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How-to Match Another Paint Brand into Lowe’s Paint

Like a Benjamin Moore color, but want it tinted into a Lowe’s Home Improvement paint like Valspar Cabinet & Furniture enamel. It’s possible and I’ll show you how!

Yes, you can tint other brands color into Lowe’s and Home Depot brands of paints!

You can tint Behr paint chips, Sherwin Williams paint chips, and Glidden paint chips. Really ANY BRAND of paint can be tinted into Lowe’s products.

I’ll explain how and why it works plus how to make sure you get the right color the first time.

The specific example I’m covering is at Lowe’s Home Improvement, but can be used at any paint store.

Tint Benjamin Moore into Valspar Paint

You may be wondering “Does Lowe’s sell Benjamin Moore paint?” The simple answer is they do not.

However, Lowe’s has an amazing Benjamin Moore color converter that they use, so you can tine Benjamin Moore colors into Lowe’s brands of paints.

Does Lowe’s charge to tint paint from another brand – no!

I actually had someone challenge me about this saying I “lied” about using Valspar Cabinet and Furniture enamel on my bathroom cabinets tinted into a Benjamin Moore color.

It inspired this blog post and showing the photographic evidence it can be done LOL.

In truth, you need to find an experienced paint desk employee to help you with custom colors.

My little trick to get the best paint color match is to buy paint on a weekday when it’s less busy vs the weekend.”

Porch Daydreamer

Why? Because many times the weekend paint desk staff is flex staff and they don’t have the knowledge needed to access the data base. 

Many times when it’s busy at the store, someone from lawn and garden may find themselves at the paint desk to help.

Tinting paint isn’t difficult to learn, but color matching can be. I’ve found the long time paint desk associates to be the best at color.

As you can imagine, I am a staple in the paint department and on first name basis with the staff at my local store.

They’ve had LOTS of experience like my friend at the paint desk featured in this post 🙂

If the person looks at you like they don’t understand you, ask if another paint desk associate can help you.

Here is a real life example at my house during my master bathroom remodel.

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Benjamin Moore Decorator’s White in Valspar Cabinet & Furniture Enamel – Back Wall Decorator’s White Tinted at Ben Moore

My GO TO cabinet and furniture paint is Valspar Cabinet & Furniture Enamel. 

I’ve written some lengthy tutorials and helpful information about it in the following posts:

Why I tell you this is because I fell in love with Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White with my tile, but wanted to paint my cabinets with Valspar Cabinet & Furniture Enamel.

However, this paint brand is only available at Lowe’s Home Improvement Stores.

So how did I magically achieve this color from Benjamin Moore in a Valspar branded paint?

Didn’t you know I am Tinker Bell and can wave my magic wand and poof make it appear?

close-up-of-valspar-cabinet-enamel-paint-bathroom-cabinets-polished-nickel-hardware

LOL! NO, but I do know a LOT about paint because I worked for Valspar for 5 years in the Lowe’s group.

Valspar is owned by Sherwin Williams and our group trained the Lowe’s Paint Department staff about our products.

Plus we studied all of the paint manufacturer’s brand’s features and benefits, so when I tell you this is possible it’s DEFINITELY possible.

valspar-cabinet-enamel-tinted-ben-moore-decorators-white
NOTE: in the Lowe’s database they don’t us the correct name decorator’s whtie and use decorators white, but here is the actual formula number.

It’s called CUSTOM COLOR MATCHING my friends!

Here is Valspar Cabinet Enamel (now Furniture & Cabinet Enamel) tinted on 3/26/19 in Decorator’s White – my proof!

If you want to paint your cabinets this color, just take a screen shot of this and show it to the paint desk associate for guidance 🙂 

Pin It for Later!

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How-to Match Another Paint Brand into Lowe’s Paint

Did you know you can have Lowe’s Home Improvement stores custom match a paint color? Cool right?

OR they can search their X-Rite database for ALL major paint manufacturer’s paint colors for an EXISTING FORMULA.

Benjamin-Moore-Decorator's-White

Because Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White CC-20 has been around for SO long, the formula was in the DATABASE.

If it wasn’t, the paint chip sample could be matched to create the formula instead. 

So they pulled up the brand, then color, and tinted the Valspar Cabinet & Furniture Enamel with the formula created for Benjamin Moore’s Decorator’s White.

EASY!

Paint Color Matching Example at Lowe’s

I’m going to walk you through the process I used to have paint tinted to match my old kitchen cabinets for a touch up job.

The color match was EXACT!

Remember, this can be done using a paint chip sample as well!

Lowes-employee-holding-custom-tinted-valspar-paint-sample

Luckily, I have a friend behind the paint counter at my local Lowe’s store.

Mark saved my rear, when an executive at Lowe’s wanted an exterior stain custom tinted to match an old stain. Do you know how hard that is???

He nailed it using his own coloring abilities – not a machine.

Mark is now my go to whenever I need color tinting advice!

So after years of working together, he was nice enough to let me document the custom tinting process so I can teach you how it works!

