Mixing latex paint

[ho'ard]

My local Sears has "oops" gallons for a dollar.
I have a 900 sf 2 BR apartment to paint. I was thinking of buying 5 of these gallons and mixing them all together to make one paint for some or all of the rooms.
Anything I need to know about mixing colors? Is it reasonably predictable? Just want some shade of off-white, it can be a reddish, yellowish, or purplish gray, I don't care.
Can I mix flat and satin, or satin and glossy??
Thanks!

[Buzz]

mix away... & enjoy!

[papercup]

Mix away. Not very predictable as far as colors, unless you are a pro painter.

I cut semi-gloss w/ flat all the time. Mix little by little if you are worried about color.

Home Depot/Lowes carry 5 gallon oops paints if that is easier..

[ho'ard]

Thanks!
I doubt I'll get the 5 gal "oops" for <$5 at Home Depot.
Someone somewhere warned me that conflicting tints can produce unexpected consequences?

[Racer X]

best bet is to stick with the same brand, and hopefully the same product line if at all possible.

We blend all sorts of crap from the oops piles at Lowe's and HD for halloween projects. The latest score is a 5 gallon interior/exterior satin dove grey that I will split up and mix to genberate 4 shades of grey and a close to black. Toss in some green reds and get rotting fleshtones

[rgG]

I have mixed just about every paint and color you can imagine with the oops cans. Have fun and be sure to mix very thoroughly. If you can get the same brand and sheen it will mix more easily, but as long as they are all latex, they will mix.

If you are worried about the final color, make a little batch by mixing equal parts of all the colors to see the final. You may want to cut back on a color if you don't like the result.

[ho'ard]

Hey, can I buy my own pigments, the kind they use at the paint counter, to customize my own color?
I guess I do have a bit of a color preference, if it doesn't get too expensive.
This is for a rental in a building with a cashflow of -$600 a month (fully rented), so any penny I can save I will.

[ho'ard]

[quote rgG]I have mixed just about every paint and color you can imagine with the oops cans. Have fun and be sure to mix very thoroughly. If you can get the same brand and sheen it will mix more easily, but as long as they are all latex, they will mix.

If you are worried about the final color, make a little batch by mixing equal parts of all the colors to see the final. You may want to cut back on a color if you don't like the result.
Now that you mention it, a swirl might not be a bad thing . . .


Thanks for the tip about mixing small amounts of each-- it's a good one! More than likely all of the mix-ees would be some shade of white.

[Racer X]

if it basic color you are looking for, I had the nice lady at lowes actually give me about 24 oz of the black pigment out of their mixing machine.

[rgG]

[quote Racer X]if it basic color you are looking for, I had the nice lady at lowes actually give me about 24 oz of the black pigment out of their mixing machine.
There goes RacerX again sweet talking those "painted ladies" at Lowes.