To match custom paint, especially when a specific color code is unavailable, you can bring a piece of the painted material to a paint supply shop for scanning.
Why Matching Custom Paint Can Be Challenging
Unlike factory colors that have standardized codes, custom paint jobs often lack documented formulas or codes. This makes traditional color matching methods, which rely on looking up existing codes, impossible.
The Sample Scanning Method
Fortunately, even without a color code, matching custom paint is still possible. According to westsideautopaint.com, if finding the color code isn't an option, all is not lost.
The solution involves providing a physical sample of the paint you need to match:
- Obtain a Sample: You will need a piece of the painted surface from the vehicle or object. The reference suggests a size of roughly 3” x 3” or larger.
- Visit a Supply Shop: Take the sample piece to a specialized auto paint or supply shop.
- On-Site Scanning: The shop can perform the match on-site. They use a specialized device to scan the sample.
- Formula Detection: This scanning equipment has built-in paint formula detection capabilities that analyze the sample's color and characteristics to determine the correct paint formula needed to replicate it.
By scanning a physical sample, the shop can accurately identify the specific shades and mixtures that make up the custom color, allowing them to create a matching paint batch.
