Have you spent hours deciding on the best interior paint color for your room makeover only to discover the shade you’ve chosen looks lighter in the paint can than it did when you were poring over swatches? Don’t panic. We spoke to paint experts about whether paint dries darker or lighter and how to guarantee you get the right shade for your interior paint project.
Why Does Paint Dry Darker?
All paints contain evaporating chemical or water-based thinning solvents to help produce an even finish and speedier drying times. Water is the most common solvent, but other thinning chemicals include turpentine, alcohol, acetone, xylene and toluene.
“In most cases, a paint will dry darker than a wet paint shade since the solvent (in the case of a latex paint, it’s water) evaporates as it dries,” Dennis Fiorilli, Director of Product Excellence at Sherwin-Williams, says.
“The paint’s actual color never changes throughout the application and drying process,” Tim Bosveld, VP of Product Management at Dunn-Edwards, says. It is just that the highly reflective surface of the solvent-containing wet paint makes the paint seem lighter.
This illusion subsides when the paint is dry and not so reflective. At that point, you will see the true color — like the swatch you chose.
So, if you are looking at the paint wet in the can, remember it dries darker. If the paint looks lighter or darker on your wall than the swatch, it is likely an illusion created by lighting or paint sheen.
Can I Prevent Paint From Drying Darker or Lighter?
Thankfully, paint swatches reflect the dry paint appearance rather than the wet one. However, there are factors that can cause your dry paint to differ from the swatch shade once on the wall. To help prevent this, consider the following painting tips.
Mix thoroughly
Always mix your paint thoroughly before use to ensure true, consistent color. The solid pigments can separate from the liquid binders over time. As well as affecting color, this can make the paint more lumpy and difficult to apply.
Store paint correctly
If you plan on keeping a partial can of paint for touching up your walls, don’t forget to seal and store it properly. If you don’t properly fit the lid, evaporation could result in more concentrated pigment that might result in a darker paint finish.
Use a primer
Adding more coats of paint won’t magically make your paint appear darker, although it can stop an old darker shade from bleeding through. However, Bosveld recommends using a paint primer, especially when transitioning from dark to light colors. “Primer can help ensure the true color of the paint shines through,” he says. Primer also helps provide a uniform surface and promotes better paint adhesion.
Regularly repaint
Paint fades over time, and this can happen faster if your wall soaks up lots of bright sunlight. If you notice your bold shade gradually becoming lighter over the years, it could be time for a fresh coat.
Should I Choose a Paint Color Darker or Lighter Than What I Want?
“Many conditions affect the appearance of colors — from wall texture to lighting conditions,” Bosveld says. “The only way to be completely satisfied with color selection is to test it using samples and live with it for a while,” he says.
However, below are some considerations that can influence whether a paint shade will look lighter or darker when it’s on your walls.
Paint sheen
“Different sheens can appear to be darker or lighter because of the reflectance of light on the paint film,” Fiorilli says. “Flat paints tend to appear darker because they absorb light. A semi-gloss finish appears light because it reflects more light,” he says.
Available light
“Lighting conditions change from morning, noon, to night and can significantly impact how a paint color appears,” Bosveld says. “If you’re testing a paint sample, it’s a good idea to sit with it for a few days so you can see it in every light.”
In a south-facing room that receives a lot of natural light, the color might look lighter than it does on the swatch, and it could appear darker once it is on the walls of a north-facing room with small windows.
However, it’s not just about the natural light your room receives. The brightness and tone of your artificial lighting can also affect whether paint appears lighter or darker than the swatch. So make sure you consider the color once the lights are on.
Surrounding decor
A color can look totally different on your walls than in the staging of a home magazine. Much depends on the surrounding colors of your decorative accents, furniture, floors and soft furnishings. If you’re using a bold shade in a room of light contrasting colors, it will look darker than in a space full of other complementary tones.
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