Painting - color matching paint

I always buy my paint at Benjamin Moore. The problem is that they use those strips to do color matching. I have brought a tile from my new bathroom in twice to match the color & asked for the lightest blue they have & I really didnt have much luck. I do not want to use Lowes or Walmart, but their system for color match is better than comparing strips. Does anyone know how Sherwin Williams does their color matching? :wall: Thanks/Jina

I'm surprised any BM retailer would not have some form of computer matching.Call around...most paint retailers do have some kind of computer matching.

Was this an actual BM store or a retailer that just happened to carry BM?A few Ace stores carry BM but all Ace stores have a computer match.

It is a BM store. The only one we have here.....

I'm also surprised they don't have a computer match. All the SWP stores I've traded at have a computer match system but if your local BM dealer doesn't.......... maybe call and ask.

A competent paint store will computer match and then tweek it un til it's right:thumbup:

Wow, that is surprising that a BM store is "eyeballing" it to do the colour matching. I'd consider asking why this is the case as I've never seen an actual paint store that didn't use colour matching software on a computer.

Hi thimblyjina,
I too agree with other members of the forum. Computerized color combination are the best option available for choosing the colors. You can find many Color paints company online. With the help of computerized color you will get the exact shade that you saw in the sample catalog. You can find many online paints company like ADVERTISING NOT ALLOWED!
Regards
Austin

Computer aided matching will get you close, but there really isn't any substitute for putting a good match in the area, drying it, and checking the match. Woodwork more than walls reflect surrounding light and pick up other colors in use in the room. A good example was one time I painted a room with white satin finish. The lady swore I changed the color of the wall which relected the light coming in the windows and her rodadendrons outside, it had a green shade to it. I told her to have a look at night, everything was fine. Store matching is good from most folks, but there s really nothing as good as refiniing the color in the area it will serve.

Obviously applying a paint in the area it is created for is the ultimate test for matching but mixing to match using "eyeball" only is far more problematic than computer matching.

If I were buying paint,and this being the 21st century and all.....

I'd think twice before buying paint that was matched by eye only.

Hi Jina,

Benjamin Moore as well as Sherwin Williams have on line free color design tools with lots of resources (matching colors, upload your pictures, etc)

Sherwin Williams CVT (http://www.sherwin.com/visualizer)

Personal Color Viewer (http://www.benjaminmoore.com/personalcolorviewer)

Obviously applying a paint in the area it is created for is the ultimate test for matching but mixing to match using "eyeball" only is far more problematic than computer matching.

If I were buying paint,and this being the 21st century and all.....

I'd think twice before buying paint that was matched by eye only.

Sorry, don't agree with that advice. I've had several high end customers say "I only have so and so paint store match my colors." My reply, "well why don't you have them mix the paint for you and I'll put a sample on while you are gone, and you can make a choice when you get back back." They return with paint, "not even in the same ballpark," and choose my match to continue with every time. Paint store matches are good for undiscerning customers who hear "that's as close as we can get" and except that answer. Discerning people want the right color. I always mix and have the color accepted, then send it to the paint store to mix the batch, naturally I kept half the wet sample, not once, not once, has it ever come back from Boston's best paint store, or any other for that matter, the correct match, never. Colors mixed on the job, with existing lighting, by a professional, by eye, is the best match.

Bill

Well....that's what I said...

Well....that's what I said...

Spoken, like a true polititian......