Yes, we make custom colors. KBS Coatings custom matches color in Motor Coater, KBS MAXX, and XTC. The reason there is a minimum order (at least 5 gallons, and the exact figure varies by product) is that custom color at KBS is made in a production batch on dispersion equipment, not tinted by hand into a finished can. Below a certain volume that equipment physically cannot produce a color that is accurate, stable, and repeatable.
| The short answer: A custom color is a manufacturing run, not a counter mix. The minimum exists so the color you get is the color you asked for, and so we can make it again in two years when you need touch-up. And if you are not matching anything specific, you can skip the minimum entirely by blending our stock colors together yourself (see below). |
How KBS Custom Color Is Actually Made
Most people picture the paint counter at a hardware store: a can of white base, a few squirts of tint from a machine, and a minute on a shaker. That process works because architectural latex is built around it. High-performance coatings like ours are not.
In our plant, pigment is dispersed into the resin system under high shear while the batch is being made. The pigment particles have to be wetted out by the resin and broken down to a specific fineness. That is what develops the color's full strength, its hiding power, its gloss, and its long-term stability. Stirring colorant into an already-finished can gets you none of that. You get a shade that is close but not right, a coating that hides unevenly, and pigment that can float or settle out later.
Four Reasons the Minimum Exists
| Factor | Why It Sets a Floor on Batch Size |
|---|---|
| Dispersion equipment | A high-shear disperser needs a minimum depth of material to form a proper vortex and shear the pigment correctly. Run it too shallow and the pigment never fully wets out. |
| Weighing accuracy | Some tints are a very small percentage of the total formula. On a large batch that is a measurable weight. On a quart it is a fraction of a gram, where normal scale tolerance becomes a visible color shift. |
| Quality control | Every color batch gets drawn down against the target and checked for color, gloss, hide, and viscosity, then adjusted if needed. That work takes the same lab time whether the batch is one gallon or fifty. |
| Cleanup and loss | A custom color means dedicating and then purging a mixing vessel. A fixed amount of material is lost to the tank walls and cleanout regardless of batch size. |
| Pro tip: Before you commit to a custom batch, ask us to compare your target to what we already stock. Motor Coater alone carries 40+ OEM-matched automotive and diesel colors, and one of them is often close enough that a custom run is unnecessary. We would rather sell you a pint off the shelf than a color you do not need five gallons of. |
Which KBS Products Can Be Custom Matched
| Product | What It Is | Typical Custom Color Use |
|---|---|---|
| Motor Coater | High-heat engine enamel rated to 500°F, self-leveling, direct-to-metal | Engine, block, and caliper colors outside our 40+ OEM shades |
| KBS MAXX | 2K single-stage polyurethane topcoat, permanently UV stable, DTM on steel and aluminum | Fleet, agricultural, marine, and industrial equipment matched to a corporate or OEM color |
| XTC | Xtreme Temperature Coating for surfaces running 500°F to 1500°F, guaranteed not to burn off | Headers, manifolds, and stacks where a specific high-heat color is required |
The minimum is not the same across all three. Each product uses a different resin system and different equipment, so the smallest batch we can build correctly differs. In every case it is at least 5 gallons. Tell us the product and the color and we will confirm the exact number for you.
What to Send Us to Start a Custom Match
For KBS MAXX, the best thing you can send us is a physical paint chip. We read it with an optical color sensor, which measures the actual color of the surface and gives our lab hard numbers to formulate against. Nothing else gets us as close.
In order of how well they work:
| What You Send | How Well It Works |
|---|---|
| A physical paint chip or small painted part | Best, and what we prefer. We read it directly with an optical sensor. A clean, unfaded chip roughly the size of a quarter or larger is ideal. |
| A paint color code (OEM, RAL, federal standard) | Sometimes usable. It depends on the code and whether we can cross-reference it reliably. Send it along and we will tell you whether it is enough on its own or whether we still need a chip. |
| A photo of the part or color | Cannot be used. Camera sensors, lighting, and screen calibration all shift color, so a photo does not represent the real color and we will not formulate from one. |
| Important: We do not match from photos. It is not a policy preference, it is that the color information in a photo is not accurate enough to formulate from. If all you have is a photo, contact us and we will help you figure out how to get us a usable chip. |
Not Matching Anything? Blend Our Stock Colors Yourself
Here is the part most people do not realize. If you are not trying to match a specific target and you just want a color we do not stock, you can blend our standard colors together yourself. Colors within the same product line are compatible with each other, so you can buy the smallest sizes we offer, mix them to the shade you want, and skip the custom batch minimum entirely.
