How to Match Existing Paint

You just moved into a new house and like the color of the walls, but there are nail holes in them. There has to be a better way than paying hundreds of dollars to hire a painter, or waste a whole weekend trying to paint a single room yourself. You have come to the right place, I am going to discuss several different ways to match the paint with out needing to paint the whole room.

1. Look For Original Paint Cans

The obvious first solution is look in the garage, closets, or attic to see if the previous owner left the original container with paint still in it. SLOW DOWN… just because you found the correct paint does not mean the paint is still good. Opened paint (if stored properly) can generally be stored for around 5 years. If you open the paint and it has a sour or rotten smell, or has clumps that cannot be mixed into the paint it should not be used. Each paint that has been mixed will have a sticker printed and stuck onto the can, take this sticker to the store and they will be able to mix up a small amount that is the same as original.

2. Get Swatches From Paint Store

If you did not get lucky enough to find the paint can, you can get several paint swatches at Lowe’s that are close then compare them to the wall. If the wall is between two colors the store will be able to mix them to make a color that is very close. Sherwin-Williams has an app “ColorSnap Match” that can do the same process without having to go to store.

3. Cut Out a Sample

The process that I generally use to get the best results is scoring a 1″X1″ square into the drywall paper and taking this to Lowe’s so they can put it under the spectrophotometer. A spectrophometer will analyze the color and tell them exactly what to mix to get that color. After they mix the paint, request they put a drop on the 1″ square to verify it is the same prior to leaving the store. Lowe’s can use the spectrophotometer on a high definition picture on your phone, but depending on lighting when the picture was taken, it can give a false color.

I generally take the 1″X1″ square from a place that is not going to be noticed. The most common place is behind a door, a hanging TV, or in a closet. While repairing the nail holes, I take some drywall mud and add a thin layer there the 1″X1″ square came from then paint back over that section and it will look good as new.

If you have any questions, or would like help painting in you house, reach out to BranSun Services.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big of a paint chip do I need to match?

Paint stores request at least a 1″X1″ sample, but more is better.

Can I match the color from a picture?

Paint stores can match from a picture, but it may be slightly off due to lighting.

How much paint do I need for touch ups?

Generally, a sample size is more than enough for a single room.