The short answer is yes, Home Depot provides full-service paint matching and mixing in all stores as of 2022. This gives us the ability to get paint tinted to any custom color imaginable.
But how exactly does the Home Depot paint mixing process work, and is it the best option for our home painting projects? This detailed guide will cover everything we need to know as discerning paint buyers and decorators.
We‘ll explore Home Depot‘s pricing, color options, mixing capabilities, and more so we can decide if DIY paint mixing is right for our homes. Let‘s dive in!
An Overview of Paint at Home Depot
With over 2,200 retail locations across North America, Home Depot is many homeowners‘ go-to destination for DIY painting supplies. But what exactly does their paint selection look like?
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Home Depot carries over 1,500 colors of interior and exterior latex paints.
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They offer paints in all sheens including flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high gloss.
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The selection includes economy, mid-tier, and premium interior and exterior paint lines.
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Popular brands stocked include Behr, Glidden, Olympic, PPG, Benjamin Moore, and more.
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Prices typically range from $20 to $50 per gallon for standard pre-mixed colors.
The key advantage is that all these stock paints can be customized at Home Depot paint counters. This makes the options limitless.
But how much does it cost to access these mixing services?
What Does Custom Paint Mixing Cost at Home Depot?
The good news is getting paint mixed to any color you want costs nothing extra if you purchase untinted base paint at Home Depot.
The price per gallon is the same for pre-mixed stock colors and custom mixed paint. You just pay for the paint product itself.
Some specific Home Depot paint mixing pricing details:
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Tinting bases bought at Home Depot is free. The cost is included in the retail price of the paint.
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Mixing paint bought elsewhere sometimes costs a small fee, ~$10 per gallon. Call ahead to check fees at your local store.
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Current base paint prices range from:
- Economy paint – $20-$35 per gallon
- Mid-range paint – $35-$50 per gallon
- Premium paint – $50-$90+ per gallon
So for a mid-range $35/gallon base paint tinted to a premium Benjamin Moore color, your total cost would be just $35/gallon! That‘s quite a deal.
Now let‘s explore exactly how the Home Depot tinting process works.
Step-By-Step: How Home Depot Mixes Paint in Store
Getting any color paint mixed at Home Depot is a simple process:
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Select a base paint – Choose an interior or exterior base paint in a finish like flat, eggshell, satin etc.
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Provide a color inspiration – Give a paint chip, fabric swatch, or other physical sample to match.
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Choose container size – Get quarts, gallons, or five-gallon buckets tinted. Allow ~30 minutes for multiple gallons.
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Mix and match – The paint associate will scan/input the color inspiration, then have the machine add tinted colorants to your base to match.
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Confirm color accuracy – The associate will show you the wet paint to check if the color matches before you buy it.
Once mixed, you simply pay at checkout and get your perfect custom color paint!
Home Depot uses top-of-the-line tinting machines to analyze physical samples and add the required color pigments into any base paint. This technology allows them to match even the most complex colors with ease.
What Types of Paint Can Home Depot Tint to Custom Colors?
Home Depot‘s paint counters can tint all of the following architectural paints to any color imaginable:
Interior Paint
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Latex wall & trim paint – Available in all sheens: flat, matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss. Used for walls, ceilings, trims, doors, cabinets, and more.
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Primers – Latex-based primers in white and gray. Get them tinted to match topcoat color for optimal coverage.
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Enamels – Oil and latex enamel paints for cabinets, trims, furniture, and high-gloss areas.
Exterior Paint
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House paint – Durable exterior latex paint for siding, shutters, trim, fences, and other outside areas.
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Masonry paint – Formulated for concrete, stucco, cinder block, and other masonry surfaces.
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Porch & floor paint – Decorative and protective acrylic paint for exterior concrete and wood.
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Metal paint – Direct to metal paint suitable for iron, steel, aluminum, and galvanized metal.
Specialty Paints
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Sprays – Match colors in spray paints for specialty uses and touch-ups.
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Craft paints – Tintable acrylic craft paints for DIY decorative objects.
So any painting project around our home can be completed with customized colors thanks to Home Depot‘s expansive tintable paint catalog.
Inspiration: What Types of Samples Can Be Color Matched?
Home Depot paint experts can matchcolors from almost any inspiration source, including:
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Paint chips – Any brand of paint color chip can be scanned and matched.
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Fabric swatches – Match upholstery, clothing, and other fabric colors.
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Digital photos – Use the Home Depot app to match colors from photos.
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Physical objects – Match countertops, furniture, stained wood, tile, or any object‘s color.
