Getting free paint swatches can help you make the right color choices for your home decorating or remodeling projects without spending a lot of money upfront on samples. While most paint retailers charge for paint swatches, there are some ways to get free samples if you know where to look. In this article, we’ll discuss whether you can really get free paint swatches and provide tips on how to get free samples from paint brands and local paint stores.
Can You Get Free Paint Swatches?
The short answer is yes, you can get free paint swatches in many cases if you know where to look. While most major paint retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s charge around $2-$5 per swatch, many paint brands and local independent paint stores offer free sample cards or chips to customers.
Paint brands like Behr, Valspar, Benjamin Moore, and Sherwin Williams often provide free paint swatch samples at many retailer locations where their paint is sold. By visiting these retailers in-person and speaking with customer service associates, you can usually get several free paint card samples to take home and try out.
Local independent paint stores may also provide free swatch samples as a courtesy to help you test out paint colors before committing to a larger paint purchase. While each store’s policies may vary, it never hurts to call and ask politely if they offer free paint samples. Oftentimes they’ll hand out a few free color swatches to help win your business.
So while large home improvement stores like Home Depot and Lowe’s may charge a small fee per swatch, you can often get free samples by going directly to national paint brand stores or local independent paint retailers instead. Just ask politely if they offer free swatch samples.
Tips for Getting Free Paint Swatches
Here are some useful tips to follow for getting free paint swatches:
- Ask the paint desk – Politely ask the paint desk associate or customer service rep if they can provide any free paint swatch samples. Many will provide a few freebees if asked nicely.
- Visit manufacturer paint stores – Paint brands like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams offer free samples at their brand store locations.
- Look for coupons – Some paint brands provide free sample coupons on their websites or as store promotions. Check first before buying.
- Buy sample sizes – Although not free, many brands sell small sample sizes of paint for under $5 that provide a few test swatches.
- Visit multiple stores – Don’t be afraid to visit several paint retailers and ask for free samples at each.
- Only get what you need – Stick to 2-3 swatches per color so you don’t take advantage of the free sampling policy.
Asking politely and visiting a combination of major paint brand stores and local independent retailers will yield the most free paint swatch samples to find the perfect colors. Just be sure not to take more than you need.
Where to Get Free Paint Swatches
Here are some of the best options for scoring free paint samples:
Paint Brand Stores
As mentioned previously, visiting store locations of major paint manufacturers like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams is one of the easiest ways to get free paint deck samples. Here are a few popular paint brands that often provide free samples:
– Benjamin Moore – Offers free Color Samples through their Colors-To-Go program at local stores.
– Sherwin Williams – Provides free paint swatches and color cards at their stores.
– Behr – Marquee paint retailers like Home Depot offer free Behr swatch samples.
– Valspar – Lowe’s provides free Valspar paint chips and samples.
– PPG Paints – The PPG Store offers free sample cards of their interior and exterior paint colors.
– Pratt & Lambert – Samples of their paints and stains can be free with a coupon from their website.
Simply walk into one of these brand store locations and politely request a few free samples of colors you are considering. It’s a quick and easy way to get multiple freebies.
Independent Paint Stores
Local independent paint retailers are another good option for getting free samples. Stores like Sherwin-Williams provide free samples to help earn your business over big box competitors. Always call ahead to ask if they offer free swatches. Some independent stores that may provide free samples include:
– Ace Hardware
– True Value
– Standard Paints
– Diamond Vogel
– Local paint supply shops
– Hardware stores with paint departments
Since policies can vary by location, it never hurts to call and kindly inquire about getting a few free paint swatches. Developing a relationship with local stores can yield freebies.
Home Improvement Stores
Although home improvement giants like Home Depot and Lowe’s charge for samples, you can sometimes get freebies through the following methods:
– Ask at the paint desk – Kindly requesting free samples from the paint associate.
– Free sample coupons – Retailers occasionally offer free swatch coupons through their app or website.
