# Getting colors matched from small sample



## DiscountHousePainter (Jul 8, 2012)

Hello, I hope this is the right category to post this question in. I'm doing a faux countertop paint which I've done many times before using Giani products as well as solid and multi colors. What this client is wanting is for me to get as close as I can to a countertop sample he got from lowes called "crystaline iris". My problem is I only have 2 samples about 2" X 3" and was told they can't pull the colors off of it to get me a match as they're too small. I just came from the lowes in my area to see about a larger sample and they didn't have anything. Has anyone had this problem before that could offer any suggestions? I can identify 4 colors in the sample I believe I can mimic using sea sponges if I can only get the right colors. In the meantime I'm going to try another paint store to see what they say. Hopefully they will have some luck pulling the colors and I can get a mock up together. All suggestions welcome!


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## fauxlynn (Apr 28, 2011)

Maybe take your paint decks into the store and match some things up? Then when you do a sample, you can go back in to check it, see how far off or on you are.


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## robladd (Nov 22, 2010)

Could also get samples from wall coverings, floor laminates &
counter tops.


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## MikeCalifornia (Aug 26, 2012)

Yea man, just use some different mfg fandecks? If you can see the colors on the chip use the fan decks to find the closest color. Whatever store you use should be able to match the solid color chip.


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## DiscountHousePainter (Jul 8, 2012)

Just checked another SW, I didn't know but apparently they need a single color out of it to be at least the size of a dime. I don't know if the actual counter would even have each color that size so it looks like I'm going to have to go through my fan decks and see what I can do


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## Stonehampaintdept (Jan 10, 2013)

The color spectro's used in matching will take all colors in a multi colored sample, mash em together and spit out a formula for...something, wouldn't know until it was mixed and the samples shown on computer screens are never accurate.


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## Criard (Nov 23, 2013)

Look through the yellow pages and find a tiny mom&pop paint shop that still matches colors by eye. They're tricky to find but they still exist.


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## Painter-Aaron (Jan 17, 2013)

2"x 3" sounds like a good size sample to Me. I have had a paint store match a chip half the size of my finger nail. 

But 2x3 I's bigger then some colour chips. 


Sent from my iPad using PaintTalk.com


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## Gough (Nov 24, 2010)

Painter-Aaron said:


> 2"x 3" sounds like a good size sample to Me. I have had a paint store match a chip half the size of my finger nail.
> 
> But 2x3 I's bigger then some colour chips.
> 
> ...


This issue is that it is a multi-colored sample, so as Stonehampaintdepot pointed out, the spectrophotometer will come up with an "average" color.


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