How to order a custom-coloured paint

Ordering a custom-tinted paint job isn’t just about providing a colour code: it’s about gathering the right information to ensure you receive the shade that matches the vehicle.

A bespoke paint order that goes wrong is almost always down to information being missing or misinterpreted at the outset: a code copied the wrong way round, the vehicle’s make or year omitted, or an underestimated quantity that forces you to place an urgent reorder, with the risk of a colour mismatch between the two tins. We see these mistakes every day at the counter and with online orders at Carross. This guide sets out, step by step, everything you need to gather to get your order right first time — manufacturer, code, paint system, quantity, packaging — and avoid getting stuck in the paint booth. To find the reference on the bodywork, use our guide to finding your car’s colour code.

Tech’Team tip

The one thing that makes all the difference: the habit that prevents mistakes

Never place an order using just a colour code on its own. Always specify the make, the exact model and the month/year of first registration. The same code might refer to a blue for one manufacturer and a grey for another, or its composition may have changed from one year to the next. This trio of details allows the technician to immediately confirm the correct formula using the colour-matching software.

Key points at a glance. Ordering made-to-order colour requires five pieces of information: the vehicle’s make and year, the manufacturer’s colour code, the desired system (base coat or direct gloss), the quantity based on the surface area to be painted, and the packaging (tub or spray). At Carross, we systematically check that these five details are consistent before starting the colour-matching process in the laboratory, to ensure the product you receive can be applied without any unpleasant surprises.

1. Diagnosis first and foremost

• Colour code noted, but several variants exist — specify the vehicle’s year to pinpoint the correct formula, or start with the master (standard) shade, which is suitable in most cases, by producing a test cardboard and a blended patch
• Metallic, pearlescent or recent solid colour — order a base coat for refinishing + a suitable clearcoat
• Solid colour on a commercial vehicle or classic car — check whether a direct-gloss 2K finish is preferable
• Three-coat or tinted clearcoat — ensure you order the complete system (primer + pearlescent base coat, or base coat + specific tinted clearcoat)
• Complete component or spray-applied touch-up — paint in the correct colour and volume, allowing for a safety margin (low theoretical coverage depending on pigments, underestimated surface area or area required for a flush finish)
• Small, localised touch up — custom-mixed spray paint

2. Equipment required

• Custom-tinted paint (tub or spray)
• 2K automotive clearcoat spray
• test cardboard
• 2K clearcoat for spray gun application

3. Ordering steps

1. Note down the colour code. Locate the manufacturer’s label on the vehicle and copy the code exactly, taking care not to confuse 0 with O or mix up the characters.
2. Determine the formula or variant. Enter the year the vehicle was first registered. If there are multiple variants, select the master shade (standard formula) or seek guidance from the technical helpdesk if a known deviation exists.
3. Identify the paint system. Check the nature of the colour: 2K direct gloss (for certain solid colours/commercial vehicles), matt basecoat to be top-coated (metallic, pearlescent, modern solid colours), or a specific three-coat system / tinted clearcoat requiring several products.
4. Estimate the quantity. Calculate the volume required based on the surface area, whilst taking into account the colour’s theoretical coverage (pigments with low theoretical coverage) and the necessary margin for a seamless blend with adjacent parts.
5. Choose the format. A litre tin for spray-painting a surface, or a tinted spray can for touch ups.
6. Place the order. Provide the colour code, make, model, year of registration and the desired finish.
7. Check on receipt. Verify the information on the tin, then always carry out a test cardboard with clearcoat before applying the paint to the vehicle.

4. Common mistakes to avoid

• Providing the code without the make and year: Risk of confusion between manufacturers or of using the wrong colour formula depending on the vehicle’s generation.
• Confusing the characters in the colour code: Swapping a number for a letter (such as the number ‘0’ and the letter ‘O’, or the number ‘1’ and the letter ‘I’), which directly leads to an incorrect formula.
• Forgetting the ancillary products required for a three-coat system: Ordering the effect basecoat on its own, without the specific undercoat or tinted clearcoat required by the formula.
• Calculating the quantity too tightly: Running out of product whilst working on a panel and being forced to reorder a further batch, with the risk of a slight weighing discrepancy at the counter.
• Choosing unsuitable packaging: Ordering a spray can for an entire panel (insufficient thickness, pressure and flow rate) or a litre tin with spray gun preparation for a single chip or a specific area.
• Painting the part without first carrying out a test cardboard: Noticing a difference in shade or a lack of opacity once the part has been clearcoated on the vehicle.

5. How to choose your products

Packaging according to the job: For a complete panel, several components or a recessed joint, you must choose a litre tin for spray application. Reserve the custom-sized aerosol can for localised touch-ups, small accessories or specific areas.

System according to colour: • Opaque utility or older-generation colours: 2K direct gloss (polyurethane) for a single-stage application without a clearcoat.
• Modern, metallic or pearlescent topcoat: Matt basecoat required (two-coat system with 2K protective clearcoat).
• Special colour (three-coat or tinted clearcoat): Complete system to be ordered (effect primer + base coat + clearcoat, or base coat + tinted clearcoat).

Quantity and margins: Calculate the volume by including the surface area of the repaired part as well as the bleed-through area on the adjacent component, plus a reserve for the test cardboard. For colours with low theoretical coverage (yellows, bright reds), always increase your volume.

Carross’s advice: If you are unsure about the system (direct clearcoat vs. basecoat) or whether a specific undercoat (three-coat system) is required, contact customer services with the colour code, make and year of the vehicle before confirming your basket. Checking the formulation in advance prevents any hold-ups in the paint booth.

6. FAQ

How do I find out my car’s colour to order the paint?

The reference can be found on the vehicle’s manufacturer’s label (located in the door jamb, under the bonnet or in the boot). Here you’ll find the colour code, consisting of letters and/or numbers. Details on how to locate this code are covered in the guide on finding your car’s colour code.

Is the colour code enough to order the right colour?

The colour code is essential, but it is not always sufficient on its own. For the same reference, a manufacturer regularly produces variants over the course of production years or depending on the manufacturing plant. At Carross, specifying the year and model helps us guide you towards the most accurate match. Then, to eliminate any minor discrepancies caused by the ageing of the bodywork, the technique of blending the paint into the adjacent panel remains the standard practice in the spray booth.

How much paint of the correct colour should you order?

This depends on the surface area to be painted, the paint’s theoretical coverage (yellows, reds or whites often require more coats) and the size of the blending area to be allowed for. Always allow a safety margin for the test cardboard, as restarting the preparation process whilst work is in progress may result in a slight deviation in the weight measurement. If in doubt, our technical department can help you calculate the exact quantity required.

Should I order a clearcoat with the tinted paint?

This depends on the finish chosen. In a direct-gloss polyurethane (2K) system, often used for opaque utility colours, the colour provides its own gloss and requires no clearcoat. However, for all metallic or pearlescent colours, or colours on a matt basecoat (water-based or solvent basecoat), the application of a 2K clearcoat is essential to protect the colour and give it its final gloss and shine.

Can I order a spray can in the same colour as a pot?

Yes. The colour-matched spray can is prepared using the same code and variant as the tin, ensuring consistency between touch-ups with the spray can and panels repainted with a spray gun. The spray can is reserved for small areas, whilst the pot is used for surfaces that warrant the use of a spray gun.

Explore our preparation / painting / finishing section and our bodywork guides and tutorials. Any technical queries? Contact the Carross Tech’Team: +33 (0)1 60 27 20 19.