Beginner's Guide To Simple DIY Painted Screens - Page 3  

Pratt & Lambert Near Neutral Tints
Click color code to view compared to neutral gray.

N9 = 229 229 229

>>> 228 233 230 - 1285 Sky Cloud
>>> 223 226 222 - 2327 Wraith
>>> 223 225 223 - 2315 Doverfeather *
>>> 222 218 219 - 1120 Souvenir

N8.5 = 215 215 215

>>> 213 213 208 - 2238 Winter's Gate

N8 = 202 202 202

>>> 197 200 200 - 2316 Hearthstone
>>> 198 199 195 - 2310 Armory
>>> 192 193 190 - 2239 Gigs' Grey *V

N7 = 175 175 175

>>> 176 180 177 - 2240 Minnow
>>> 161 166 164 - 2241 Carolina Gull
* - Within tolerance of a true neutral gray. {CIE-L*ab +/- 1.0}
*V - Visually indistinguishable from the neutral gray background.

As per Randall' Paints in Ottawa recommended C2 brand of paints that the P&L colors can be mixed in.
I would stick to the actual Pratt and Lambert paints myself.

The Pratt & Lambert paint is called Accolade® Interior Acrylic Latex Flat. It is described as "child-proof" so it should be fairly durable and washable. There is also the Accolade® Interior Acrylic Latex Velvet which is also said to be "child-proof".

Pratt & Lambert Color Sample Images

Benjamin Moore Near Neutral Tints
Click color code to view compared to neutral gray.

171 168 166 - 2112-50 STORMY MONDAY

175 175 175 - N7

---- 181 182 177 - HC-169 COVENTRY GRAY

>>> 196 200 200 - 2121-40 SILVER HALF DOLLAR

202 202 202 - N8

>>> 201 204 204 - 2134-60 WHITESTONE
---- 201 203 205 - 2133-60 SIDEWALK GRAY *V
---- 206 204 201 - 2112-60 CEMENT GRAY
>>> 214 218 220 - 2126-60 GRAY CLOUD
---- 219 222 222 - 2121-50 ICED CUBE SILVER
>>> 220 222 222 - 2132-70 MINERAL ICE *
---- 220 223 224 - 2119-70 FULL MOON *
>>> 223 224 223 - 2133-70 TUNDRA *
---- 223 223 225 - 2118-70 HEAVEN *
---- 223 225 224 - 2125-60 MARILYN'S DRESS *
---- 223 226 225 - 2134-70 GENESIS WHITE *V

229 229 229 - N9

---- 230 232 231 - 2124-60 MISTY GRAY *
>>> 232 229 230 - 2116-70 MIRAGE WHITE *V
>>> 231 233 231 - 2126-70 CHALK WHITE *V
---- 236 237 235 - 2125-70 WEDDING VEIL *
>>> 235 237 234 - 2121-60 WHITE DIAMOND
>>> 239 240 237 - 2124-70 DISTANT GRAY *V
---- 241 242 238 - 2121-70 CHANTILLY LACE
>>> 239 243 239 - 2123-70 ICE MIST
* - Within tolerance of a true neutral gray. {CIE-L*ab +/- 1.0}
*V - Visually indistinguishable from the neutral gray background.

All the above tints are visualized in this photobucket folder.

Benjamin Moore Tint Visualization Images:

SICO Near Neutral Tints
Click color code to view compared to neutral gray.

175 175 175 - N7

---- 183 183 179 - 4203-31 WARM GREY

>>> 181 186 183 - 4206-31 SMOKED NICKEL
---- 181 186 185 - 4208-31 ABSTRACT GREY
---- 187 185 189 - 4186-31 HALF-TONE
>>> 187 188 190 - 4209-31 OLD PEWTER *V

202 202 202 - N8

>>> 202 203 204 - 4209-21 SILVER REFLECTION *
---- 207 207 203 - 4203-21 GREY WOLF
---- 206 210 206 - 4206-21 SILVERY MOON
>>> 210 208 209 - 4186-21 FASHION GREY *
>>> 209 212 210 - 4208-21 SILVER SHORES *V
>>> 209 212 213 - 4210-21 QUIET GREY *
>>> 221 222 221 - 4209-11 PELICAN *
>>> 227 227 229 - 4185-11 VIOLET VEIL *

229 229 229 - N9

>>> 227 229 226 - 4208-11 SNOWFIELD *V
>>> 230 231 229 - 4210-11 EARLY FROST *
* - Within tolerance of a true neutral gray. {CIE-L*ab +/- 1.0}
*V - Visually indistinguishable from the neutral gray background.

