Colour Matching

Paint colour matching is easy at GC Johnson, By using advanced colour matching technology and high-spec tinting machines, we can provide quality paint in all of your favourite colours at no extra cost. Simply choose your perfect paint and the colour of your choice, and our expert team will custom mix your paint.

We have a an array of colour cards, fan decks & colour walls to help you choose the right colour for your projects and have staff on hand to help, with any query you may have.

You can order some colour cards direct to your door, by simply filling out the online form.

How does bespoke colour tinting work?

Simply bring a sample of the colour (swatch sized larger than a 50p coin) you want to match into your nearest store. We get asked to match a wide variety of objects, normally this might be a flake of discontinued paint or a scrap of wallpaper etc. However, over the years items ranging from the usual kitchen drawer, to a classic car, and even the liquid in a bottle of coke have been brought in for matching. Although we have been doing this by eye for over fifty years, we were one of the first to employ spectrophotometry to ensure complete accuracy since 1996.

Depending on the paint brands available in store, we will scan the item using a spectrophotometer and either:

  1. Match the colour, creating a new ‘recipe’ in the paint mixing machine just for you, or
  2. The computer will suggest the closest existing colour according to a percentage match giving you confidence in its accuracy.

Please Note: getting a 100% match isn’t always possible.

Factors that influence colour tinting accuracy include:

  1. Material – light reflectance can distort colour. Typical examples are silks, velvets, thick pile or woven fabrics, glossy paper, metallic objects
  2. Tone – mid shades are the most accurate
  3. Finish – a gloss paint created by scanning and matching the colour from a matt surface sample will look slightly different.

With our new Colour Match technology, more accurate than ever, we can scan and create a new colour with a unique code just for you.

Which paint colour systems are available?

The three main colour systems in widespread use in the paint and decorating industry are the Natural Colour System (NCS), RAL Classic, and British Standard (BS):

  1. The BS system is one of the most popular colour ranges, available in all the main trade and standard paint brands.
  2. RAL is a central European colour standard. Tinting paint in RAL colours is available for many brands including Dulux, Crown, and Johnstone’s, tikkurilla ranges.
  3. Paint tinted to colours from the NCS colour system (most commonly referenced in architecture and design) is available at any branch in a range of brands and finishes.

The colour you want in the paint you wish.

The importance of tester and sample pots

Sample pots allow you to narrow down your colour selection to see which colour works best in the space you’re decorating. We recommend painting out your samples onto lining paper and placing them around the space. This will allow you to:

  1. See how the colour will look in the room
  2. See how the colour looks at different times of day
  3. No need to worry about covering up the samples on your walls with your chosen colour

If your still struggling with finding the right colour for your project, why not head over to our interior design section. Where you could look at getting a colour consultancy

For more information on how our paint colour matching works or if you have any further questions about our colour matching service, our team are here to help. Get in touch by calling 0208 504 7925 for Buckhurst Hill branch or 01279 969639 for our harlow branch.