Matching Paint, 2

So I went to Lowe's because Home Depot said they had the same (Duron Aztec Rouge) paint color in Valspar.  Well, of course Lowe's had no idea what I was talking about.  According to their computer, they had no such color.

It was maddening!

But I had info with me...  And all I wanted was a color card.  Lowe's sells Valspar paint.  I had the closest Valspar color name with me.  They couldn't find it!  Not the color sample card or even the color.  And Valspar had it on their website.  But Lowe's couldn't find it in any of their colr sample cards.

I showed the paint guy  the formula for the paint, but he didn't understand it, which was frustrating.  Paint color is defined in 3 numbers.  Hue, Saturation, and Lightness.  All paint companies understand that.  That is HOW they define their colors.  If *I* worked in paints, I would make sure to understand that.

My original color was Hue, Saturation, and Lightness 4, 46, 84.  I found that Valspar "Hearts Afire" was only one number different.  But they couldn't even find that in their own line of paint.

But I also had a Pittsburgh paint name of the litterally same color with me.  One number different in a different category.  Lowe's could find THAT!  They mixed a quart of paint for me.

I probably don't even care much if there is a slight color mismatch.  Its a black-out bedroom and the color hasn't faded much after 25 year but maybe some.  Better a close match than bare plaster patch, right?

But this experience of color matching is really reinforced my conviction that even the "experts" in retail sales haven't the slightest idea of what they are really doing.  They just learn "the system" and are good little employees.

Matching Paint

I have an odd color in my bedroom.  It doesn't bother me because I'm usually in the dark there.  And it is 25 years old.  The paint can is long gone.

But a few years ago, I had some electrical work dome and ended up plasterig some holes.  I sanded them down just fine, but I didn't have any paint left.

So there the patches sit mocking me in the whiteness of the plaster...  I mock back by turning out the lights... 

But there comes a time to fix all things and I decided to prime and paint the plaster patches.  I assumed that, because I knew the name of the paint, a match would be easy to get.  Silly me!  I looked up the color name "Aztec Rouge" and went to the DIY store to get a match.  And they had no idea what I was talking about.

They have some really cool equipment there.  They can match any piece of color I bring in.  But they only match colors by formulas in their books.  If I gave them a pice of my wall, they could match the color because their machine tells them to take a white base and add an ounce of this and 3.5 ounces of that.  Voila!  Which IS pretty impressive. 

But I didn't have a piece of wall to give them.  What I DID have was the exact hue, saturation and lightness numbers (which define a color).  Because I found that no-longer-existing paint color on the internet.  The exact numbers are 4, 46, 84 if you understand that stuff.  I do because a former art-major girlfriend didn't and I learned enough to help her pass her "you make it" color-wheel chart (and she probably doesn't understand it to this day, but I hope she has a great life).

So I cave the hue, saturation and lightness numbers to the DIY paint department, and they had no idea what to do with them.  In fact, they said the numbers meant nothing.

And I was sure they were defining the color.  But when several professional paint clerks say they mean nothing, there isn't much to discuss.  So I went home and did some research.

Don't be shocked that I was right.  I'm used to it.  At a paint color-matching site, I found my exact color, and changing the numbers changed the color slightly,  so the numbers did mean something; the paint clerks just didn't understand them. 

The old paint no longer exists.  But I found one with only one number different by "1".  I doubt I could tell the difference, and the paint I found is slightly paler than the original and that should match the old paint better anyway.  But the the nearest store that sells it is 20 miles away.

That should be my worst problem, LOL!  At least I solved it. At least now I can get them to match it.  In Pittsburgh paints, the color is called 'Cranapple' and their book tells them how to make THAT! 

Bathtub Area Replacement 4

Finally, the "after" pictures...  It all looks great.

Higher tiles, better showerhead.

I have to repaint though. I can do that part.

They tiled all the way down the sides.  Better than it was before.

 I'm really tired of that pale gold color anyway.  30 years...

But the new bathtub looks great!

I figure white fixtures work with any color wall paint.

I chose a very very light mossy green to paint the bathroom.  It matches the (and I'm almost ashamed to say this as a guy) towels and bathroom mats.  Well, I didn't want bright white paint...