by Hoan Dinh

Getting Colors Right on Wood

The Challenge of Getting Color Right on Wood Why I Refuse to Cut Corners Getting color right on wood is one of the hardest parts of what we do. It is also one of the most overlooked. Wood is not a flat or predictable surface. Every panel has its own grain, density, and character. Paint reacts differently to each piece. Some areas absorb more. Others reflect light in ways you cannot control unless you slow down and pay attention. If you are not careful, color either looks dull and muddy or so thick that the wood disappears entirely. Hitting that balance is not easy, and it is never accidental. Wood Pushes Back Wood naturally mutes color. Paint that looks vibrant on a sample card can look lifeless once it hits real wood. Most shops solve this by sealing, printing, or laminating. It makes the process faster and more consistent. I do not work that way. Why I Mix Colors In-House No single paint brand does everything I need it to do. Some handle saturation better. Some hold up longer. