Can I get a paint color from one brand made by another brand?
NO. There, that was easy! I mean, you CAN, but that doesn’t mean you SHOULD. Why?
Paint companies are terrible at matching each other’s colors
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Whether a paint company has a computerized matching system or does it by eyeball, it’s rarely accurate. Why? Well, the main reason is that most paint companies use different BASES.
So, you know how paint cans on the shelf have ‘Base 1, Base 2, Base 3, Base 4′ or something to that effect written on them? Well, that’s the BASE that’s needed to create a certain depth of color. Base 1 is used to make white/light colors right up to Base 4 which is used to make dark paint colors. The LRV of a paint color would directly relate to the base needed to create it. Paint companies often use different ingredients in their bases, so you’re not necessarily working with the same foundation when you move to a different brand.
In the above example, while both samples are still wet (I mean, they aren’t literally STILL wet, surely they’ve dried by now), you can see that Sherwin William’s version of Edgecomb Gray is considerably warmer than the actual color from Benjamin Moore. This isn’t Sherwin Williams fault, it’s just not their paint color. However, they should be making customers aware that they can’t create a perfect match.
Edgecomb Gray in action…
Paint Color Review of Benjamin Moore Edgecomb Gray
Let’s take a look at Sherwin Williams Sea Salt…
10 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Hire a Painter
Just LOOK at the variation in undertones! The Benjamin Moore match has more green, which means that if you had a south-facing room, it could look even greener. This might make Kermit the Frog happy, but I’ll safely assume you don’t like to eat flies or date pigs, which means you may want to get Sherwin William’s version of their own color which casts that bit more blue in comparison.
Sea Salt in action…
Paint Color Review: Sherwin Williams Sea Salt
Not only that, but some companies use different COLORANTS or tints to make up their colors, ie. Benjamin Moore’s black is…black. Sherwin Williams black has a wee hint of blue in it.
To put that in example form, if you chose a popular Benjamin Moore paint color like Stonington Gray, which is MADE with black, and had it made with Sherwin William’s paint, you wouldn’t get a perfect color match because they would be using a different type of black to make it.
But why would anyone would you want one brand to match another brand’s paint color?
- to save money as one brand might be more affordable than the other
- the painter says they’ll only paint with one particular brand (which is why you should read THIS)
- you’re more COMFORTABLE with the other brand due to familiarity/experience
All of the above are NOT good excuses to get a color match UNLESS you’re okay with not getting the color you went in for.
Let’s just do the math here (not my strong point, especially after two glasses of wine). Let’s say you needed three gallons of paint.
- Brand A: $60 per gallon = $180
- Brand B: 40 per gallon = $120
What you end up with is a $60 difference and the wrong paint color. If you ask ME, it would be worth spending $60 to get the right color, rather than having to spend ANOTHER $180 to paint my walls with the RIGHT color in the RIGHT brand when the color match doesn’t turn out QUITE as I expected.
And of course, EXPOSURE can play a VERY BIG PART as well, but that’s a whooooole ‘nother blog post.
Let’s look at another color matching disaster…
It’s like falling in love with a good white wine from one brand and wanting another brand, that uses different types of grapes, to make the SAME taste profile. It might be SIMILAR, but it won’t be the same (but let’s be honest, I’d drink it anyway).
This is also a valid point with paint. If you aren’t too fussy about undertones and are just looking for ‘a color to change your space’, then you might not care too much (and I’ll slap you with a wet noodle next time I see you). However, if you’re aware of the different undertones in paint colors and want the color you’ve CHOSEN to be the color that ends up on your walls, you’ll want to use the paint brand that your chosen color came from.
Let’s hammer that one down…
If you want the color you’ve CHOSEN to be the exact color that ends up on your walls, you’ll want to use the paint brand that your chosen color came from – moi
How should I properly sample paint colors?
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out in the near future to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE. Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
- they use each brand’s PARTICULAR PAINT to make their samples – no color matching!
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
Let’s look at a few more examples, just to seal the deal (I love this stuff)…
In the above example of Benjamin Moore Chelsea Gray, the PROPER sample shows the wee nugget of green that’s tucked inside of it. The color match from Sherwin Williams shows very LITTLE green and is also a bit darker.
In this next example, we have Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White, a popular off-white paint color…
Sherwin Williams Aesthetic White in action…
Hells bells, some paint companies even have a hard time getting their OWN paint colors to look as they should #thingsthatkeepmeupatnight. That’s right, as you move through the LEVELS of paint (ie: Benjamin Moore Regal to Benjamin Moore Aura for example), the recipe has to be adjusted to suit the new base, as each LINE of paint has its own base ingredients. Good paint techs can almost nail it, but you always have to make sure you actually got the color you went in for.
READ MORE
The 12 Best ‘Whole Home’ Gray and Greige Paint Colors
LRV and Paint Colors: The Ultimate Guide You Need to Read
10 Questions to Ask BEFORE You Hire a Painter
Not sure which paint color is best for your home?
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Chat soon,
