Reviewed September 24, 2026.
“It looked completely different on the chip” is a familiar conversation at our Burlington paint counter. Once a colour covers a whole wall, the room’s light, flooring and furnishings can make it feel different from the small chip you chose. Testing first gives you a chance to spot that before buying gallons.
How a second paint purchase can approach $200
Suppose your project needs two one-gallon cans of Regal Select Interior at the currently listed $89.99 offer. Buying the same amount again in a different colour would cost $179.98 in paint, before tax and environmental handling fees. Add an illustrative $20 for replacement supplies and the materials subtotal is $199.98, before counting your time.
That is a worked example, not a standard price for every repaint or an estimate of how many gallons your room needs. Check our paint-price and project-budget article for what affects the total. Custom-tinted paint and colour samples are final sale once prepared, so confirm your colour, product, size and sheen before ordering.
The $4.99 tester option
Colour Land Paint offers selected 60 mL colour testers at $4.99 each, with a current eligible offer of three for $9.99. They are available in selected popular Benjamin Moore and Graimondi colours. Check the current tester offer and eligible tester colours; the small tester range does not include every colour.
Start with a short list: the colour you are considering, a warmer or cooler alternative, and a lighter or darker option if needed. Comparing two or three candidates in the room is easier than judging an entire fan deck at once.
Choose a sample size that suits the test
A 60 mL tester is a small colour check. For a larger test area, ask about a suitable larger sample pot or a painted colour board. Do not assume a small tester will cover a two-foot square with multiple coats.
Our paint sample options guide explains the available formats. Benjamin Moore’s 236 mL colour samples use an eggshell sample formula intended for evaluating colour, not for judging the durability of the final wall paint. Choose the final product and finish separately with help from our sheen guide.
How to test a paint colour in your room
- Use a useful sample area. Follow the sample’s instructions and choose a sample size or board large enough to compare comfortably. Avoid judging from a tiny brush swipe.
- Let it dry and cover the background. Apply the recommended coats and allow the sample to dry before comparing. The old wall colour showing through can distort your judgement.
- Look throughout the day. Check morning and afternoon daylight, then switch on the lamps you normally use at night. Window direction, shading and artificial lighting all matter.
- Compare it with what is staying. Look beside your flooring, countertop, cabinets, trim and large furniture. Move a painted board between relevant walls so you see more than one lighting condition.
- Give the decision time. Live with the samples over a couple of days if possible. Confirm the colour and intended finish before ordering the full quantity.
For more detail, use our Burlington lighting and colour-testing guide. It covers changing daylight and the questions to ask when a colour looks right in one part of the room but wrong in another.
Not sure which colours to test?
Use rAIflow — Find Your Perfect Neutral to explore a shortlist, then confirm it with physical samples. Screens and photographs are useful starting points, but they cannot replace seeing paint beside your actual finishes in the room.
Or bring photos, a flooring sample or a cushion to Colour Land Paint at 3505 Upper Middle Road, Burlington. We can help you compare undertones and choose sample colours, then use our paint selection guide to plan the product for the surface. Call 905-332-5033 to ask about a sample before visiting.