Picking exterior paint colours from a small chip under shop lights is how most people end up repainting. Colour changes with the size of the wall, the direction it faces, the time of day and the roof, paving and garden around it. Greys in particular can read blue, green or warm beige depending on the light. This page explains how to test colours properly, how light reflectance works, what estate and body corporate rules mean and which colours fade fastest. Send one free request and paint shops near you will quote for samples and tinted tins, with no obligation.
Test before you buy
Buy sample pots of your two or three favourites and paint large patches, at least the size of an A3 sheet each, or paint them onto boards you can move around. Test on two different walls: one in full sun and one in shade. Look at them in the morning, at midday and in the evening, and indoors under your own lights. Leave them up for a few days. A colour chart or fan deck is a good place to start, but a chip is far too small to judge an outside wall by. Colours nearly always look lighter and brighter on a big wall than on the chip.
Light reflectance and grey wall paint colours
Most colour charts give each colour a light reflectance value, or LRV: how much light it reflects, from near zero for black to near 100 for pure white. A high LRV keeps a small or south-facing room bright. A low LRV absorbs more heat, which matters on outside walls. Grey wall paint colours are popular inside and out, but greys borrow from their surroundings:
- Greys with a blue or green base look cool, and colder still on shaded walls.
- Warm greys with a beige or brown base sit well with face brick and terracotta roofs.
- Very pale greys can look white in strong sun and flat in shade.
Estate rules, fading and practical choices
Many estates and sectional title complexes set approved exterior colours, and body corporate rules often need trustees' approval before you change an outside colour. Ask for the colour list in writing before you buy. North and west walls take the most sun and fade first, and strong reds, blues and very dark colours fade faster than pale, earthy ones. Choose the trim and gutter colour together with the walls, and look at the roof as well; if it is faded, see roof paint.
Tinting and what colour costs
Most colours are tinted at the paint shop by adding pigment to a base. Ask for the colour code to be written on the tin and keep it, so a touch-up or an extra tin matches. Buy enough for the whole job at once where you can, and mix the tins together in a bucket on big walls to even out small batch differences. A 20 L tin of tinted wall paint runs about R570 to R3,100, depending on the grade. Deep colours may need a coloured base and an extra coat. Compare costs on our paint prices page.
What to include in your request
- Colour names or codes, or a photo of the house
- Inside, outside or both
- Finish: matt, low sheen or sheen
- Wall area in m²
- Sample pots wanted first
Paint Colours for different clients
- Homeowners: choosing outside and inside colours, with sample patches tested before buying tins
- Landlords and sellers: neutral colours that appeal to tenants and buyers and are easy to match
- Body corporates and estates: a colour scheme approved by trustees and kept on record for touch-ups
- Shops, offices and restaurants: colours that match the company's look across every branch, office and shopfront
- Factories, farms and mines: light, reflective colours for factory walls and cooler colours for big roofs
- Builders and developers: show house colours and a standard scheme repeated across a development
- Schools, churches and public buildings: calm, durable colours for classrooms, wards and halls, chosen to hide wear
- Painters and contractors: colour matching and tinting for client jobs, with codes recorded per job
Frequently asked questions
Which exterior paint colours suit South African houses?
How do I choose an outside wall paint colour to match the roof?
Is a wall paint colour chart accurate?
Can I get quotes for tinted paint and sample pots?
Paint Colours by province and city
- Johannesburg
- Pretoria
- Centurion
- Midrand
- Sandton
- Randburg
- Roodepoort
- Krugersdorp
- Randfontein
- Germiston
- Boksburg
- Benoni
- Kempton Park
- Alberton
- Vanderbijlpark
- Vereeniging
- Durban
- Pinetown
- Pietermaritzburg
- Richards Bay
- Newcastle
- Ladysmith
- Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth)
- East London
- Kariega (Uitenhage)
- Mthatha
- Cape Town
- Bellville
- Paarl
- Stellenbosch
- George
- Worcester
- eMalahleni (Witbank)
- Middelburg
- Secunda
- Mbombela (Nelspruit)
- Rustenburg
- Brits
- Klerksdorp
- Potchefstroom
- Mahikeng
- Polokwane
- Tzaneen
- Kimberley
- Upington
- Bloemfontein
- Welkom
- Sasolburg