Tinting Waterborne Finishes for On-Site Refinishing

One company can tint another company's products for a visual match to an existing wood finish on site. April 20, 2008

Question
Please let me know of a good Sherwin Williams pigmented water based product. I'll be spraying a kitchen with it and want something durable and non-yellowing that won't kill my lungs during the process. What is everyone using? The reason I want to use Sherwin Williams is I need the product tinting to match a Benjamin Moore color. It seems Sherwin Williams is the only company in the Chicago area that will tint a water based pigmented lacquer. I spoke to Target today and they said I have to mix my own colors for their products... Is that true?

Forum Responses
(Architectural Woodworking Forum)
From contributor E:
Yes, it is true - you have to tint Target's lacquer. Buy it and take it to Sherwin Williams and have them tint it for you. My local store charges me according to the colors I need. I do buy them lunch on occasion. Remember, Target's USL will "straw" or turn amber after awhile. You may need to shoot a coat or two of sc9000 over it. Talk to Jeff Jewitt at Homestead Finishing. He sells Target and can tint it.


From contributor A:
SW's Pro Classic is a good sprayable acrylic topcoat, but I believe there are better products for kitchens. Most of the true pro products can be tinted. My ML Campbell distributor would just need the Ben Moore number and they would tint it to match perfectly.

From contributor J:
Valspar! They make a huge selection of water-borne products. They are tintable.

From contributor N:
SW's Chem-aqua with their sealer first, your choice of sheen. Your dealer should be able to hook you up.

From contributor C:
We use only SW Kem Aqua products in the finishing room. We get good tech advice and all additives, etc. work together well. You will have to experiment a little when using the waterbase stains. We now spec a dye-only spray stain which works a lot like NGR and can be added to the clear coats to make toner. We have been very happy with the pigmented lacquers.
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