Settle this paint argument for me....

[scab]

My buddy was telling me that you should never finish an entire container of paint before opening another one. Instead, you should get 3/4 of the way through it and then pour the next container into the 1/4 that is leftover so that it mixes together and blends well on the painted surface.

My other buddy is a commercial painter and I told him this theory while he was shooting my outbuilding a few weeks ago. He said that it was nonsense and that you are fine as long as you use the same brand of paint and have it mixed at the same time.

I had never heard the first theory but the first buddy swears he has seen houses where the people painting didn't mix the paint and the walls were noticeably different shades of the same color. Still, I find it hard to believe that paint could be that different coming out a computer-controlled modern paint factory. Plus, the other buddy has been painting stores for major companies all over the country for the last thirty years so I trust his opinion. Then again, he mostly just paints with white....

Anyway, who is right? Discuss.

 

[Norcal]

When using paint in 5 gallon quantities pouring paint into the bucket as needed that a airless sprayer pickup tube is in, blends paint well enough, but in 1 gallon lots I would blend them all together for uniform color. Larger quantities of custom colored paint (5 gallon size) will blend better then quart or gallon sized.

 

[theoldwizard1]

My other buddy is a commercial painter and I told him this theory while he was shooting my outbuilding a few weeks ago. He said that it was nonsense and that you are fine as long as you use the same brand of paint and have it mixed at the same time.

That statement was true over 40 years ago when I was mixing and selling paint !

If you are buying more of the same paint, you will get a very close match if you have the previous gallons mixing code which is usually found on a sticker placed on the can (NOT the color name or swatch or swatch number).

If you are the type to save old paint for "touch ups" you really need to put your leftovers in a smaller can. A half gallon of paint in a gallon can will go bad within a year or 2. In 2 quart cans, it might be good for 5 or 10 years.

 

[Average_Joe]

Painters around here call it "boxing", I think. Anyway, yes I have seen them mix from one bucket to the next.

 

[Gary S]

It is probably a good idea so the color stays consistent.

However, I never do that because I paint only two colors, black and white. I get a good match without mixing.

 

[mmhouse]

Not a bad idea, but typically not necessary. Paint mixing is now mostly done by machine rather than manually and is much more accurate (and consistent). I do all my own interior painting, do not mix the paint from bucket to bucket and have never had a problem.

 

[SlappyWhite]

It would help match the colour to the last batch.

Beyond that painting is heavily dependent on chemistry and physics but the actual painters tend to get their knowledge from the guy who taught them... so I always go back to basics and take what they say with a grain of salt.

I have had endless pros tell me you can't do that, entirely because that is what they were told by the last guy. Only to go back to my limited knowledge of chem to know I can, and I do it with success....

 

[rippered]

When I was a painter we called it boxing. If you bought the paint the same day from the same store you are fine. Its just like tile or wallpaper it needs to come from the same lot.

 

[Playwme]

You don't have to do it but its so easy to do so why not? There's always the slim chance of one tin being slightly different to another so why not eliminate that possibility.

 

[rsanter]

Out of date information
Back when mixing was done by hand that was done to help with consistency.
Now a days it is not needed with the very precise machines they are using to mix the paint

Bob

 

[kbs2244]

I would say both are correct.
If you are painting with cans right off the shelf then do the “boxing.”
If you are using paint you had mixed at the store you have just created your own “lot” and can go can to can.

 

[HoosierMark]

It just makes logical sense to blend the different gallons as you paint. If there is a slight variation in the mixture it will blend as you go from one to the mixed to the other. Same as the roofers do with shingles. Sure if the paint is mixed well, there is no reason to blend it, but if there is a slight variation, it would never show up. An ounce of prevention at no cost.

 

[Hawk]

If I am going to use more than one gallon I just pour it all into a five gallon bucket, mix and paint.

 

[HOTFR8]

I used to mix and sell house paint and yes it is wise to not finish the paint before you open another tin. Mixing it this way is wise as you would be surprised sometimes that people do not stir or mix the paint very well specially when it has been tinted to a color.

 

[kerrynzl]

I still do that with spraying enamels. Especially when my paint mixer needs a "seeing eye dog".

If I cant do that , I try to cheat with a "Thinner Blend" when painting.
That is ,I spray a blend into the previous coat [ colour ] then I spray the whole panel with thinners to "take off the edge"

This doesn't work with 2-pack chemical hardening paints

 

[jvitez]

We also called it "boxing" the paint when I was painting houses years ago. I can see the argument about increased precision in modern paint mixing, but if you or your customer is fussy it seems silly not to box the paint.

What I've done is to take an empty clean paint can, open up all the gallon can's of that particular colour, make sure they're all fully mixed, then pour half of one can into the empty one, and pour the next can in the previous one, and pour back and forth a few times. Now all the paint is mixed with each other, and you've got a half can of paint at the ready for cutting in by brush. It really doesn't take long and ensures consistency.

 

[spotco2]

Unless we are only using 1 gallon, we dump up to 3 gallons at a time into a fiver and mix.

Even these fancy, computer controlled mixing systems have a stupid human pressing the buttons. I got a can a few weeks ago (bought 4 and had tinted) and they forgot to shake one of the cans of base before delivering it. It would have never matched if I had opened it last and tried to mix it by hand.

 

[the gypsy]

It sounds prudent to mix the gallons "boxing". It is similar to installing tiles whether they be vinyl or ceramic, you are asked to pick from different boxes to make sure that if there is a slight difference in die lot the outcome is not as obvious. The different die lots will be scattered.

 

[ZRX61]

Painters around here call it "boxing", I think.

Yup, do the same with auto/aero paint

 

[d19h]

I recently bought 8 one gallon cans of the "same" color. All bought and mixed at the same time. 5 were flat and three were satin. You could see every roller and brush stroke. You can never be too sure what you have until it hits the wall.