Matching a custom stain color can seem daunting, but with some preparation and guidance from the experts at Home Depot, it is very achievable. Home Depot offers stain matching services to help customers find the perfect stain color for their wood projects, whether you need to match an existing color or create a new custom stain.
How Does Home Depot Match Stain Colors?
Home Depot has access to a huge database of stain formulas from various brands like Minwax, Varathane, Behr and more. Their stain matching professionals use a spectrophotometer to scan and analyze the color sample you provide. This high-tech device measures the precise chemical composition of the color and matches it to existing stain formulas in their database.
If no direct formula match exists, their color experts can use their expertise to custom mix a stain until it matches your sample. Once the color match is perfected, the Home Depot associate will mix you a test batch in the quantity you need to try on your project. This allows you to test the color match and ensure you are satisfied before committing to a larger quantity.
What Do You Need to Bring for Matching?
To get an accurate stain match, you need to provide the Home Depot associate with a few key things:
- A sample of the wood type you need matched – This allows them to account for how the wood grain absorbs the stain
- The existing stained color you want to match
- Photos of the entire project can also be helpful for context
The sample size should be at least 2 x 2 inches and should show the stained wood color you need matched, not just the bare wood. This allows the spectrophotometer to accurately scan the colors. If matching a stain on furniture or floors, you may need to sand a small underside area to get a clean color sample unaltered by years of wear, fading or dirt buildup.
How Long Does Stain Matching Take?
The stain matching process typically takes 20-30 minutes in the store if providing an existing color sample to match. If you need a custom color created, it may take a little longer for the associate to mix and tweak the color. Be sure to allot enough time for the process when visiting the store.
It’s a good idea to call ahead to ensure they have stain matching availability at the time you plan to visit. Weekday mornings are often the least busy time for stain matching. Avoid visiting on weekends or at the end of the month when stores tend to be busiest.
Can Any Finish Be Matched?
Home Depot can match oil-based and water-based stain colors, including:
- Oil-based wood stains
- Water-based wood stains
- Clear wood finishes
- Paint colors
- Custom paint colors
They do not offer matching of opaque paint finishes like white paint or enamel paints. Paint colors are matched through their Behr Paint department.
How Much Does Home Depot Charge for Matching?
Home Depot offers free stain and finish matching services in their paint department. You only pay for the cost of the actual stain products you purchase after the match is completed. There is no charge for the color matching service itself.
Some locations may charge a small fee for extremely difficult or time consuming color matches requiring multiple samples and tweaks. But in most cases there is no fee for stain matching.
Can All Home Depot Locations Match Stains?
Not all Home Depot locations offer stain and paint matching services. You’ll want to call your local store ahead of time to ensure they have stain matching availability before making the trip. Many locations do offer it, but some smaller stores do not have the spectrophotometer technology and expertise on hand.
Your best bet is to visit a larger Home Depot store where stain matching is readily available. You can also request they transfer the formula to your local store if needed after matching at another location.
Do You Need an Appointment?
Home Depot does not require or accept appointments for stain matching. It is offered on a first come, first served basis during Paint department hours. Your best bet is to arrive early on a weekday when stores are less busy. Be sure to call ahead to confirm they offer stain matching and have availability that day.
How Long Does the Match Last?
Home Depot will keep the custom stain color formula on file for a year after matching. So if you need more stain in the same matched color for touch-ups or additional projects in the next year, you can simply request the same formula again without having to provide a new sample. This makes it easy to get more of your custom color as needed.
Tips for Getting a Seamless Stain Match
Follow these tips to ensure the Home Depot stain match for your project is seamless:
- Provide them plenty of context – Bring photos of the full project and samples showing worn and unworn areas to understand how the stain looks on the raw wood versus finished product.
- Sand the sample wood lightly to expose fresh wood.
- Clean dirt and grime off the finish sample so the color is true.
- Try the match on test boards first before applying to the full project.
- Apply a sealer coat so the wood absorbs the match stain consistently.
- Apply stain in the direction of the wood grain for most natural result.
- Add a protective clear coat for longevity.
What Brands of Stain Can They Match?
Home Depot can match stain colors from any brand, including:
| Brand | Stain Types |
|---|---|
| Minwax | Oil-based, water-based, wipe-on stains |
| Varathane | Premium oil-based stains |
| Behr | Water-based stains |
| Zar | Oil-based wood stains |
| Olympic | Oil and water-based interior stains |
| General Finishes | Water and oil-based stains |
They carry stain products from all these brands, so can accurately match existing colors. Even if matching a niche boutique brand, their spectrophotometer and custom tinting system can analyze and recreate the color.
Can They Match Stain on Other Surfaces?
Home Depot’s stain matching service is designed for matching stains applied to wood. Their formulas are created for wooden surfaces specifically. The stain may not take properly or appear the same on other materials like metal, plastic, concrete, etc.
However, they can match a stain color sample even if the original application is on a non-wood surface. You simply need to provide the color sample and apply their wooden surface stain match to your material of choice to see if it replicates the color properly.
How Many Samples Can You Match?
Home Depot does not set a limit on the number of stain samples you can match during one visit. Their stain experts have the knowledge and equipment to analyze and match as many custom wood stains as needed in one session.
However, extremely complex projects with tons of elaborate stain colors may need to be spread across multiple visits. Unique situations requiring color matching for an entire building or home interior with dozens of custom stains are best done over time. But for standard projects, you can usually match multiple stain samples in one session.
Can They Match Stain From a Photo?
Matching stain from a photo alone is quite difficult and often impossible to get an exact match. The camera and lighting can distort colors in a photo. To get an accurate stain match, Home Depot needs to scan the actual wood sample under their controlled lighting.
However, a high resolution photo can provide helpful context about the stained color in its real environment. Bringing a color photo of the furniture or project alongside your wood sample can assist their color matching. But the physical sample is required for scanning and analysis.
How Much Stain Do You Need for Matching?
You only need to provide a very small wood sample for the Home Depot staining matching process. The minimum sample size is 2 x 2 inches. This gives their spectrophotometer enough surface area to properly scan and analyze the color, texture and sheen.
For matching larger surfaces like cabinets or floors, bring at least 4 x 4 inch samples to better represent the way the stain permeates the full wood grain. The tiny sample gets matched; you don’t need to bring your whole cabinet door or flooring!
Can They Match Stain Sheen and Finish?
Home Depot’s stain matching service analyzes and replicates the stain color specifically. While matching color is the primary goal, their experts can also take sheen and finish into account when color matching:
- Sheen – Provide samples showing any gloss, satin, matte or other sheen. The associate can replicate sheen using clear coats.
- Finish – They can match stains with varied finishes like paint, lacquer, varnish, oils, etc. Describe the finish for best results.
It helps to bring multiple samples showing stained wood before and after finish application. This allows them to match the stain color itself and replicate the sheen.
Can Home Depot Match Stained Brick?
Unfortunately, Home Depot’s stain matching service is not formulated to match brick or masonry materials. Their wood stains are designed for porous woods, not brick, concrete, etc. which have very different staining properties.
They do offer masonry stains for brick, concrete and stone. But these are available in standard colors, not custom matched. Your best option is to bring a brick sample to a paint store specializing in masonry finishes for a custom color match.
Conclusion
With some preparation and an understanding of the stain matching process, Home Depot can successfully match existing stain colors or create new custom wood stains. Their state-of-the-art spectrophotometers analyze the chemical composition of the color and their staining experts can tweak formulas until achieving a perfect color match. With a few wood samples and photos in hand, Home Depot has the knowledge and technology to expertly match stained wood finishes.