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Using tester paints is about so much more than just making sure we like the colour. After all, we could probably do that just by opening up the can. No, tester paints are there for us to check that the paint doesn’t just look gorgeous, but that it looks gorgeous on our walls, while taking into account the room’s light and other furnishings. It’s worth remembering that colour can look different from room to room, and even from wall to wall within a room.
We asked the colour experts at Dulux for their advice, and creative director Marianne Shillingford told us: “Seeing how colour is really going to look on your walls before you decorate is what it’s all about. Using a combination of digital tech and real paint testers means that you won’t be disappointed with the results and you won’t waste time and money getting it wrong. The biggest myth about tester paints is that they are different from the paint you get mixed in a machine. It’s actually quite rare that tester paints come out wrong and it’s one of our number one priorities as a company to get colour accuracy right every time.”
Read on to discover Marianne’s top tips for using tester paints, all designed to help you get the best results for your home.
Looking for more painting tips and ideas? Visit our brand new Colour Inspiration Centre!
We asked the colour experts at Dulux for their advice, and creative director Marianne Shillingford told us: “Seeing how colour is really going to look on your walls before you decorate is what it’s all about. Using a combination of digital tech and real paint testers means that you won’t be disappointed with the results and you won’t waste time and money getting it wrong. The biggest myth about tester paints is that they are different from the paint you get mixed in a machine. It’s actually quite rare that tester paints come out wrong and it’s one of our number one priorities as a company to get colour accuracy right every time.”
Read on to discover Marianne’s top tips for using tester paints, all designed to help you get the best results for your home.
Looking for more painting tips and ideas? Visit our brand new Colour Inspiration Centre!
1. Find the Right Paint Colour to Test
First things first, you’ll need to identify your chosen colours to test, but tracking down the matching paint shade to your favourite colours can be tricky. We’ve all been there… when you’ve found the perfect colour, in a photo or on an object, and you just can’t find the exact colour match in the paint aisle.
Luckily, there are some amazing tools to help. Seen a colour you like in a Houzz photo? Our Colour Picker tool can help you identify any Dulux paint colour from any photo and send off for one of their brand new quick, easy and mess-free roller testers. Whether it’s a wall colour, a piece of furniture or even a vase that you’ve spotted on Houzz, the Colour Picker tool will match it to the closest Dulux paint shade at the click of a button.
Plus, don’t miss the Dulux Visualiser app, which uses clever augmented reality technology to help you visualise any colour in your home. All you have to do is pick a colour you like from anywhere – from a flower you see on a country walk, to the fabric of a friend’s jumper – and use the app to virtually see those colours live in your home. Magic.
Don’t forget to ask friends for their opinion. Save a video or photo from the Visualiser app of your chosen colours in your space, and then send them to friends for their opinion. Their advice might help you narrow down your choice.
Meet Dulux’s Hopeful New Colour of the Year 2020
First things first, you’ll need to identify your chosen colours to test, but tracking down the matching paint shade to your favourite colours can be tricky. We’ve all been there… when you’ve found the perfect colour, in a photo or on an object, and you just can’t find the exact colour match in the paint aisle.
Luckily, there are some amazing tools to help. Seen a colour you like in a Houzz photo? Our Colour Picker tool can help you identify any Dulux paint colour from any photo and send off for one of their brand new quick, easy and mess-free roller testers. Whether it’s a wall colour, a piece of furniture or even a vase that you’ve spotted on Houzz, the Colour Picker tool will match it to the closest Dulux paint shade at the click of a button.
Plus, don’t miss the Dulux Visualiser app, which uses clever augmented reality technology to help you visualise any colour in your home. All you have to do is pick a colour you like from anywhere – from a flower you see on a country walk, to the fabric of a friend’s jumper – and use the app to virtually see those colours live in your home. Magic.
Don’t forget to ask friends for their opinion. Save a video or photo from the Visualiser app of your chosen colours in your space, and then send them to friends for their opinion. Their advice might help you narrow down your choice.
Meet Dulux’s Hopeful New Colour of the Year 2020
2. Decide Where to Use Your Tester Paint
So, you’ve found the colour you want to use but aren’t sure whether it’s going to look the same at home as it does on the paint swatch? Fortunately, you don’t need to decorate an entire wall to find out whether you’re happy with it – this is where tester paint samples come in.
If you’re 100 per cent sure on the wall you want to use it on, then apply your tester directly to that space. Alternatively, if you don’t want to mark your walls at this stage, apply a couple of coats to some A4 lining paper and hang it on different walls to see how the light in your room affects it throughout the day.
So, you’ve found the colour you want to use but aren’t sure whether it’s going to look the same at home as it does on the paint swatch? Fortunately, you don’t need to decorate an entire wall to find out whether you’re happy with it – this is where tester paint samples come in.
