How can I get the matching wall paint colour to what's already in my house?

LiveOnce

Hi all,

How can I get the matching wall paint colour to what's already in my house?

The previous owners did not leave anything and I want to use the same wall colour paint as they did but there are no indicators on what paint they used.

How can I get the matching wall paint colour to what's already on the wall?

edinburgher

I faced this dilemma when trying to repair some damage to paint in our old flat before we sold it, never did find an acceptable solution! Apps/comparisons to colour palettes etc. proved to be next to useless, as older paint can fade over time etc. Just when we thought we'd found 'the one', it turned out to not. quite. match :rotfl:

Will be interested to see if anyone has a foolproof technique for this one.

brightontraveller

LiveOnce wrote: »

Hi all,

How can I get the matching wall paint colour to what's already in my house?

The previous owners did not leave anything and I want to use the same wall colour paint as they did but there are no indicators on what paint they used.

How can I get the matching wall paint colour to what's already on the wall?

Dulux and others will mix match paint if you bring in a sample ? You can try colour charts and apps but 99.9 % of the time you will not exactly match it and for most your not restoring the mona lisa or works of art its a wall etc and far easier, cheaper, quicker to paint the whole room a new colour:rotfl:

Aylesbury_Duck

If the touching/patching is only needed in one area, could you turn it into a feature wall of a contrasting colour? If the work is needed on multiple parts of different walls, it would be easier to just paint the whole lot. Even if you were able to get a close match, parts of walls decorated in isolation will always be noticeable, especially in well-lit areas.

marleyboy

When I did my Sons Nursery, I mixed a tin of white paint with a blue sample pot, to give me the right tone. After using up the paint mixture, I remixed another tin, to give me the right match I added the blue in stages up until I got the right match. You could not tell the difference once applied.

Ebe_Scrooge

To be honest you'll struggle to get an exact match. Even if you manage to find the exact same paint, what's already on there is likely to have faded slightly over time. Added to which, when you apply the paint it might look fine, but it'll dry a slightly different shade, which makes it even harder to judge whether the colour is a good match. I think you'll be much better just repainting, either in a similar colour or totally different, but don't try and go for an exact match.

stator

Use sample paint pots to paint pieces of cardboard, two coats, then hold them up to the wall and see if it's a match.
You may have to try quite a few.
Once you find one that is close enough you can paint the whole wall. It will be indestinguishable from the other walls because of lighting differences.

paddy's_mum

Contact the previous owners and ask them!