Matching Paint Colour

Benh86123

Hi guys,

Moved into this property end of November and the whole property is painted internally the same colour.

We can't for the life of us find the colour match (we want to get a little pot of touchup for when the kids bang into the walls)

It's like a off white/very light ivory/creamy sort of colour - we've tried lots of samples and just can't get it right. If it was just one room we'd repaint it but we quite like the colour and every room is the same colour.

Tried colour matching apps but just can't get the right light..

Any ideas welcome!

Thanks

Ben

DullGreyGuy

Colour matching in apps etc is exceptionally difficult because colour of an object is impacted by the colour of the light thats present. If you had a blue item and used a purely red light the item would appear to be black. 

You're probably best off getting as many of the sample cards as you can pickup and try looking at them against the wall and ideally in different lights to try a workout the closest. 

Even if you knew exactly the paint used it'd be impossible to go out today and buy the identical thing again... there are always tiny variations in colour between different batches plus the stuff on the walls will have been impacted by light exposure, pollution, candles etc. It's really a case of getting the best match you can and then feathering it in to the wider area as not to have a hard line going from one to the other. 

Albermarle

Last year I painted two bedrooms the same light shade and they both look different ( not dramatically but noticeable) . Same tin of paint, no existing strong colour to show through.
All sorts of things can affect the way we see colour.

Annemos

My issue recently was matching 20 years old white gloss paint that was originally bought from Brewers.

This was after a Subsidence claim. I did not want the new paint to stand out. (The Insurance only pays for damaged areas. So they only paint one side of the door facing into the damaged room. And also not the other side of the room where two additional doors and skirting boards are.) 

In those days, the paint produced had a tendency to go off-white/cream over time. Luckily in the connecting hall, there was a much smaller cupboard door in the same colour. Brother-in-law and I took it off its hinges and ferried it to Brewers and they actually scanned it in on their Dulux scanning machine. 

It came up with a particular colour code and it was absolutely PERFECT! A magnificent match. 


I am not sure how you would get a sample to scan, though, if you are talking about the matt walls. (Cut out some painted plasterboard from a hidden place???) 


PS Just too add. Life has its ups and downs. Its successes and failures. But when we got that paint to match, it was one of the happiest and most satisfying events in my life! 

Mr.Generous

Any way of asking the former owner? They probably know if they did the whole house in it, and saying you like the colour won't offend - nothing to lose.

Albermarle

In those days, the paint produced had a tendency to go off-white/cream over time

It still does if you use oil based white gloss. It is the water based ones that stay white, but not everyone likes using them.

GrubbyGirl_2

Even if you got exactly the same paint chances are they paint on the walls will change colour over time purely from exposure to sunlight

Nebbit

We have got a pretty got match, on a couple of occasions, for emulsion paint by chipping of a piece of plaster in a hidden area, about the size of a large stamp, and taking it to a professional decorators' supplier. They matched the colour well with their machine. However they did ask if the original was Crown or Dulux and luckily I knew the answer, but otherwise it might have been less successful.