– Purchase sample sizes – Small 4 oz to 8 oz sample sizes of Behr and Valspar paint are under $5.
– Price match guarantee – Stores may provide a free sample if a competitor offers them.
While not always guaranteed, a little creativity and luck at big box stores can yield some free swatches. Be sure to check their apps and websites for coupons before heading to the store.
Direct from Manufacturers
Some paint companies will mail you free samples directly when you request them from the brand’s website. For example:
– Benjamin Moore – Can mail free paint brand brochures with removable color samples.
– Valspar – Provides free sample shipping online when you order paint swatches through their website.
– PPG Paints – Offers free mail order brochures with paint chips for many of their brands like Glidden and Olympic.
– General Paint – Provides free color cards by request through their website and at 1-800-445-6999.
Ordering directly from the manufacturer is a convenient way to get free samples delivered straight to your door, saving you a trip to the store.
How Many Free Paint Swatches Can You Get?
The number of free paint swatches you can get will depend on the store’s policy. But here are some general guidelines on how many freebies are reasonable to ask for:
– Paint brands – Typically 2-5 free swatches per color. Can get 10+ across multiple colors.
– Independent stores – Around 3-5 free swatches in total. Varies by store.
– Big box stores – 1-3 free if you are lucky and ask nicely. Otherwise $2+ per swatch.
– Manufacturers – Up to 10 free swatches in a mailed brochure.
The key is not to take advantage and only get as many as you reasonably need to evaluate paint choices. Most reps will happily provide a few free samples per color to help you make a decision. But don’t expect to walk out with 50 free swatches. Be polite and only take what you need.
Paint Swatch Alternatives
If you’re having trouble scoring free paint swatches, here are a few alternative options that can work almost as well:
Paint Sample Sizes
Rather than full quarts or gallons, many brands sell small 4 oz or 8 oz paint samples. While not free, they provide enough paint to cover a decent area and cost just $3 to $5 per sample size. Popular options include:
– Behr – 8 oz sample jars for $4.98 at Home Depot
– Valspar – 4 oz samples for $2.98 at Lowe’s
– Benjamin Moore – 4 oz Color Samples for $4.99
– Sherwin-Williams – 8 oz samples for $5.49
For less than the cost of two lattes, these small sample sizes let you paint a larger swatch and see how the color looks. Much cheaper than full gallons for testing.
Peel-and-Stick Swatches
Another option is removable peel-and-stick paint swatches you apply to your walls before committing to a color. Popular varieties include:
– Benjamin Moore: Color Portfolio Peel-and-Stick Paint Samples – $11.99 for a multi-pack
– Sherwin-Williams: PaintPerks Peel + Stick Color Samples – $9.99 for a set
– KILZ: Peel Away Paint Swatch Test Strips – $6.48 for a 5-pack
While not cheap, they provide larger swatches that are easy to remove after painting your test stripes. Much easier than repainting a whole wall for color testing.
Paint Color Palettes
Many brands provide free virtual paint color palettes on their website or app that allow you to preview colors on your home. For example:
– Behr – Offers a mobile ColorSmart Visualizer app with paint schemes.
– Benjamin Moore – Personal Color Viewer provides virtual paint previews.
– Valspar – Virtual Painter Tool lets you test colors on wall photos.
While not physical swatches, these digital preview tools can help narrow down your choices. Order a few final swatches of your top contenders.
Conclusion
Getting completely free paint swatches often requires visiting manufacturer brand stores and local independent paint retailers and kindly asking for samples. But with some persistence and politeness, you should be able to score enough free paint swatches from various sources to preview color options for your home’s interior or exterior makeover.
Be sure to only take as many free samples as reasonably needed so you don’t take advantage of store policies. If all else fails, small paint sample sizes provide an affordable alternative for under $5 per color. With a little legwork and creativity, you can preview paint colors before investing in gallons of expensive paint.