Examine Your Choices with House Paint Samples

An important part of any house painting job involves applying paint samples. This allows you to evaluate the color and sheen of the finish before you commit to buying several gallons of paint. The technique is valuable for both interior and exterior applications.

Almost every job I do involves applying paint samples. For Crowder Painting this becomes many quarts of wrong colors at the end of the year, but having the customer receive the exact color they want is worth it.

Interior Paint Samples

Interior paint samples can be applied directly to the wall or to a sample board. Applying it directly to the wall and trim will give you the most accurate representation of what the finished project will look like. On the other hand, a sample board can go with you on shopping trips and compared with carpet, window treatments, and furniture.

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Paint a 2 foot by 2 foot section of wall with your chosen color. The sample should be near the ceiling, if possible. Also paint the corresponding trim. It's a good idea to put samples on several different walls, so that you can observe them in differing light conditions. Live with the sample for several days, checking it out at different times of day, in natural light, with the lights on, with candles burning, etc. Pay attention to how the color looks combined with your soft furnishings, window treatments, and flooring.

Color boards can be made of almost any stiff material: poster board, scraps of drywall, cardboard, or plywood. Apply at least two coats of paint (more necessary to achieve complete coverage), and allow to dry. Apply both the main wall color, trim color, and any accent colors to the board; each sample should be at least 12 inches square.

Lean the sample board against the wall to be painted, and check it out at different times of day. If you have more than one sample board, look at them individually to determine which is best.

Exterior Paint Samples

Doing a trial run with samples is even more important on exteriors. The average home will use at least $500 worth of paint, a big chunk of change to throw away on a mis-tint! And, if you've hired a contractor to do the work for you, starting over with a new color will cost you even more.

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Exterior paint color samples have the same benefits, and even more money can be saved with choosing the combination of perfect paint colors. Sample boards will work well to narrow down your choices.

If you have several color schemes in mind, use sample boards to narrow down your choices. Many exterior paint jobs have at least three colors- the main color, the trim color, and the color of accessories, such as doors and shutters. Include each of these colors on your sample board. Try to apply them in ratios similar to the ones you'll use on the house; a large square for the main color, and smaller samples of the accent colors.

Once you've narrowed down your choices, you'll need to apply samples of paint to the house itself. Using the main color, paint a 2 foot by 2 foot square on the siding. Also paint the corresponding trim and accessories. Light and shadow make as big a difference outside as they do indoors. You should paint a sample on each exterior wall and near any accessories, such as decks and brickwork. This way, you can feel confident that the entire house looks good with the colors you have chosen.

Keys to Using Paint Samples Successfully

Always allow your samples to dry completely- at least 24 hours- before making a decision. Both interior and exterior paints lighten as they dry. The sheen also changes as paint dries, typically becoming flatter.

Make sure you view your samples in all light conditions. A color can look very different in sunlight vs. incandescent light, for example. Make sure you're happy with it all the time- it is, after all, your home, and it's important to be comfortable with your color decisions.

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