www.fgks.org   »   [go: up one dir, main page]

Got The Wrong Paint Color? Here's How To Exchange (Or Fix) It

HuffPost Social Reading
Flickr photo by dougww

It's a common problem: You've picked out a paint color based on a swatch, but whether it's the lighting in the room or that some paints can dry a shade darker or lighter on a wall, the color is totally wrong. You're now left with gallons (or more!) of useless paint. Can you exchange it?

While it varies between retailers, the general rule of thumb is that if the paint has been custom tinted then it's not returnable or exchangeable.

However, if you can prove it's a mixing error on behalf of the store, you can request a free replacement. So it's important to keep your original paint sample or swatch on hand to make your case. Additionally, if it's a matter of shade, you may be able to just ask the paint technician to simply add more pigment to get the hue you want -- though this may require an additional cost depending on the seller.

Understanding that finding the perfect color can be difficult, some brands even offer exchange programs. For instance, unsatisfied customers who have purchased Valspar Signature Colors paint at Lowe's can apply for a rebate and get up to two free gallons of a new paint.

In the end, if you still have un-exchangeable open can of tinted paint you completely hate and don't want to bother changing the shade, you might need to properly dispose the paint or, even better, donate it to a local organization, like Habitat For Humanity.

Have something to say? Be sure to check out Stylelist Home on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

 
  • Comments
  • 6
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Post Comment Preview Comment
To reply to a Comment: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to.
View All
Recency  | 
Popularity
2 hours ago ( 9:51 AM)
What happened to personal responsibility? Why should the store take the loss? You are going to lie and say they mixed it wrong? You can usually buy small samples that will cover an area large enough to make a decision
3 hours ago ( 8:22 AM)
Hire a painter. Let him deal with the paint stores. They get better deals anyways.
4 hours ago ( 7:48 AM)
The author missed one of the most important facts about adjusting paint. I've been selling paint for 25 years and my first piece of advice to anyone picking colors is that it's much better to be too light than too dark. Paint colors are a lot like baking, you can always add more but you can never take any out. Light and medium tint base colors are near impossible to make significantly lighter without damaging the integrity of the paint. When you are choosing colors, if you are in doubt, go with the lighter shade, and it is always best to start with a pint sample of your color.
photo
SeenItBefore
Ya want to super size that?
11:04 AM on 05/08/2012
If it's new walls, use the paint as your base coat to seal the primer coat. Then paint with a more desirable color. It's important to use a sample quart to paint out an entire wall to see what the color does with changing light conditions and furnishings before you commit to the 5 gallon bucket.
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
hcwhy
4 hours ago ( 7:11 AM)
Tinter is also available. You can try making your own color up right on the spot.

Bloggers

 
 
Courtney Cachet , Designer, TV Personality, Style Expert, Writer, Ninja

I have a lot of friends who could be called crafty. You know the type: They try new recipes, make...

Read Post | Comments
Kirsten Dirksen , Co-founder, faircompanies.com

Lloyd Kahn's Tiny Homes: Simple Shelter is a nod to the current "grassroots movement to scale things back," and in...

Read Post | Comments
Robin Wilson , Wellness expert, leading eco-friendly interior designer

As you return to your summer home, there are many things on the maintenance list and given the damp weather...

Read Post | Comments
George Hobica , Syndicated travel journalist and founder of Airfarewatchdog.com

During the 20th century, a group of architects staged a controversial revolt. Why, they asked, couldn't less be as impressive...

Read Post | Comments
Lisa Holt , In-house Interior Designer, NapaStyle; Creative Director, DLS Hotels & Spas

This spring everything is about bright, eye-catching color. Some of the most vivid hues we see in nature are being...

Read Post | Comments
Fawn Galli , Founder, Fawn Galli Interior Design

The manipulation of light, through the use of paints, fabrics, and lighting, should always be one of the first considerations...

Read Post | Comments
Susan Cahill , Author

Paris is more and more a green city. The current mayor, Bernard Delanoe, has added more than 100 new acres...

Read Post | Comments
Kara Ross , Jewelry Designer

What makes a house a home? Just ask Kim Seybert, designer of lifestyle accessories. Actually, let's call her an artist.

Read Post | Comments
Anne E. Collins , Founder, SeeingDesign.com; Co-founder, HoneyTrek.com

Our first month of our around-the-world journey has landed us in Manaus, Brazil, the heart of the Amazon.

Read Post | Comments
Sadie Jones , Author, "Outcast" and "Small Wars"

It struck me that there are many parties in literature, either comical or dramatic, glamorous, unpleasant, or just plain uncomfortable...

Read Post | Comments
Terence Clarke , Novelist and filmmaker

"My eyes had been opened wide," Roth Martin says. He smiles. He has just described how his life had changed....

Read Post | Comments
Ron Barth , President, Resource Furniture

Three years into the full activity of the station, it can confidently be said that the Princess Elisabeth is the...

Read Post | Comments
Grayson Handy , Creative Director/Co-Owner, Prudence Designs & Events

Mother's Day is the second busiest holidays for florists (behind Valentine's Day.
Here are a few tips I...

Read Post | Comments
Susan Manrao , Interior Designer

The constant reminders of an ex-partner around every corner -- those honeymoon photos, or the blank spaces on the wall...

Read Post | Comments

Stylelist Home TV