How to Use Mistint Paint

Another person's mistake can mean savings for you.

Mistint paint, sometimes called "oops" paint, is mixed at your paint store or home improvement center as a custom color, but either does not come out right, or is not desired by the customer for some reason. The custom color cannot be easily resold, but rather than discarding it, the store will often offer the paint at a deeply reduced price. You can use these mistint colors for your home painting project and save money. Apply them right out of the can if they are acceptable, or alter them with inexpensive tints.

Things You'll Need

• Mistint paint
• Tubes of tint (suitable to your color)
• Mixing stick

Instructions

1. Go to the paint store and examine the selection of mistints. Pick one that is closest to the color you're looking for, or be flexible and select one that appeals to you that you weren't planning for. This can be useful in little-used rooms, such as a laundry room. Pick colors on the light side, as dark colors can be unpleasant and are harder to alter.

2. Apply the paint as is if you are satisfied with it, or paint a test area first and let it dry to see if you want to change it a little with some tints. Mistint paint is the same as any commercial paint with regard to application. Use a roller and brush as you normally would.

3. Change the color using the tints to make a more pleasing hue. A little brown tint mixed in makes a color more earthy and less sharp. Use a color wheel to adjust a color. To make your yellow mistint more orange, for example, add red, which is on the other side of orange. Likewise, to make a yellow more green, add blue. When you mix two colors together, the color between them is produced. (There is a link provided for an online color wheel in the Resources section). Avoid adding a color directly across the color wheel from the mistint, unless you want to neutralize it.

4. Stir the mistint paint very well. Lack of proper mixing is a common error, and can lead to streaks in your paint or differences in hue. Take you time and sweep the paint from the lower area of the can or bucket to make the color uniform.

5. Paint a test with the new color. Looking at the color in different light conditions, as they occur in your home, is a good idea. Some shades will dry a bit darker, so you may want to add more white before doing the paint job.

References

• Danny Lipford: How to Tint Paint Primer Yourself
• Apartment Therapy: Mistint Paint, an Affordable Paint Option

Resources

• Indiana University Southeast: Color Wheels