What Resene's half, double and quarter strengths mean

Resene's half, quarter and double strengths are lighter and deeper versions of the same named colour, built so they sit together in one tonal family: a quarter or half is a weaker version of the parent, a double is a stronger one. The name tells you the direction and the family, not an exact measurement, so a half strength will not necessarily look half as dark as the full colour on your wall.

That is why you still need to test them. Here is how the system works and how to use it, with Resene Alabaster as the example because it is the one most people ask about.

How is a half or double strength made?

Most tinted paint starts as a base, then has measured amounts of colourant added to reach the final shade. Resene puts it plainly: paint consists of a tone colour, which is then tinted with measured units of colourants depending on the shade required. Broadly, the weaker strengths carry less tint and the stronger ones more, but the exact recipe for each strength is Resene's, not a simple dilution you can work out yourself.

It is not simply the full colour thinned out. Resene notes that some colours cross from one base to another depending on their strength, and gives the example of Half Pearl Lusta and Quarter Pearl Lusta having codes that start with different letters. In other words, the weaker version can land in a different colour family in Resene's coding from the stronger one, which is one reason the steps do not always look evenly spaced.

Resene also makes the point that tinter affects durability: as a rule of thumb, the less tinter a colour uses, the longer it lasts. That is a side benefit of lighter strengths rather than a reason to choose one.

What does the Alabaster family actually look like on paper?

The best way to see why a half is not just paler-looking is to compare the published figures. These are taken from Resene's own online swatches. LRV (light reflectance value) is how much light a colour reflects on a scale where higher means lighter.

Colour	Resene total colour code	LRV	What it means in practice
Double Alabaster	N95-004-106	88	the deepest of the four; the grey edge is easiest to see
Alabaster	N96-006-099	91	the parent colour, a grey-edged white
Half Alabaster	N97-003-099	92	a step lighter than the parent
Quarter Alabaster	N97-004-102	92	the same LRV as the half, so the difference is in character rather than lightness

Two things stand out. First, the gap between Double Alabaster and Alabaster is bigger than the gap between Alabaster and its weaker versions. Second, Half and Quarter Alabaster share the same LRV. On a wall, the quarter will not read as twice as light as the half. What changes between them is the undertone, which is subtle on a chip and more obvious across a whole room in changing light.

This is normal for whites. At the pale end of the scale there is very little room left to get lighter, so the strength steps show up more as a shift in warmth or greyness than as a jump in brightness.

Why does a half strength sometimes look darker than expected?

Light. Resene's own advice is that natural and artificial light is the single most important factor in how a colour appears. A ceiling usually gets less direct light than the walls, so the same paint tends to look darker overhead. A south-facing room with flat winter light will pull any grey-edged white greyer. A bright north-facing room will wash it out.

That is also why the strengths exist. Using a weaker version where there is less light can make two surfaces look like the same colour, even though they are technically different paints.

How do you choose between them?

Resene suggests a simple approach to building a tonal scheme from one colour:

• Walls: full strength.
• Doors: double strength, which helps to hide fingermarks.
• Ceilings: an eighth or quarter strength, or a half or quarter of the wall colour, so the ceiling does not look heavier than the walls.

For Alabaster, that might mean Alabaster on the walls, Double Alabaster on doors and skirtings, and Half or Quarter Alabaster on the ceiling. It keeps the room coherent without every surface being identical. The Resene whites and neutrals collection offers up to six strength variations of its most popular whites, so check which ones are available for the colour you like before you plan around it.

If you are still deciding whether Alabaster itself is right for your house, our guide to choosing Resene Alabaster covers the parent colour and what it pairs with.

How should you test strengths before buying?

Test two strengths side by side on card, because the difference only shows in comparison, and look at them where they will actually go: on the wall they are meant for, and held up near the ceiling if one is a ceiling candidate. Resene A4 drawdowns are a painted sample alternative to testpots, and browsing the Resene colour charts first is a quick way to narrow the choice before buying anything.

Is it worth paying for testpots of every strength?

No. Pick the two you are torn between and test those. If you already know Alabaster works in your house and you only need a ceiling colour, one testpot of the half or quarter held up against the ceiling will tell you enough.

The mistake worth avoiding is choosing a strength from a small chip under shop lighting and ordering enough to paint a whole house. That is how people end up with a ceiling that looks grey or walls that look flat.

If you would like help working out which strengths suit each room, or want the job done once and done properly, contact us for a free quote.