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Tinting & Colour Selection

Q: Why can a touch-up look different even with the same shade code?

Because appearance depends on more than the formula. Existing coatings age, batches differ, and application method and film thickness change how a colour reads.Keeping the shade code or tint formula helps identify the original colour for a future purchase. An exact touch-up match cannot be guaranteed.

Shade selection and tinting, with practical guidance on lighting, sample testing and why touch-ups can look different.

Answer

What this covers

Colour on a card and colour on a wall are different things. Lighting, the surrounding colours and the finish all change how a shade reads, which is why testing a sample on the actual wall is the only reliable check.

Applications

Typical uses

Choosing a shade from a physical shade card
Tinting a base product to a selected shade
Matching a shade for additional quantity
Comparing shades in the light of the actual room

Choosing

What affects the choice

The surface, and what is already on it
Its condition — sound, chalking, peeling, damp
Whether this is new work or a repaint
Interior or exterior exposure
The finish you want
Whether the shade needs tinting

Which stages a job needs, and how many coats, follows the surface and the manufacturer’s system for the product chosen. Not every stage applies to every project.

Quantity

How quantity is estimated

Area ÷ coverage × coats, plus any allowance you decide to add. The estimator on the tools page does the arithmetic and shows its working.

Coverage figures come from the product, not from us. They vary by product, surface porosity, preparation and application method, and the manufacturer states them on the pack or the technical data sheet. The estimator asks you to enter the figure for the product you are using.

Open the estimator

Add it

Add to your paint list

Add this to your paint list

Category level is fine. Product, brand and pack are confirmed at quotation.

ProductRoom or areaApplicationSurfaceFinishShade name or codeTinting requiredEstimated quantityUnitCoverage usedNumber of coatsPack preferencePreferred brand

Notes

Review paint list

Product availability, shade and tinting are confirmed at enquiry or counter.

Price

What affects the price

Base product
Depth of shade
Quantity tinted
Whether the shade is standard or custom

We do not publish prices. They depend on product, brand, pack size, shade and quantity, and are confirmed at quotation or counter.

Availability

What affects availability

Product and brand
Pack size
Shade, and whether it is standard or tinted
Quantity required
Whether the item is held or ordered

Availability varies by brand, product, pack size, base, shade and specification. Current status is confirmed at enquiry or quotation. Nothing on this website states stock, price or a delivery date.

Enquiry

What to send

The room or area, and what the surface is
Its condition, and photographs if you can
Net wall or ceiling area, if you have measured it
The finish you want
Shade name or code, if decided
Whether this is new work or a repaint

Questions

Frequently asked

Why can a touch-up look different even with the same shade code?

Because appearance depends on more than the formula. Existing coatings age, batches differ, and application method and film thickness change how a colour reads.

Keeping the shade code or tint formula helps identify the original colour for a future purchase. An exact touch-up match cannot be guaranteed.

Can I choose a colour from a screen?

Screen and printed colour is indicative only. Screens vary, printing varies, and neither shows how the shade behaves in your room’s light. Check a physical shade card, then test a sample on the wall.

Which products can be tinted?

Tinting availability depends on the selected brand, product, base and tinting system. Current capability is confirmed before purchase.