What Items Can Be Color Matched

To get the best match possible, whatever you are matching needs to be smooth and solid.

Those options include:

  • Cabinet drawer or door that’s painted
  • Wallpaper
  • Cut piece of drywall
  • Solid printed or smooth non-reflective fabric
  • Paint chip from any manufacturer

What Items Can’t Be Color Matched

  • Stained woods
  • Textured Fabrics (we tried a solid velvet to not avail)

To color match my kitchen cabinets, I removed the smallest drawer front and took it to the Lowe’s Home Improvement paint desk.

Color Matching Another Paint Brand or Object

Literally, this takes about 60 seconds!

The cool thing is paint swatches are free from ALL major brands like Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore.

YES, you can match any Sherwin Williams at Lowe’s really easily because the database of ALL of their colors are IN the Lowe’s paint system.

Hand the item you need matched to the Lowe’s paint desk associate and they will do the rest for you!

All you have to tell them is that you want a sample and the sheen you are matching.

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Color-eye-reading-cabinet-color-match-another-paint-color

They put your item under the X-Rite iVue machine that has an eye to read the color.

Then the computer develops a tint formula that is custom matched to your item (my cabinet).

So high-tech and cool in my opinion, but I am a nerd 🙂

match-another-paint-brand-lowes-associate-tinting-sample

Then they transfer the formula to the tinter and make up your paint sample. Easy right? 

BEFORE BUYING A GALLON or QUART, PLEASE ALWAYS HAVE A SAMPLE TINTED FIRST TO MAKE SURE IT IS CORRECT!

This is a really important step.

The first time I went to have Decorator’s White tinted in the Valspar Cabinet Enamel, it was wrong!

Mark wasn’t available and the person pulled the wrong formula…this can happen if you don’t work with someone who knows the system.

The small issue was the formula wasn’t listed as decorator’s white, but decorators white.

Be upfront and ask the associate if they have experience with the database and CUSTOM TINTS.

If they look baffled, work with someone else or ask for the paint desk manager or for when they will be on duty.

Lowe’s will give you credit for a mis-tint, so start with a SAMPLE to be certain before spending money on the paint.

How-to Match Another Paint Brand into Home Depot Paint

Are you a Home Depot loyalist and love Behr paint or Glidden paint? You can follow the same process at Home Depot too.

Here is a link to Home Depot Color Matching information.

Or for that matter you can take ANY COLOR to ANY major brand PAINT STORE  and have a match done!

Wow! Now you can have it all…your favorite paint in a color you found in another brand of paint.

It’s a win-win situation friends.

I HOPE you found this post helpful and learned a new trick!

Want to know more about how to find a paint color? Read this: Seriously Cool Ways to Find Out Paint Colors

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Until next time…

Porch Daydreamer

Tracey

16 Comments

  1. Jim Hedrick says:

    I have three gallons of Valspar interior base. The can says I need to tint it. Can I use it as is or do I have to buy tint . Im painting my dining room and more white.

  2. Linda Nesta says:

    The Valspar cabinet and furniture enamel paint is the best I’ve ever used – thank you so much!! I just painted an ugly oak electric fireplace black. It is so much nicer! I also painted my parent’s old bedroom set – it looks brand new!

    1. Yay! I’m so happy to hear this and glad you’ve been able to makeover some furniture and your fireplace.

  3. Speaking of matching … if I know the name of an old color I used (this was a literal 20 years ago now, but I know it was at Lowes and I know it was called “Nell” XD ), would Lowes be able to pull up the formula? Or does that get purged, that you know of?

    (This article is AWESOME to know, btw, I am hoping to do BM’s “Pink Cloud” for my daughters room … but at the Lowes price point <3)

    1. Hi, Maria! You need the color number and or formula on the can for them to match. Names can change.

  4. Miranda Davenport says:

    Can I use this as touch up paint or will the sheen be off? Our house was painted by the previous owners Agreeable Grey using Lowe’s SW and Lowe’s Valspar paint. We bought a gallon of each from lowes and they don’t match.

    1. The only way to touch up paint is to use the original paint. The best option is to paint the full wall with the new paint, where touch ups are most needed.

  5. Hi. I’ve created a color I like on my computer. Can Lowes or Home Depot provide this color if I provide the RBG color information I took off of my computer’s photo edit program?

    Ex:
    R(ed): 29
    G(reen): 65
    B(lue): 134

    1. Well, that’s creative! You would have to get a print of the exact color for the eye to scan and create the formula. Colorant is not based on R, G, B.

  6. What kind of finish should walls, woodwork, ceilings be painted? Eggshell, flat, glossy, etc. I’m having the inside of my home painted from walls, to ceiling, shelves, woodwork, etc. I would like to have something that is easy to clean and wipe off. Please help!

      1. Thank you Tracey for your response. I appreciate all the help. Now I will know what to tell the painters.

  7. Diane Davis says:

    Thank you so much for this phenomenal detailed description of the paint matching process. I had heard that this could be done but didn’t quite trust the process. With your great explanation and experience, now I do!

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