When many home owners are thinking about painting the inside of their home, one of the big decisions of course, is the colour. Unless you have a very fixed idea about what colours you want to use, one popular option is to buy some sample pots. These let you test how colours might like in a certain room. They can also be compared in real time, with other contrasting colours that might be for window frames, doors and other areas.
6 Tips About Sample Pot usage
To make the most of buying sample pots, here are a few things that people should keep in mind. They will help you use paint tester pots more effectively.
- Tester pots are often only made with one base sheen. You should keep in mind that the test colour in low sheen for example, might not be as bold when painted with a higher gloss finish.
- The logic most people apply when using tester pots is to paint onto the walls themselves. This is usually not the best idea. You can paint onto either wallpaper offcuts, or one metre square lining paper. That way, you can move the sample around to different areas of the room. It will help you to view them in different lights, shadows and so on. You can use tape or a stick adhesive to move them around.
- It is a good idea when using a sample pot, to paint two coasts. This gives a truer example of what the finished coat will look like on your walls.
- Use the whole pot. Don’t think about saving a few cents or dollars to use the remaining sample as part of your final job. This is not what the paint in a sample pot is designed for.
- Leave the samples up for twenty four hours. That way you can see how the colours look at night, early in the morning, under artificial light, and so on.
- If you still like the colour after it has been tested on your wall for a day, then there is a good chance it is the right colour for you.
Remember, the colours can look a little different when it is mixed into a different sheen than the sample.
Other things to remember
The skill and consistency of the person who mixes your paint colours, can also affect the final outcome. You can always paint a small section of a wall first. Then if you feel it needs to be a little darker, you could have it retinted. Depending of course on your suppliers’ policies about that.
As professional painters in Melbourne, we help clients choose colours, by offering experienced advice. The colour choice is up to the client. However, after painting so many homes, we can help them with some decisions that avoid mistakes or regrets.
Are you are painting in Melbourne and would like to have a chat to some friendly, reliable painters? If so, then feel free to contact us today.