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Color codes – Lookup and input codes from major paint brands like Benjamin Moore.
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Digital tools – Use Home Depot‘s ProjectColor app or Behr‘s ColorSmart visualizer to select colors.
Home Depot also has an extensive palette of over 1,500 pre-mixed paint colors to peruse in store for inspiration.
With so many design and decor samples at our fingertips, we can explore unlimited color combinations for every room.
Can You Order Custom Mixed Paint Online for Home Delivery?
This is one area where Home Depot‘s paint mixing services are limited. Currently, they only offer paint mixing and matching in Home Depot stores.
You cannot yet access their full catalog of specialty tinting options online through homedepot.com or their apps.
However, if you know the specific name or code for a premixed specialty color, you may be able to order it online for delivery or in-store pickup.
But for true one-of-a-kind custom matching, we‘ll need to visit the store‘s paint counter in person. Virtual paint matching technology is still a work in progress.
Until then, we can bring physical samples into our local store for an easy in-person mixing experience.
Mixing and Matching Old Paint at Home Depot
For paint touch-ups or leftover paint projects, Home Depot offers the convenient service of color matching and remixing old paint so it‘s usable again.
All we need to do is bring in our partial cans or buckets of old paint. The associate will then:
- Pour the leftover paint into the tinting machine to analyze the color.
- Determine what base paint and colorants are needed to remix the color from scratch.
- Mix those colorants into a new can of base paint to match the original.
The remixed paint is then sold to us by the gallon or quart. This avoids the need to buy five full gallons just for a bedroom accent wall!
Matching old paint saves the time, hassle, and expense of repurchasing entire sets of paint. It also allows faded or yellowed paint to be refreshed.
Just be sure to remix all needed paint together so the colors match consistently.
Can Custom Paint Be Returned or Refunded at Home Depot?
Here is one definite downside of custom tinted paint – it cannot be returned or refunded once mixed.
Because the unique colors are made specifically for us, Home Depot is unable to resell leftover paint.
To avoid getting stuck with extra paint, we should:
- Only buy as much as we‘re sure to use, start with a quart.
- Test the color on a wall before purchasing gallons.
- Save our mixing receipt for rematching if we need more later.
Being strategic with quantities and testing colors first allows us to get the paint we want without waste.
Home Depot Paint Mixing vs. Specialty Paint Stores
Home Depot offers convenience and cost savings. But how does their tinting quality compare to paint specialists like Benjamin Moore? We weighed the pros and cons:
Home Depot Paint Mixing Benefits
- Extremely affordable custom paint
- Unlimited color options
- Convenient mixing while we wait
- Adjustable quantities – get only what we need
Potential Drawbacks
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Not as knowledgeable about paint
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Less precision in color matching
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Only limited premium paint options
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No perks or warranty from specialty brands
Specialty Paint Store Benefits
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Precision color matching
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Knowledgeable about products and coloring
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Carries premium lines like Farrow & Ball
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Custom consultation services
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Warranties and guarantees
Potential Drawbacks
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Custom color fees of $50+ per gallon
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Only their brand paints available
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Minimum quantities may be required
So Home Depot is likely our best bet for affordable, DIY custom colors. But if we need perfect color precision or luxury paint, specialty stores may be worth the higher cost.
Tips for Getting the Most from Home Depot Paint Mixing
To make sure we walk out with the perfect custom color paint from Home Depot, try these tips:
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Use premium bases – For better hide and durability, opt for mid-tier or premium bases instead of cheap economy paints.
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Tint primer – Have primer tinted to match for optimal coverage and color uniformity.
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Mix all at once – For color consistency between cans, have full project quantities mixed together.
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Confirm accuracy – Paint a test patch and check the wet paint before purchasing gallons.
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Save receipts – Keep the mixing record for rematching paint later if needed.
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Be flexible – Don‘t stress tiny differences between inspiration colors and mixed paint.
Following this advice provides confidence we‘ll get the color we expect from Home Depot‘s tinting services.
The Bottom Line – Should We Use Home Depot for Paint Mixing?
For most DIY home painting projects, having paint mixed at Home Depot is an excellent option thanks to:
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Affordability – Custom colors at non-custom prices!
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Convenience – Mixing takes just minutes while we browse the aisles.
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Flexibility – Get any quantity of any color for our needs.
As long as we‘re flexible on "perfect" color matching and use high quality bases, their tinting services allow us to affordably customize paint to our heart‘s content.
So next time inspiration strikes for a bold new painted space, Home Depot can efficiently whip up any color our creative mind desires. Let the mixing begin!
