Don’t worry – we’re not going to suggest you put on the gloves and square off in the ring against a can of Sherwin-Williams latex semi-gloss. In the painting industry, “boxing” is a fancy name for mixing, or combining same-color paints to achieve a uniform finished color. Here’s how and why to do it.
Boxing helps prevent shade variations
Paint manufacturers use pretty advanced technology to ensure that each can of each color of paint they produce will look the same when it ends up on a surface. Even though this is an “exact” science, applications often prove that it’s not as exact as one might think. Slight variants in color and tone in containers of paint of the same color often materialize and are usually noticed only after the paint is dry on the surface.
For most jobs, this isn’t a serious problem that you’ll have to worry about. But for large paint projects, boxing is a common tactic among painting professionals to ensure a smooth, even color finish. By “large” we mean primarily large wall areas, such as are commonly found on the exterior surfaces of homes and other buildings. Large interior walls and ceilings might also call for boxing.
Follow the example of professionals
If you’ve ever watched an experienced paint crew work, you’ve noticed that they rarely work out of a gallon bucket, expect when painting trim or other small areas. While a painter might coat a roller from a tray or load paint on a brush from a small bucket, the paint in most cases originated from a five-gallon container with several gallons of paint mixed together. Skilled painters know that boxing paint can save a lot of headaches down the line.
Along with slight variations in shade, paint in individual gallon cans also can contain different moisture levels, and this will affect how it applies and covers a surface.
An important note: make sure to never use two cans of paint for a paint job when one can contains leftover paint of a specific color and the other can, with the same label color, is newly bought. As long as the paint isn’t too old and has been properly stored, you can use many “old” cans of paint together, as long as you mix them as described here.
Boxing paint is one of many techniques professional painters use to ensure a high-quality finished product. Through years of experience, they’ve learned that a dry paint surface often appears a little different from the surface right after the paint goes on it. When doing paint projects on your own, get all the helpful information you can to help you produce something you’ll be proud of.
Franklin Painting of Connecticut is ready to help with all types of interior and exterior painting projects. Contact a helpful associate at (877) 646-7774 to get your questions answered.
Frank Campanelli, the esteemed founder of Franklin Painting LLC, has been leading the company since 1986. He takes immense pride in the stellar reputation his dedicated team has built by consistently delivering top-notch service to each customer.
