Shop color.....

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'm in the process of painting my shop. What colors would you recommend? Matte, eggshell, semi-gloss, gloss?

I think a white eggshell would be good...washable and yet without a tremendous amount of glare so you can see colors and detail?

Any suggestions?

[Benjamin Dahl]

Ken, I went with a semi-gloss so that it would be easy to clean but I think eggshell would be a good choice as well, probably just depends on what will be hitting the walls and how clean you want to keep them. I used an off-white/ivory like color that seems to reflect light fairly well. I have two walls that are red brick so I wanted something to brighten the shop and did not want to paint the brick.
Have fun with it.
Ben

[Brian Weick]

Ken ,
I have the perfect color for you "Jimmy Hendrix purple haze"- sort of a psychedelic remnants of the 60's look gone by, ya think? -LOL
But seriously Ken, When I saw your post that made me think about doing mine as well. I was thinking a light tan, or sandstone color , this way it will actually help hide the particles/debris better,otherwise any fine saw dust or what have you will show up quite vividly on a white background- gloss finish /semi gloss/ or satin because that finish is more durable and easier to clean up - but definitely not flat finish! it's a matter of personal preference but you also have to keep in mind what we do in the shop as well.
Looking great Ken- can't wait to see the final coat of whatever color you choose.
Happy Painting:)
Brian

[Matt Meiser]

White, because of reflectivity. When I was painting my shop, it got brighter and brigher as I covered the OSB with paint. Eventually you'll have enough stuff hanging on the walls that it won't be boring white, but where stuff isn't will still help keep things bright. I think I used eggshell.

[David DeCristoforo]

There are a number of colors that work well in a shop. The most obvious is white. But there is also white, white or white. And don't forget to consider white....

[John Thompson]

Very light gray on walls and ceiling white on well.. ceilings. :)

Sarge..

[Steve Mellott]

Ken:

I used a light beige porch/deck paint on the floor and eggshell white on the walls. This color coordination works well with the daylight flourescent bulbs that I installed - easy to see things.

Steve

[Tim Lynch]

I don't know if it makes much difference in the end, but, knowing that I was going to have lots of flourescent light fixtures in my new shop, I chose a white that had a bit of a warmer color to it... just the barest hint of tan. It's still basically bright white -- the only way to see the color difference is to hold up all those color cards together at the paint store and compare them. I consider my shop bright, but not harsh, so maybe it worked.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

Ken,

I have a color to add to David's selection......white.

As Matt said, there will be enough stuff hanging on the walls that the white won't be boring. Also the slicker the better, because dust will stick to the walls...static charge, I guess. With mine I try to vacuum the walls and ceiling periodically, although I won't say how long it is between periods.

Richard

[Warren Clemans]

Interesting colors cost the same as white, so why be boring? I painted my ceiling white to reflect light but went with a gold/tan color for the walls. I spend a lot of time out there and don't want a sterile or boring space. Go to to the paint store and choose something you like. It's the only time you'll ever pick a paint color without having to get approval from your spouse. Don't waste the opportunity!

[Gary Keedwell]

White walls.....sandy floor.

Gary K.

[Joe Jensen]

I've been playing with digital photography and digital imaging lately. The color of the walls, floor, and ceiling will make a huge difference in the color your eyes see on projects. If you are doing anything other than clear finishes, you will be well served with white, or 18% grey. I'd do true white walls and ceiling and a neutral grey floor. You can get an 18% grey scale card from a photo shop and color match to that. Having said that, it's useless unless your lighting is matched to daylight also. You would need daylight bulbs..joe

[John McArthur]

For me, light sage walls, white ceiling, all in flat.

[Brian Penning]

I dunno...I was thinking of something more on the side of maybe...er....wallpaper?
A whole wall of lifesize Budweiser girls or something of that nature does have it's own particular appeal, no?? ;):D.
You'd have to maybe be a bit more choosy where you hang some of your tools but.......!
I still like the idea...

My shop?..er....it's white. I kinda got "THE LOOK" from the Mrs. when I suggested the wallpaper.....sigh

[Bill Arnold]

Ken,

I "painted" the upper half of my walls with white pegboard. The ceiling is flat white primer. Makes the room nice and bright and there's never a shortage of places to hang something.

:)

[Larry Fox]

I went with eggshell white. Reflects light very well (also lets you know how well your DC is working as you can see EVERYTHING that sticks to it).

