Rule of thumb · DIYNº 98 / 167

Mixing paint colours by volume, not by eye

A target colour from two base paints is a ratio problem, not a guess — the same two paints in a different ratio produce a completely different, unrepeatable shade.

Why it works

Without measuring by volume, matching a mixed colour a second time (for touch-ups or a second room) becomes nearly impossible — tiny ratio differences shift a colour more than most people expect.

When it fails

Volume ratios assume the pigments have similar tinting strength, and they emphatically do not — a strong phthalo blue will dominate a titanium white at ratios where the arithmetic says otherwise. Paint also dries a different shade from wet, so the ratio has to be judged on a dry sample.

Do it exactly

Estimate with the rule, then check it against the calculator that models it properly.

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How do you mix paint colours accurately?

A target colour from two base paints is a ratio problem, not a guess — the same two paints in a different ratio produce a completely different, unrepeatable shade. Without measuring by volume, matching a mixed colour a second time (for touch-ups or a second room) becomes nearly impossible — tiny ratio differences shift a colour more than most people expect.

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