Paints. You can get a color match by bringing in your paint sample or entering the color name or number online. If you have the Sherwin Williams paint swatch, bring it to your local Home Depot store, and they'll match you.

Can Sherwin Williams color match an item?

Sher-Color™ Here's how it works: You bring the item you wish to match – a color chip, rug, pillow, carpet sample, etc., – to any Sherwin-Williams store. Just make sure it's at least the size of a dime and has a consistent color and finish – nothing porous, mirrored or high-gloss.

Does Lowes color match paint?

Can Lowe's match a paint color? Yes, Lowe's can match paint colors as each store has a spectrophotometer in the paint section. This also holds true for other big-box retailers such as Home Depot and Walmart.

How accurate are color matchers?

Experienced color matchers will take several readings and average them before using the data. Typically, spectrophotometers are 90% accurate. That is hard to visually describe, but essentially some toner in the color is going to be missing or perhaps too present.

What can affect color accuracy?

Secondly, the condition of the sample can interfere with color accuracy. Any texture or sheen on the sample can throw off how much light is absorbed or transmitted. Other environmental factors like ambient light and even temperature can affect results.

How does a paint spectrophotometer work?

Nearly every paint store has a spectrophotometer. It works by beaming light from an internal lamp onto a sample. Some of the light will be absorbed by the sample, and the rest will pass completely through and strike a detector behind the sample.

Can a spectrophotometer match a color?

A color match on a spectrophotometer can be performed quickly, but with some degree of unknown error. Therefore, for the most accurate color match possible, any reputable paint store will match the color by human eye. This generally requires several hours of work.

Can paint be replicated?

Keep in mind that most national paint manufacturers create their own pigments, have different resins and materials in their bases, and that there is no standard for sheen in residential paints. It is impossible for one company to exactly reproduce a competitor’s color when the starting base is different and the pigments to tint the paint are different. The only way to get an exact color, as the manufacture or designer intended, is to avoid the match in the first place and use the exact base paint and exact color formula.

Do different spectrophotometers produce different color formulas?

While it may seem obvious that different spectrophotometers will produce different color formulations, people might be surprised to know that even the same machine will often yield different formulas on different readings. Experienced color matchers will take several readings and average them before using the data.

How to get paint colors matched?

If you decide to get your paint colors matched, make sure you request that your painter guarantees the match in writing within the contract, and that they agree to re-do the project at their cost if the color is wrong. When you test the color, compare with a LARGE sample (at least 8.5×11) painted on poster board with the original manufacturer’s paint. Look at the sample in natural light, not in artificial light, which alters the color.

Why is it hard to match a paint color from one company to another?

They may not know that you should only mix paint in natural light because artificial light will change the colors. Anything can skew their results.

What if I need to use a different paint company than the color I want?

Find the closest version of the color you need in the company’s ready-made palette.

How to find closest paint color match?

They have sampled real paint colors with a spectrophotometer in a scientific temperature-controlled facility. They give you the closest match and tell you how different it is from the original color. There are no guesses!

How accurate are paint match databases?

These databases are created from manual or spectrophotometer matches. At best, they have a 90% accuracy, if the operator has been properly trained .

How long does it take for paint to dry?

Paint colors darken as they dry. It can take up to 24 hours for some paints to cure, even if they feel dry to the touch. If a paint matcher is short on time, they might not wait long enough to see if the copied sample is correct.

Who converted Farrow and Ball paint colors to Benjamin Moore paint colors?

Laurel Bern, from Laurel Bern interiors converted Farrow and Ball colors to standard Benjamin Moore paint colors in her Farrow and Ball Colors Update . Her matches are really good, and much better than paint matches at your local paint store.

Is there a charge for painting chips?

It's a bargain. Generally there's no charge for the service — it's provided at the retailer. And when you buy the paint, it's usually the same price as if you just picked a color from the chips.

Is it hard to color magazine pages?

They're geared to make pleasing images, which are not always color-accurate. Magazine pages are hard since there are usually colors on the back of the page that show through.

Can retailers put a sticker on a can?

You can do that if you want. Otherwise, most retailers keep a record of what they sold you, or they'll put a sticker on the can with a code that shows exactly what's inside. Then, if you need more, they can look you up in the system, or check that sticker and immediately reproduce the color.

Can you match metallic wallpaper?

Unfortunately, yes. Anything metallic will be hard to match because of the sheen — the computer has a hard time compensating for the reflection. Also, the color sample should be at least the size of a quarter to be accurate — meaning it's difficult to match a speck of color in a busy wallpaper pattern. It's also a challenge to match objects with a heavy texture, like carpet.

Do paint dealers match colors?

Paint dealers now have the technology to match any color you bring to them, but we've always wondered how close they really get. HB takes an inside look to find out if the new color-matching devices really work.

What paint companies have matching apps?

Many of the larger paint companies—including Behr and Sherwin-Williams —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.

How to match a yellow paint chip?

Want to match that pale yellow, bright blue, or stormy-sky-gray wall or furniture? Then head to your favorite paint store, and ga ther up a selection of paint chips close to the hue you are trying to match. Bring the chips home and hang them on the surface whose color you want to duplicate, then observe in multiple lights, including daylight and lamplight. Whichever chip matches most closely is the winner.

What happens when you pull out paint?

Over time, walls throughout the home accumulate dings, nail holes, even random spots where some not-so-temporary tape pulled away a chunk of paint. That’s when you pull out the spackling compound, putty knife, and touch-up paint.

How does isolating the color work?

By isolating the color, it blocks all sources of external, ambient lighting (which varies throughout the day) and uses its own consistent internal light to get a precise read. Give it a minute, and you’ll get an analysis of the color’s makeup.

Can you get a 100 percent match on paint?

Be aware, however, that because most of the big-name brands of paint do their best to avoid duplication by using proprietary formulations, you might not be able to get a 100-percent match, although you should be able to get close enough to fool just about any casual eye.

Can you take a picture without a color app?

Even without using a color app, go ahead and take a picture with your phone (again, while the object or room is illuminated with natural light) and bring that photo to your favorite paint store. They’ll be able to match the color very closely with their in-store spectrophotometer.

How to match color without chipping?

Another way to match color without a paint chip is to find the shade you need on a piece of fabric in your house. “Maybe the color is one of several in a print pillow, or maybe the color matches a piece of clothing in your closet,” says Levin. Take the fabric to the hardware store and let a staff member color match the fabric to a paint color.

How to find the closest shade of paint?

It usually works like this: Take a picture of your existing color and upload it for analysis. The app will identify the hue and find the closest shade in the manufacturer’s palette.

What to do if you can't find a color?

If you can’t find a color of material or thread that matches your paint quite right, you can usually depend on an app. Almost every major brand of paint has a free app to help you nail a shade you’ve forgotten the name of. It usually works like this: Take a picture of your existing color and upload it for analysis.

Can you take a picture of a phone and see the exact shade?

A digital snapshot from your cellphone can never quite capture the exact shade (and you don’t want to end up buying an ugly color by mistake just because of the way the wall looks on your phone).

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