[Dennis Peacock]

Stark White is the color and trim it out with Mustard trim paint. ;)

[Jude Kingery]

Ours is simply a semi-gloss white. But then we have so much "stuff" on the walls, the color almost doesn't matter - i.e. shelving, tool racks, peg board, etc. Ceiling matters of course for reflectivity and lighting, so it's all white as well. But then guess I like white and beige because that's what I did in the house, that way anything goes with them, pictures, curtains, whatever, all blends in ok and it keeps it light and airy. Jude

[Jim Becker]

So many folks choose white-white and that's certainly not a bad choice relative to light distribution, etc. Personally, I like things a little softer...and if I were starting over, I'd do something in a very light, creamy green which I find to be a soothing color...with white trim to match the country/farmhouse feel of our home right next door. I'm an egg-shell fan for walls in most cases.

My shop does have some off-white paint on the OSB walls on the north side, but the rest of the walls are the "natural" wood color that the T1-11 sheet goods on them had from the factory.

[Jeff Bower]

Stark White is the color and trim it out with Mustard trim paint. ;)

Ken, I think Dennis nailed it!!

[Glenn Clabo]

Excuse me! What is wrong with grey??? "It's grey...it's grey...it's a great Navy day."

[Greg Sznajdruk]

Since recycling is now mandated in most communities, paint is considered as a hazardous waste. So paint that is no longer of use goes to hazardous waste disposal.

When I took a bunch of cans to the depot, I found that they set the cans in a shed and anyone is welcome to take what ever they want. So workshops could be painted what ever colour is available and the price is defiantly right.

Greg

[glenn bradley]

I'm with David. I'm going gloss white unless I can be convinced otherwise(?).

[Jim O'Dell]

I painted mine......Kilz primer. It's white with a little bit of grey. You can only tell it has some grey is to hold it up to a pure white sample. I've found that it covers well, reflects light well, and is the perfect base for any other color you decide to go to if you aren't satisfied. :D I had full intentions of painting white after priming, but found that the 2 coats of primer the OSB needed worked quite nice, and left it there. Jim.

[Gary Chester]

Mine are a lovely shade of drywall... someday there might be mud and paint... maybe...

[Ray Knight]

I thought I wanted gray. Had some left over battleship gray, it was too dark, had left over white, mixed 1/1, perfect light gray. Just finished painting 20 feet of used habitat for humanity resale store cabinets. Love the color, optically neutral, price was right. I will go white for ceiling. and and old autoshop trick. Paint the bottom 1-3 feet of wall darker, won't show early staining as easily. My shop will have no windows, so need light color. Ray

[David Weaver]

very pale (light) yellow. That's the color the previous owners chose.

[Art Mulder]

Interesting colors cost the same as white, so why be boring?

I agree.


I've been playing with digital photography and digital imaging lately. The color of the walls, floor, and ceiling will make a huge difference in the color your eyes see on projects. If you are doing anything other than clear finishes, you will be well served with white, or 18% grey.

Joe, I've got a friend who is right now more than half-way through the photography program of the local college (going back as a second career in his 40's). He painted the background wall of his basement studio ... wait for it ... red. From what I've seen, he uses lots of flash to supply the light that he needs, and portable backdrops if necessary, like a white box.

...


Ken,
Gloss will probably show too much glare. Semi-gloss might be okay, but I have no experience. Satin or eggshell would be fine (I always forget which one is "closer" to the gloss kind). Under NO circumstances would I go with a flat paint.

Yes, paint the ceiling some form of white. As for the walls... you've got windows and lots of fluorescent lights. Sure, I'd favour a light colour for the walls -- at least for the top half -- but not necessarily white.

Here's one example: Matthew Teague (http://blogs.taunton.com/n/blogs/blog.aspx?webtag=fw-thesmartshop) over on the FWW website blogs about his shop building experience, and he painted the lower half of the wall red. Most of it will be blocked by benches and tools anyway. Red may not be your choice, but I think it looks kind of cool and unique.
71735

So pick whatever colour strikes your fancy and have fun.

...art

[Jim Dunn]

Pink! Get in touch with your feminine side:)

[Don Bullock]

...Here's one example: Matthew Teague (http://blogs.taunton.com/n/blogs/blog.aspx?webtag=fw-thesmartshop) over on the FWW website blogs about his shop building experience, and he painted the lower half of the wall red. Most of it will be blocked by benches and tools anyway. Red may not be your choice, but I think it looks kind of cool and unique.
71735

So pick whatever colour strikes your fancy and have fun.

...art

I've seen several shops that are painted like that (white over red) and thought is was a great way to paint a shop. White above lightens up the space and reflects light as many have said, but the red acts as an achor and gives the room a much warmer feeling than if it were all white. As Art said, "So pick whatever colour strikes your fancy and have fun." Others colors would work as well.

