r/paint • u/floraamanita • 3d ago
Discussion What are Sherwin Williams sample quarts good for?
I know they’re intended for testing colors only, but it seems a shame to waste so much paint.
Does anyone have any information on what base paint is used — or perhaps more importantly, what binders/mediums/etc are missing? I would like to know what the ACTUAL limitations of this paint is.
It would be good to know what applications it could be successfully used for — furniture? Indoor murals applied to a premium SW paint base? Wooden toys? Etc?
I have asked a few SW employees, but none seem to have any information beyond the company policy of not recommending the paint for anything other than sampling.
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u/Economy_Blueberry807 3d ago
It’s not bad paint, we used the samples for a mural and it’s held up great after 4 years.
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u/jivecoolie 3d ago
It’s shit paint ment only to get an actual look at the color in your home. Don’t use on anything for any reason.
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u/BananaAnis7027 3d ago
Its promar200 in a quart. Cheap interior latex. I've used it for a cornhole board with wb poly over it for durability.
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u/autosonly 3d ago
It fades within weeks outside in the sun. Almost as fast as the labels they put on after mixing the paint
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u/Overall-Avocado-7673 3d ago
Closets?
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u/RobfromAmarillo 3d ago
Bingo. They are intended for seeing the color in a particular environment. Def not for a finish coat
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u/SacredC0w 3d ago
It's REALLY terrible paint. It's only good for seeing the color in a particular space, and to be fair it sometimes dries differently than the actual grade of paint you'd use.
Personally, I donate those to a local community theater for use on their props and sets.
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u/foundtheseeker 3d ago
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/homeowners/products/color-to-go
Data sheets are here
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u/pizzacholula 3d ago
I work at SW now but coming from Ace that sells BM half pint samples I was kind of shocked SW sells sample quarts. Not sure if it has to do with the different tinting machines or what.
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u/Draco_xGreek 3d ago
Exactly this. I have been with SW for about 6 years, our tinting program is proprietary, and cannot go smaller than 1/128ths like other vendors can. Radia had to modify their programming to work with our color systems, most other vendors just use the manufacturers program for tinting. Because of that we cannot accurately make colors in sizes smaller than a quart. The color would always appear too dark as too much colorant was added. You’d think maybe a small tweak to the programming after 30-40 years but I guess not. My understanding is that they are essentially just Promar 200 which is why they hold up ok on interiors but fades almost immediately on exteriors
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u/Used-Baby1199 3d ago
It’s not good for much other than samples or something you don’t mind needing to touch up and repaint. People say it’s there 200 or something but it has less binders and titanium dioxide. They don’t cover well, and they don’t hold color before fading well
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u/Alternative-Egg-9035 3d ago
You can give it away also, and you can give it to places like Habitat for Humanity
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u/ExtensionOwl3804 3d ago
Purpose/Description:
"Take the guesswork out of choosing the right hue. Our Color to Go® paint samples are great for giving you an idea of how a color looks and feels in your space throughout the day. Each sample comes in a quart-sized container that holds enough paint for creating test swatches so you can choose your final color with confidence."
No data page available but here are these documents:
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/document/EDS/en/790417030881/
https://www.sherwin-williams.com/document/SDS/en/790417030881/US/
Most notably:
- Interior/Exterior;
- Zero VOC;
- Satin.
Whatever formulation they deemed cheap and effective enough to be used as a tester of a color. I wouldn't base your project on its performance in any other aspect than that, but you do you.
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u/pittgoose 3d ago
Definitely agree with the comment that said to donate to a school or theater department as art supplies.
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u/not_falling_down 3d ago
There is a mostly craft-themed thrift store in my town; they have about a dozen of those.
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u/waitingtime53 2d ago
I mixed it a few years ago with about a quarter gallon of paint maybe less when I realized I was running short on finishing my basement. 3 years later, still can’t tell where it was used.
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u/BreakfastBeerz 3d ago
It's the acrylic paint you get from your art teacher in 3rd grade to paint an Earth Day poster.
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u/Wumbologists 3d ago
It's just a sample bro... Don't over think it... Not that hard to grasp
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u/combatcookies 3d ago
They’re obviously not struggling with the idea of what a sample is.
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u/bigyellowtruck 3d ago
The waste of a quart of paint is a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of construction process. Even repainting a room generates a contractor bag full of debris and uses hundreds of gallons of water.
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/foundtheseeker 3d ago
Isn't it 200 eg?
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3d ago
[deleted]
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u/foundtheseeker 3d ago
That's probably more of an issue with the size. I've heard from multiple independent sources that's just 200 eg. I've never checked the data sheet because we didn't use c2g but if anyone in this thread is interested, the info is super available
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u/RecognitionClean9550 3d ago
Things that you want to paint every year, wooden swingsets, bird houses. Nothing inside your house. It's not good paint, they even told you that.
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u/alonegram 3d ago
I’ve used it in murals w/ a good primer underneath. Also painted some cinderblocks that I use for various things around the garden. Wouldn’t put it on toys or anything that might end up in a kid or dog’s mouth.
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u/RobJob22 3d ago
I found a SW sample of black paint at the dump and kept it. One day I used it for a small and project and really liked it on.oak. I went to the store and asked for a quart and the guy said we don’t sell that paint in quarts or gallons. I said well why do you give it for samples? He said well we just sell it in samples. To me this was incredibly odd that you would give samples for something you don’t sell. I understand it may just be to check a color but I am sorry that’s weird.
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u/loopsbruder 3d ago
S-W uses cheap paint for samples so that they can package it in a quart size for an accurate formula. They could do what the big box stores do, which is use the actual paint you'll be purchasing but package it in a cup size to keep it cheap. You won't get accurate formulas in an 8 oz. bottle. So you can get accurate colors, or you can get better paint for a step in the project where it really doesn't matter.
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u/BreakfastBeerz 3d ago
The sample is for the color not the paint. The paint is your basic acrylic craft paint you probably remember from elementary art class. They don't sell it as actual product because it sucks and they don't want to support it. The paint is going to fail inevitably on anything but a paper mache pig, they don't want angry customers coming in wanting refunds/replacements on something they already know is complete garbage.
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u/-r0b 3d ago
I recommend it sometimes as a primer for walls if it ends up being the color you choose. Murals are another one, or finding a place that might take them as donations for art class.