A little Motor Coater Gloss Black stirred into a pint of Motor Coater Chevy Orange gets you a darker, deeper orange. Adding White to a stock color lightens it. Two greens blended together land between the two. You control the ratio, so you control the shade, and you are buying off-the-shelf product at off-the-shelf quantities.
| The one rule that matters: only blend a KBS product with the same KBS product. Motor Coater with Motor Coater. KBS MAXX with KBS MAXX. XTC with XTC. Never mix across product lines, and do not blend a gloss with a satin unless you are willing to accept whatever sheen falls out of it. |
How to Do It Right
- Mix enough for the entire job in one shot. This is the big one. You are the one holding the formula now, and hand-measured ratios are almost impossible to reproduce exactly. If you run short halfway through, the second batch will not match the first.
- Write down your ratio as you go. Measure by weight or by graduated container, not by eyeball, and keep a record. It will not be perfect on a second batch, but it gets you close.
- Stir thoroughly, then stir again. Blend the colors completely before you thin, activate, or spray anything.
- Spray a test panel and let it cure. Wet color in the can is not final color on the part. Check it cured, in the light the part will actually live in.
- For KBS MAXX, blend the colors first, then activate. Get your final color settled before you add KBS MAXX Activator, because once it is activated the clock is running.
- Start light and work darker. It takes very little black to darken a color and a lot of white to lighten one. Add the stronger color a little at a time.
| Pro tip: Blending is the right call when the exact shade is up to you. If you need to match an existing part, a company color, or a factory finish, do not blend by hand. That is what the custom match process and the optical sensor are for, and the minimum is what buys you a color that is right the first time and repeatable later. |
If You Need Less Than the Minimum
You still have good options:
- Blend our stock colors yourself. If you are not matching a specific target, buy small quantities of two or more colors in the same product line and mix them to the shade you want. No minimum applies. See the section above.
- Check our standard colors first. Between Motor Coater's OEM range and our other topcoat lines, there is a real chance we already have your color.
- Request a free color sample. We will mail you an actual painted or sprayed sample so you can hold it against your part in daylight instead of guessing from a screen. Request a color sample.
- Split the batch. Club members, shops, and restorers working on the same marque often go in together on one custom run.
- Call us anyway. Sometimes a custom color is already scheduled or already on the shelf from a previous run. It costs nothing to ask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does KBS Coatings make custom colors?
Yes. We custom match colors in Motor Coater, KBS MAXX, and XTC. The best way to start is to send us a physical paint chip or a small painted part, which our lab reads with an optical color sensor to build the formula.
What is the best way to send you a color to match?
A physical paint chip or a small painted part is best, and it is what we prefer for KBS MAXX. We read it with an optical color sensor that measures the actual color of the surface, which gives our lab hard numbers to formulate against. A paint color code can sometimes be used, but that varies by code, so send it along and we will tell you whether we still need a chip.
Can you match a color from a photo?
No. Camera sensors, lighting, and screen calibration all shift color, so a photo does not represent the real color and we will not formulate from one. If a photo is all you have, contact us and we will help you figure out how to get us a usable chip.
What is the minimum order for a custom color?
The minimum is at least 5 gallons, and the exact figure varies by product because each coating uses different equipment and a different resin system. Contact us with the product and color you have in mind and we will confirm the minimum for that specific coating.
Why can't you just tint a single quart for me?
Our colors are dispersed into the resin under high shear during manufacture, not stirred into a finished can at a counter. The dispersion equipment has a minimum working volume, and below that volume the pigment will not wet out and develop correctly. A hand-stirred quart would look different from the target color, hide differently, and would not be repeatable.
Can I get a small sample of a custom color before I commit to the minimum?
We mail free painted or sprayed color samples of our standard colors so you can see the real color in your own light before ordering. For a true custom match, we can review your color reference and tell you whether one of our standard colors is already close enough to save you the custom batch.
Can I mix two KBS colors together to make my own custom color?
Yes, as long as both colors are the same KBS product. Motor Coater blends with Motor Coater, KBS MAXX with KBS MAXX, XTC with XTC. If you are not matching a specific target and just want a shade we do not stock, this lets you buy the smallest sizes we offer and blend to the color you want, with no custom batch minimum. Never mix across different product lines.
What should I watch out for when blending colors myself?
Mix enough for the entire job in one batch, because hand-measured ratios are very hard to reproduce exactly and a second batch will not match the first. Write down your ratio, measure by weight or a graduated container rather than by eye, stir thoroughly, and spray a test panel and let it cure before committing. With KBS MAXX, blend your colors before you add the activator.
How long does a custom color take?
Lead time depends on the product, the color, and what is already scheduled in production. Contact us with your color and quantity and we will give you a realistic date before you place the order.
Will you keep my formula on file for touch-ups later?
Yes. Once a custom color is built and approved, we keep the formula and a retention sample so a future batch matches the one you already sprayed.
Is a custom color more expensive than a standard color?
Custom colors carry the added cost of formulation, lab time, and a dedicated production run. Contact us with your product, color, and quantity for current pricing.
Ready to Talk About Your Color? Tell us the product, the color, and how much you need. We will confirm the minimum, the lead time, and the price, and we will tell you honestly if a standard color already gets you there. |