All the above tints are visualized in this photobucket folder.

SICO Near-Neutral Gray Tint Visualization Images

Sherwin Williams Near Neutral Tints
Click color code to view compared to neutral gray.

>>> 165 167 163 - SW 7066 GRAY MATTERS

175 175 175 - N7

202 202 202 - N8

>>> 199 203 203 - SW 7071 GRAY SCREEN
>>> 204 205 202 - SW 7064 PASSIVE *V
>>> 205 203 206 - SW 6260 UNIQUE GRAY
>>> 215 218 218 - SW 6253 OLYMPUS WHITE
>>> 221 223 220 - SW 7070 SITE WHITE
>>> 221 224 224 - SW 6231 ROCK CANDY *
>>> 224 224 223 - SW 6259 SPATIAL WHITE *
>>> 227 227 229 - SW 6539 SOOTHING WHITE *

229 229 229 - N9

>>> 229 230 227 - SW 6252 ICE CUBE *
---- 227 231 230 - SW 6518 SKI SLOPE
---- 227 231 232 - SW 6525 RARIFIED AIR
---- 237 237 231 - SW 7005 PURE WHITE
* - Within tolerance of a true neutral gray. {CIE-L*ab +/- 1.0}
*V - Visually indistinguishable from the neutral gray background.

All the above tints are visualized in this photobucket folder.

Sherwin Williams Near Neutral Gray Tint Visualization Images

Additional Brand Name Near-Neutral Gray Tints

True Value Trucolors

189 191 190 - 1981 WINTERS EVENING{B] *[/b]
200 201 201 - 1982 WINTER MOUNTAIN *

202 202 202 - N8

216 218 216 - 1991 MIDTOWN GRAY
220 220 220 - 1983 WINTER MIST *
217 220 219 - 2007 QUIET GRAY
221 222 222 - 1999 PEARL GRAY *
220 224 222 - 1695 WINTER FROST
225 228 227 - 1984 CULTURED GRAY

229 229 229 - N9

226 230 230 - 1680 WHITE IVY
239 236 239 - 1624 SPOTWHITE
238 242 241 - 1464 MURMUR
243 244 239 - 67 SILVER PEARL

* - Within tolerance of a true neutral gray. {CIE-L*ab +/- 1.0}
*V - Visually indistinguishable from the neutral gray background.


Laura Ashley Near Neutral Tints

198 196 194 - 1614 STERLING

202 202 202 - N8

203 198 204 - 1514 SPRING LILAC
219 218 218 - 1513 WINTER WIND *
224 221 219 - 1512 WHITE CLAY
220 223 222 - 1613 GRAY MORNING
224 226 224 - 1609 NARCISSUS

229 229 229 - N9

230 233 233 - 1509 STEAM WHITE *
225 227 226 - 1510 PEARL ASH *

* - Within tolerance of a true neutral gray. {CIE-L*ab +/- 1.0}
*V - Visually indistinguishable from the neutral gray background.

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Painting Retractable Screens

Yes it is possible to paint a retractable screen!

You have to be able to leave the screen down for at least a week for the paint to fully dry. Ideally you would leave it down long enough for the paint to fully cure.

From my own experiences I do not recommend anything other than a matte exterior paint that is self-priming. Exterior paints are more flexible to withstand temperature changes. They are also very durable and UV resistant. The self-priming allows you to reduce the coats by one. The thinner the paint the better.

I only recommend a matte washable paint because a matte finish will not show the screen waves or imperfections in the image.

IMHO, Behr Premium Plus Ultra™ Exterior Flat #4850 is the best choice for painting a retractable screen. You can paint it white or choose one of the tints presented in the DIY Custom Gray Tints For Behr Ultra Pure White Paint chapter-post.


How To Do It

The first thing you need to do is devise a way to hold the screen with some tension on it.


Click image to enlarge.

Here you can see I used weights, bungee cords, and spring clamps to hold the screen in place while I painted it.

Mask off the black border with painter's tape. Having adequate light can make a difference in how well you smooth out the paint.


Click image to enlarge.

Then simply paint the screen as you would if you were painting the wall.




You can save paint by bagging the roller between coats.



I recommend two coats to ensure good coverage.


Here are the results that I have enjoyed.






Saved Photos:

Saved Photos 1

Saved Photos 2

Saved Photo 3