How to Mix Paints (and Love the Color)

Maybe you can’t find a color you absolutely love at the paint store. Maybe you have plenty of paints lying around after other projects in your house, and you want to use them again — but in a new way. Maybe you just like to create. There’s no wrong reason to mix paints, and doing so can be a lot of fun. However, because the end result is never fully guaranteed, you do run the risk of hating your final color (and wasting a lot of paint in the process). Follow these tips for mixing paint so you can love the end result.

Supplies and Setup

White paint will come in very handy when you’re mixing your own paints as it helps to lighten colors, and fortunately, it’s often inexpensive. You’ll also need some buckets where you’ll mix your paints. 5-gallon buckets with lids are a good option. Once you begin, make sure you have these items with you:

• A stick for stirring the paint — it needs to reach down to the bottom of the bucket
• Absorbent paper towels
• Something to protect the floor (like a dropcloth, newspaper, etc.)
• All the paints you intend to use for mixing
• A paint can opener
• Paint brushes

Color Wheel

Before you begin, get a basic understanding of the color wheel. This will help you get a good idea of how certain colors are derived. Remember that all colors start from one of the three primary colors — red, yellow, and blue. From these colors, you create secondary colors. For example, red and blue will make purple. When you have secondary colors, you can make intermediate paint colors by mixing a primary color with a secondary color (red and violet will be red violet).

When mixing your own paint, you may not begin with true primary colors, but if you understand how colors on the color wheel interact, you’ll be better equipped to work with what you have.

How to Lighten, Darken, Intensify, and More

Use these tips to lighten, darken, intensify, and tone down the paints you’re mixing.

Lighten

Remember when we said you’d want some white paint? That’s because white is the way to lighten colors. If you add white to a color, you’ll need quite a bit of white. It’s smarter to begin with white and add your color to it. A few cups is a safe starting point. You can always add more if you want the color to be darker.

Darken

Black or gray are your friends when you want to go darker. In this case, add the black or gray to the color, rather than adding the color to the black or gray. Black is better when the color is already a deep color, and gray is ideal when you’re beginning with a lighter color. It’s best if you don’t try to go more than two shades darker than the starting color.

Intensify

Hoping for a more vivid look to your color? Add more of the base color.

Tone Down

Here’s where the color wheel comes into play again. If you want to tone down a color, add a complementary color to the paint. This means using the color that is found directly across your paint color on the color wheel.

Types of Paint

Keep in mind that you must only mix the same types of paint with each other. Oil-based should only be mixed with oil-based, and water-based should only be mixed with water-based. However, you can mix different sheens. Flat paint and glossy paint are fine to mix together. Your end result will be more flat if you use more flat paint, and more glossy if you use more glossy paint.

Mix, Mix, Mix

Remember that you need to have a stick that reaches all the way to the bottom. Use it to thoroughly mix any paint you intend to use. If the paint has been sitting around for a while, the pigments may have become separated. Mix it well before you add it to another paint.

Always remember to start with your lightest color first because it’s harder to lighten a dark color than it is to darken a light color. Work slowly, and add your color in increments until you get the color you want.

And most importantly — have fun! Creating your own color is a lot of fun and can give you a one-of-a-kind look.

 

Guest Post by Josh Abramson. The chief solutionist of ALLBRiGHT 1-800-PAINTING, a residential and commercial painting company serving the Greater Los Angeles Area.

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How to Restore Deck Paint

I found out how to restore deck paint, and now I’m going to share the secret with you.

I had just bought a house, and the previous owners had allowed the deck paint to become chipped. It looked awful, and I was beside myself. We had really wanted an outdoor deck, but not one that got splinters in our feet and looked shabby. With summer coming up, we didn’t want to use a deck that looked this bad.

Not to worry. You can not only remove old deck paint, you can restore your deck to be as good as new.

Here’s how.

1. Remove the Old Deck Paint 

Your first task is to remove the existing deck paint. If a deck looks bad and has splinters, you can’t simply paint over it. Existing paint can be removed with boiling water and a scraper. Pour the boiling water on a section of the paint and then use the scraper to  get the paint off. You can use chemical peelers but as homeowners who like to live as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible we decided to go a more natural route. Afterwards, use a good pressure washer to spray down your deck.

2. Choose the Product to Restore Your Deck

You can use either paint, stain or a Restore brand product to renovate your deck.

Paint

Paint will require more work from you in filling in cracks and holes. You will also need to caulk. That said, some paints are specially formulated to repair wood. Paint also offers more color choices.

Restore Products

Restore deck products are made of heavy-duty acrylic. They have been developed specifically to restore decks. They offer convenience in restoration, because the product itself is up to 10 times thicker than paint, and will fill in cracks and holes for a smoother surface. Supposedly, restore products will last as long as 13 years. However, I’ve used restore paint on a deck and it looked awful the next year and I had to painstakingly remove the paint and then I reapplied stain.

Stain

Stains come in a variety of neutral colors. For old wood, it’s recommended to use a semi-transparent stain.

Preparation

All deck products require the same basic preparation:

1. Remove the old paint.
2. Power wash and let dry.
3. Remove any loose nails.
4. Repair splinters and holes, if necessary.
5. If some areas have been protected by the sun, sandpaper them.
6. Mask any areas of adjacent walls or non-deck areas, so they don’t get the product on them.
7. Apply the product with the appropriate equipment. Most products will need several coats. The first coat acts as a primer for most products, including Restore products.

Be Sure to Get the Correct Equipment

Not all brushes and rollers for applying your deck product are created equal. Make sure you get the correct equipment for your deck and your product.

• Only use brushes close to adjacent walls and non-deck areas.
• Use a roller to apply paint or acrylic to the body of the deck.
• If you have a rough surface, your roller should have approximately a three-quarter-inch
• If you have a medium surface, your roller needs to have a three-eighths to one-quarter-inch nap.
• If your deck is smooth, you can use a foam roller.
• Be sure to get a roller extension, too. It’ll make the job much easier.

And that’s it! You can complete this project over a few weekends, and you’ll be enjoying iced tea and sunshine on your deck before you know it.

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