Let’s say you bought a container of Boysen Quick Drying Enamel in white. It’s a readily available color so you simply got it off the store shelf. Once home, you changed your mind and want a color that’s a little more exciting. You don’t have to let the paint go to waste. Boysen tinting colors, also called colorants, can save the day.
What are Tinting Colors
Boysen’s tinting colors are added to a container of white paint to change its color. They come in 1/4-liter pots and in several hues. You don’t have to use just one color at a time either. Mixing in two or more tinting colors in one container creates even more color options. This is assuming, of course, that you still stick to the ratio. More on this later.
Remember, colorants cannot be used on their own. They’re essentially concentrated colors and are not made to be applied on surfaces by themselves. You have to mix them with their corresponding base paint product. That’s another thing to remember: make sure you have the correct type of colorant. Different paint products will have their own colorants. Find a guide for that here.
If you need just a small amount of paint, get Boysen paint sample pots that also come in 1/4-liter containers instead. These, unlike tinting colors, can be directly applied to surfaces.
Following the Ratio
The maximum ratio of Boysen paint to Boysen colorant is 1:16. Mix no more than 1/4 liter or 250 mL of colorant into 1 gallon (approx. 4.5 liters) of paint. Going beyond the recommended amount of colorant compromises the sheen, color, and performance of your coating.
This means that if you have a 4-liter can of paint you can mix in the entire container of a 1/4 Boysen colorant container to get the most saturated color possible.
However—and this is important—you will have to do a bit of math if you’re planning on using two tinting colors (or more) in just one 4-liter can of paint. You cannot put in all of the colorants as it will exceed the maximum amount you can mix in. Always follow the maximum mixing ratio.
Getting Pastel to Medium Shades
With the 1:16 ratio, there will only be so much colorant you can mix into the paint. Because of this, you’ll only be able to achieve pastel to medium shades. You’re not going to get vibrant or dark hues.
If you want to get an idea of the range of paint colors you can achieve using tinting colors, check out the Boysen App. There you’ll find the Mix Your Colors tool, a handy colorant cheat sheet.
Mix Your Colors gives you a library of the paint colors you can get through Boysen colorants and the “recipe” on how you can get the same results. You can experiment with your own mixes too. Starting with a base of white paint, you’ll be able to choose up to three colorants to digitally combine.
Excited? Try it out Boysen’s tinting colors yourself.
If you have any questions or inquiries about Boysen products, our technical team will be happy to assist you. Send an email to ask@myboysen.com or call (02) 8363-9738 local 413 to 418 during office hours for a one-on-one consultation.
