Factors That Affect Color

CTi has always been a proponent of selling its product from sample boards showing the actual color combination and sealer used. This tool not only gives the customer a much better representation of the finished product, it also shows them how the colors will end up.

Two main factors affect how color is perceived in the final product. Explaining this to the customer will help them understand and in the end increase their overall satisfaction with your work.

Reflectivity: Texture will affect how reflective the surface is. The smoother the texture (i.e. Stone Troweled vs. Hallmark texture), the more reflective the surface will be. The more reflective a surface is the lighter the colors will appear.

Highlight Choices: The overall appearance of a main color will be affected by the colors used in highlighting it. The darker the colors used to highlight, the darker the main color will appear. In certain instances, you will notice a color change depending on the angle you view the project.

Listening to your customer is the best way to satisfy their needs, but once you know what they are looking for (especially regarding color), you need to keep these factors in mind as you complete the color choice process.

Interchanging colorants between systems

by Ethan Schneider

The CTI tech department has received a number of calls asking if the 190 colorants that are normally used for the Hallmark application could be used for Eurobond applications. The answer is yes, however the 190 colorants do not react the same way as the 195 series Eurobond colorants. Therefore, it's always better to experiment on sample boards before speaking with a customer on using 190 colorants.

On the other side of the coin, the 195 Eurobond colorants can be used as accent colors for Acrylistain system.

My Customer Wants A Custom Color, What Should I Do?
by Ethan Schneider

Sooner or later you are going to have customer that just will not accept any of the standard colors that CTI has to offer. In general it is not a good idea to come out of the gate telling customers you can custom match any color they want. While it is true that CTI can match most colors, there are pros and cons to doing so.

Additionally, it is never a good idea to try and mix colors to create a desired custom color when you are working on a job site. During every CTI training class Chuck makes it a point not to allow your customer to take over your job. While it is true that in most retail situations the customer is always right, but not when it comes to installing their CTI job. The customer should have already agreed upon and signed off on what colors, patterns, textures, and sealers are going to be used on their job.

If you allow changes to be made mid stream then you need to amend your contract clearly defining the changes and have your customer sign off on them. In some cases it might even be wise to delay the installation and make a new sample board. You may also want to make necessary price adjustments to reflect the changes at this time. Keep in mind that color changes made on the job are going to look very different once they are sealed often resulting in the customer saying that is not what they had in mind. So “CYA” Make a new sample board !

Additionally, even if you are able to create a custom color that the customer approves of while you are on the job site, chances are you will not be able to match that color in the future. So if your customer calls you back 6 months later and wants you match her walkway to her new patio, you will most likely be hard pressed to match it.

Nobody wants to have to to re-do an entire floor because they didn’t start with an approved sample board or they made changes in the middle of the job. Again, don’t put yourself in this situation. It can be avoided. Especially when doing custom Stone Classics, Acrylistains, and Eurobond projects.

In most cases you can order a custom colorant from CTI. Turn around time for custom 190 colorants are usually about one week. There is a small up-charge for custom
colorants. The up-charges can vary due to the raw materials required to produce certain colors. Our chemist prefers that you provide a color number from a standard Sherwin Williams color paint palette. CTI does not use Sherwin Williams paints to make our colorants, but the Sherwin Williams color palette is the most widely used in the industry and is easily accessible. Keep in mind that custom colors may not always be an exact match but will usually be within one or two shades of the original color. Once that color is made it is kept on file for future reference.

Whenever possible try to steer your customers to stay within the standard CTI color palette. Unfortunately, CTI can not warranty custom colors because there isn’t enough time to thoroughly test them. This is another reason why we suggest staying within the standard CTI color palette. Remember your customer will usually buy what you show them.