If you’re 100 per cent sure on the wall you want to use it on, then apply your tester directly to that space. Alternatively, if you don’t want to mark your walls at this stage, apply a couple of coats to some A4 lining paper and hang it on different walls to see how the light in your room affects it throughout the day.
3. Be Clever With Coats
Keep in mind the colour of the paint you’re using and how dark the wall is that you’re painting over, to help you decide how many coats of paint you are going to need. For example, dark walls being covered in a lighter shade may need more than one coat, while lighter walls may need just one.
“Two coats of paint will look and feel better than one, but you don’t always need two coats to get a good coverage of colour,” says Marianne. “Deeper, richer colours often need more coats because the intense pigments make them less opaque, but more coats on rich colours offer a depth that make it well worth the effort in applying.”
Experiment with layers. Try out what one or two coats will look like on a piece of lining paper and decide how many layers you’ll need. This will also help you plan how many tins to buy.
Keep in mind the colour of the paint you’re using and how dark the wall is that you’re painting over, to help you decide how many coats of paint you are going to need. For example, dark walls being covered in a lighter shade may need more than one coat, while lighter walls may need just one.
“Two coats of paint will look and feel better than one, but you don’t always need two coats to get a good coverage of colour,” says Marianne. “Deeper, richer colours often need more coats because the intense pigments make them less opaque, but more coats on rich colours offer a depth that make it well worth the effort in applying.”
Experiment with layers. Try out what one or two coats will look like on a piece of lining paper and decide how many layers you’ll need. This will also help you plan how many tins to buy.
4. Consider the Effect of Lighting on Your Colour
It’s easy to pop a tester paint colour on the wall, love how it looks and decide it’s the one. However, to get a true representation of the colour, it’s best to look at it in different lighting scenarios. “All colours change in different light conditions, so they will look very different at different times of the day,” says Marianne, “and at night, under artificial lights, subtle colours can suddenly all look the same. Spend a bit of time experimenting with testers and make sure you are happy with a colour in all light conditions before you start decorating.”
Consider the affect of nearby colours. Paint colours can also be affected by the colours of things nearby, such as fabrics, furnishings and flooring finishes. Strong colours in other elements can reflect onto the walls and subtly change their appearance. Step back and review the tester paints within the whole scheme, before committing to a colour.
It’s easy to pop a tester paint colour on the wall, love how it looks and decide it’s the one. However, to get a true representation of the colour, it’s best to look at it in different lighting scenarios. “All colours change in different light conditions, so they will look very different at different times of the day,” says Marianne, “and at night, under artificial lights, subtle colours can suddenly all look the same. Spend a bit of time experimenting with testers and make sure you are happy with a colour in all light conditions before you start decorating.”
Consider the affect of nearby colours. Paint colours can also be affected by the colours of things nearby, such as fabrics, furnishings and flooring finishes. Strong colours in other elements can reflect onto the walls and subtly change their appearance. Step back and review the tester paints within the whole scheme, before committing to a colour.
5. Where to Use Primers
Lastly, are primers really essential to use? “Definitely on wood and metal ” says Marianne, “where you want the paint to stick, stay stuck and last for ages. Primers and undercoats are generally not necessary for walls though.”
“A multi-purpose primer/undercoat is a great option because you have two benefits in one product,” Marianne continues. “The primer element gives you great adhesion to a bare wood or metal surfaces and helps subsequent layers of paint to do their job perfectly, so you get the best finish possible.”
More: Visit our brand new Colour Inspiration Centre for tons of creative ideas, tips and advice. Plus, find out more information about Dulux’s colour range here.
Your turn: Do you test paint first?
Lastly, are primers really essential to use? “Definitely on wood and metal ” says Marianne, “where you want the paint to stick, stay stuck and last for ages. Primers and undercoats are generally not necessary for walls though.”
“A multi-purpose primer/undercoat is a great option because you have two benefits in one product,” Marianne continues. “The primer element gives you great adhesion to a bare wood or metal surfaces and helps subsequent layers of paint to do their job perfectly, so you get the best finish possible.”
More: Visit our brand new Colour Inspiration Centre for tons of creative ideas, tips and advice. Plus, find out more information about Dulux’s colour range here.
Your turn: Do you test paint first?
- This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Dulux is the UK’s leading paint brand, with a wealth of expert knowledge, products and services designed to help... Read More
Dulux is the UK’s leading paint brand, with a wealth of expert knowledge, products and services designed to help... Read More
Paint a large piece of card with your tester paint and try it in different locations.
If you paint your tester on to an existing colour, it can throw the shade out somewhat. paint a small block out in white as a base, then paint that over with your tester, that will show you the true colour of the product. Happy May day everybody.
I paint a strip of lining paper, cut that into four pieces and pin one to each wall for a few days to see how they look in the daylight and evening. It's amazing how different the colour can look at different times of day and even on different walls in the same room.