Why Hardware Store "Paint Mistakes" Are A Great Bargain For Your Fixer Upper

Similar to the feel of rifling through thrift store racks for treasures, the mistinted paint shelf at your local hardware store can give you the same thrill. Taking advantage of "paint mistakes" is a paint hack worth trying in your home. Cheap and full of potential, mistinted paints are a fraction of the price of other paints. Also called "oops paints," you can regularly find cans and buckets of pre-mixed paint colors that employees blended incorrectly or that were returned by customers. Typically, there will be a touch of the paint color on the lid and/or on the label in order to show you a sample. These off-colors can go for between $10 to $15 per gallon, depending on the source. Capitalizing on these mixing mistakes can save you around 70% on paint.

However, it can be hard to find enough of a paint tint to cover a large room in a uniform color. Mistints may be best for painting trim or a tiny space. But, it's not impossible to find several gallons of the same color. If you're lucky, you may find bulk paint in discontinued colors or from canceled orders, overstock, or surplus.

If you're only able to source one container of a color, you can give your room a quirky look by painting each wall in a different complementary or even contrasting color. "Oops" paints can be great ways to try out paint trends in your home. Give a wall a graphic makeover with several colors and geometric patterns, or trick out the risers on your stairway for a pop of color in an unexpected place.

You might already make a frequent beeline to your hardware store's mistint section, but there are other options to pick your perfect paint. Resale stores and online warehouses can be a goldmine for bargain mistints. Check your community for stores and programs like Re-Paints in Tucson, Arizona, or the Stock Pile in Canton, Ohio, that carry reduced-price paints that have been donated.

Habitat for Humanity has joined forces with a program called RECOLOR that reformulates unwanted paint. You can find these remixed interior, exterior, or even chalk paints in some Habitat ReStores and online under the RECOLOR brand.

If you trust a photo version of a swatch of paint, online sources can be a boon for mistints. Check out places like AAA Closeout or the Decora Company. Sometimes, chain hardware stores advertise mistinted paint online that you can pick up at your local store. You may not be able to find the absolutely perfect shade of paint with "paint mistakes," but the savings may make up for a color compromise.