For those wishing to mix their own paint colors, colorants, also called tinting colors, are the way to go. Colorants are added to a container of white paint to change its color. They are best used when you want to achieve pastel to medium shades of paint.
Different paint products will have their own colorants. This all has to do with paint compatibility and simply means you need the correct type of colorant for your specific paint product.
Boysen, for example, has four types of colorants. Some of these you can use on just one paint product and others you can use for several. Here are the four Boysen colorants and the Boysen products to use them with:
Boysen Latex Colors
Boysen Latex Colors are water-based, acrylic colorants for water-based paints. See all its available color of colorants here and use it to tint these paint products:
- Boysen Permacoat Latex
- Boysen Healthy Home
- Boysen Wallguard
- Virtuoso Silk Touch
Boysen Oil Tinting Colors
Boysen Oil Tinting Colors are alkyd-based tinting colors for alkyd-type paints. See all its available color of colorants here and use it to tint these paint products:
- Boysen Quick Drying Enamel
- Boysen Flatwall Enamel
- Boysen Semi-gloss Enamel
Boysen Acrytex Tinting Colors
Boysen Acrytex Tinting Colors are acrylic solvent-based tinting colorants for Boysen Acrytex. See all its available color of colorants here and use it for Acrytex only.
Boysen Automotive Lacquer Tinting Colors
Boysen Automotive Lacquer Tinting Colors are lacquer-type tinting colors for lacquer-based paints. See all its available color of colorants here and use it to tint Boysen Automotive Lacquer.
Tips and Reminders
Don’t Mix In Too Much Colorant
The maximum ratio of Boysen paint to Boysen colorant is 1:16. This means you should mix no more than 1/4 liter or 250 mL of colorant into a 1-gallon (approx. 4.5 liters) container of paint. You can use more than one color of colorant but make sure to still stay within the ratio. Otherwise, you risk having uneven color or shine in your final product.
Have Enough to Cover the Whole Area
When mixing your own paint colors using colorants, it’s best to have enough paint to cover the whole area you’re painting from the get-go. This is so you don’t have to mix several batches of one color and risk getting different hues each time.
Do a Swatch Test
Once you have your color mixed, do a swatch test before you start painting. Wet paint will look different than dry paint. You’ll notice that once the paint is dry, it may look a little darker than when you applied it. If you really want to see your paint for what it truly is, wait for a few hours. Aside from color, its sheen will come through as well.
Use a Guide
The Boysen App has a cheat sheet for when you want to use colorants called Mix Your Colors. First, it lets you try several colorants together. Starting with a base of white paint, you’ll be able to choose up to three colorants to digitally mix together.
Second, it gives you a library of different paint colors you can achieve through Boysen colorants. Pick a color that suits you and it will show you which and how much of each colorant to mix so you can replicate the shade. Learn more about the Boysen App here.
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