Tinting We all know how it works. You agonise over the colour charts and then settle on the ideal shade. You watch as the Resene ColorShop professional measures the perfect combination of colour into the can and locks it into that frenetic mixing machine, where it shudders itself into the blend you were after. Most Resene paint consists of a tone colour, which is then tinted with measured units of colourants, depending on the final required shade. There are limits to how much tinter you can add to each tone. If you fall under that limit, you can affect the opacity of the paint and make it more difficult to get a good, even finish. If you go over the limit, you can interfere with its film-forming properties and therefore its longevity. The rule of thumb is that tinters affect paint durability, so the less tinter you use, the longer the colour will last. Colours are formulated to be tinted from certain tones. If you try to tint a colour from a tone it’s not designed for, while you might be able to get the correct shade, chances are you will have over-tinted it and it will fail faster. So, don’t try getting a dark colour tinted into a white paint – it may save you money today, but it will turn out a false economy when you have to repaint earlier than usual. Every paint company uses different tinters to make up their colours. To capture the true essence of the colour you like, you really need to buy it tinted into the brand of paint it was developed for. Youcanalsoadddepthofcolourbyusingtintedundercoats beneath the topcoat, but the same criteria apply. Paint quality also has a bearing on the tinting issue. High quality paints use more concentrated tinters, so the paint keeps its colour and integrity for longer. Good quality tinters provide good coverage too, so that you only usually need to apply two topcoats to get the shade you want, whereas it may take more coats of a lower grade paint to give you a true colour. High quality paints also tend to have more complex colourways and will change subtly in changing lights. Certain individual colours also tend to be less durable than others, due to the make-up of their colourants. Bright oranges, yellows and reds still tend to fade faster than other shades. The best colours for longevity are the earthier tones, which are made from oxide tinters. If you do get offered a significantly cheaper price for the same colour in another brand, beware! Not only will the colour not truly match the original, the paint will almost certainly not last as long and therefore not represent the best value in the long-term. The most expensive part of a paint job, in terms of money and time, is the painting, not the paint itself,so it makes sense to invest in a high quality product at the start, get it tinted properly, and minimise maintenance and repainting further down the track. 72 |