Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Finding the right paint color without color swatch
• Method 2 of 3: Finding the right color via an app
• Method 3 of 3: Using a color swatch
• Tips

Whether you need to touch up a scratch on your living room wall or your kids want their bedroom to be exactly the same color as their favorite toys - finding a perfect match with an existing paint color can be tricky. Luckily, there are plenty of tricks and tools that can help you find the color you're looking for, including using paint swatches, smartphone apps, and using automated color matching at a paint store!

To step

Method 1 of 3: Finding the right paint color without color swatch

1. Clean the surface you want to paint. Over time, fingerprints, dust, and dirt can collect on the surface of an object or on the wall, and this can make the paint color appear darker than it actually is. To make sure you have the right color, clean the painted surface with a damp sponge and some soap and let it dry completely before trying to match the color.
   • By cleaning the wall, you not only get a better color match, but the new paint adheres better.
2. Using a pointed knife, cut out an area about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the paint. If you're trying to match paint to drywall, the easiest way to get a perfect match is to take a sample of this to the paint store. Use a pointed knife to cut a square out of the surface of the drywall. Cut out a millimeter deep square and carefully pull it off.
   • Before going to the paint store, put the sample in a plastic bag or an envelope so that it does not get stained.
   • Once the store has analyzed the color, apply some of the paint to one corner of the sample and let it dry to make sure it is a perfect match.
3. If it is portable, bring the item you want to match the color to the paint shop. Thanks to the computer-controlled color matching technology available in most paint stores today, you can find almost any color! If you are looking for paint that is the same color as a particular item, you can bring that item with you when you go to buy paint. The paint shop staff will then scan the item, resulting in an exact or near-exact digital match to the color of the item.
   • If there is no existing color to match your object, the paint store can mix one for you.

Method 2 of 3: Finding the right color via an app

1. If you can't bring a sample, download a paint matching app. Most major paint brands have their own apps for finding the right paint colors, including Sherwin-Williams, Histor, Glidden, and Valspar. Go to the app store on your smartphone and choose an app that scans your wall color and then gives you a color match.
   • If you remember which brand you originally used, download their app. If you don't remember the brand, try a few different apps to see which one gives the best results, or try an app like Paint My Place that uses multiple paint brands.
2. Scan your paint in natural daylight for best results. Differences in lighting can make your paint more yellow or blue, depending on the type of light being used. To avoid these inconsistencies, if possible, test your paint sample in an area with plenty of natural light, such as near an open window or door.
   • Because natural light changes during the day, it can help to take a color measurement in the morning, afternoon and evening.
   • If your room doesn't have much natural light, use the room's main light source to test the paint color.
   • Incandescent bulbs make the paint appear warmer in color, while fluorescent tubes give a cooler color effect. Halogen lamps most closely resemble daylight.
3. Test the paint in an inconspicuous area to make sure there is a good match. Differences in lighting and cameras can cause a digital paint color measurement to be inaccurate. If you buy paint based on the results you get from an app, make sure to test it somewhere where the difference won't be that noticeable.
   • Let the paint dry completely before checking the color as wet paint may look a little different.
4. Buy or borrow a color scanner for a more precise color match. The operation of a color app depends on your mobile phone's camera, but you can get more accurate results with a small device that scans paint colors using an independent camera with its own lighting. If you are going to compare many colors, it could be worth the investment.
   • These color scanners usually cost around 60 to 90 euros and connect to your mobile phone via Bluetooth.

Method 3 of 3: Using a color swatch

1. Before going to the paint store, take a photo of the original color. If you plan to pick up color samples from the paint store, bring a photo of the original paint color. Photos don't give you an exact color match, but they can be helpful if you're trying to remember the overall hue. If possible, try to take pictures at different times of the day, as the changes in lighting will make the paint look different.
   • If you don't have the time or desire to wait a few hours for the light to change, try taking pictures with the flash on and off, or with the main light on, and then with another light light.
   • Holding up a large piece of bright white paper or cardboard can cause your camera to automatically correct the color balance.
2. Choose a handful of color swatches to take home. The lighting in the paint store will not be the same as in your home, and different shades can be very similar, so it's important to hold the paint samples up to the wall at home to compare the colors. Choose a handful of colors that seem close to the shade you want. If you are not sure which brand was the original color, make sure to bring color samples from different brands.
   • If you'd like, you can also buy or borrow a color fan from the paint store so you can access all the shades that a particular brand offers.
3. Attach the samples to the wall with adhesive tape and view them at different times of the day. It may be tempting to just hold up the swatches and immediately pick the closest color, but since the color of the room will change a little each time as the sun moves during the day, it's best to hang up the color samples and look at them every few hours.
   • If none of the monsters match, you will likely see that right away.
   • If one color swatch fits well early in the day and the other better in the evening, ask the paint shop if they can mix an intermediate shade.
4. If you can't decide yet, paint a small patch of each different shade on the wall. At most paint stores you can buy small cans of paint that you can use to paint a sample. If you can't choose between 2 or 3 different shades, buy a sample of each shade. Paint a sample of each shade on the wall and look at it for a few days before making a final choice.
   • In addition to changes in light during the day, weather conditions can also affect the paint color. The color samples can look different on a cloudy day than on a sunny day.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   July Roland

   
   
   Certified Color Specialist July Roland is a color specialist and founder of PaintColorHelp.com, one of the first companies in Dallas, Texas and the surrounding area to provide color recommendations to the home and help customers devise color schemes for paint colors. Juli has more than 15 years of experience in providing color advice to corporate and private clients, including seven years as a color specialist in the paint industry. She holds a certificate in color strategy from Camp Chroma and is a member of the Inter-Society Color Council. She has a bachelor's degree in advertising from Texas Tech University.

   July Roland
   Certified color specialist

   If you're trying to match an existing paint color so you can repaint a wall the same color: Ask a color specialist to scan the wall with a "color meter". This device gives you scientific data about the color, including which known paint colors are closest to the scanned color. If you're trying to find the right color to update a piece of a wall: Remove a piece of cement from the wall the size of a euro coin and take it to a paint shop. Most stores can scan the sample and adjust the color to a perfect match. However, they can only manipulate the color - they can't adjust the gloss, so you may still be able to see where the paint has been touched up later from certain angles. When testing color samples for a potential new wall color: Paint a fairly large area of ​​the wall in the color you are considering, making sure the paint has good coverage. When testing two different options, NEVER paint them together. Leave some space in between.

   
   

Tips

• For best results, paint the entire wall instead of just part of the wall. Where two walls meet at a corner, slight color differences will not be as noticeable as in the middle of a wall.
• Don't forget to match both the finish and the paint color. Perfect color matching will be lost if you use matte paint to touch up a satin paint finish.
• Once you have chosen a color, paint a small sample of that paint on a card and include the name / number and brand of the paint in case you need it again.