[Bill Brehme]

Brown... Just stop cutting when you feel your saw going up the wall. ;)

[David G Baker]

Grey on the lower half of the wall, white on the ceiling and upper half. The first four feet of a wall tends to have much more human and dirt contact than the upper half so the darker color on the wall base hides the stains better.
I like the thought of high gloss on the ceiling and semi gloss or satin on the the walls. In my experience they clean up better than eggshell or flat.

[Steven Wilson]

semi-gloss in the purest white you can find. It's easy to keep clean, brightens up your shop, and provides a good reference for judging color

[Joe Mioux]

Eggshell.

but it sure would be nice to see some PICS! of this shop so we all could make a better assessment of your chroma needs. ;) Mr Fitzgerald. lol

sorry, Ken couldn't resist. :D

Joe

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Well Mr. Mioux.............


here's the link http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=71659&d=1189519968

West half primed....

[Gary Keedwell]

Well Mr. Mioux.............


here's the link http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=71659&d=1189519968

West half primed....
OK. Ken...That sure brightens the joint up.:eek:

Gary K.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

OK. Ken...That sure brightens the joint up.:eek:

Gary K.

Gary,

That's just the primer. Last night I bought 6 gallons of white exterior satin enamel. For now I'm going to paint it white. Later I may paint the lower 3' a dark red/maroon as shown in those other photos earlier in this thread.

I couldn't believe how much brighter it got with just half the shop painted. I hope to get a top coat on this weekend and get some of the fluorescent lights hung. My new tools show up Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll position them on the west side...move the stuff over from the east side and paint the east half.

[Ted Baca]

Another vote for White. I went to Sherwin Williams and bought satin white plain no tinting. That way if I need more I can always match it.

[Brian Weick]

For the love of god just------Pick a color and end this madness,,,,,,,please! "As I put her soft bristles against what she so desired!,,, bla,bla,bla, yada, yada, yada- Just end it!
Brian-LOL :) I'm just kidding ken -:) what a thread though- who would of thought?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

UH........BRIAN......Put the cup down.....Back away from the coffee.....put you hands in the air........Rejoice! The decision was made last night! See the below!


Gary,

That's just the primer. Last night I bought 6 gallons of white exterior satin enamel. For now I'm going to paint it white. Later I may paint the lower 3' a dark red/maroon as shown in those other photos earlier in this thread.

I couldn't believe how much brighter it got with just half the shop painted. I hope to get a top coat on this weekend and get some of the fluorescent lights hung. My new tools show up Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll position them on the west side...move the stuff over from the east side and paint the east half.

[Brian Weick]

UH........BRIAN......Put the cup down.....Back away from the coffee.....put you hands in the air........Rejoice! The decision was made last night! See the below!

"as I entered my dwelling of craftiness, A thought came upon me as a I take my usual route to my special ,, hmhmhm ~ "Location" and walk into the night of darkness as I fumble for the release of light to which is under my power! ~ click ~ and suddenly;a thought. relishing in the moment of the gleam on my new heavenly painted white Walls , realizing the moment I transform myself into the creative personality that I am and release the mechanism that will transform my environment into one heaping mess of earths plentiful fruit shavings ~ that is when I woke up," I really gota do something about the lower half"~ Hence

IT"S NOT OVER!
Brian :)

[John Bailey]

Ken, (and Brian) If I may:



All the colours of the hue
With thoughts of what I should, or could
And hence this thought of mine for you
Is do it proper - do it wood!!


71912



Repectfully submitted,


John

[Jim Becker]

All the colours of the hue
With thoughts of what I should, or could
And hence this thought of mine for you
Is do it proper - do it wood!!



Hear! Hear!! Most excellent, John!!

[Wayne Ashing]

White with burnt orange trim!!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Wayne.....I gotta know.....what's your favorite football team?:confused: :eek: :rolleyes: :D

[Wayne Ashing]

Ken, Born and raised in West Texas! Started out life with a burnt orange teething ring. I've been stranded in the land of crimson and cream so long I want to scream or puke or both.

[Toby Robson]

Thread really needs more images.

I am planning on taking my new house sexy & stylish "dry wall with plaster stripes and concrete floor' to Eggshell walls, White Ceiling adn Charcoal Epoxy floor (no flakes).

Although the previous image if the 4ft high red is making me reconsider a bit.

Most of that area will be covered by benches, etc, so not sure it is worth it.

Toby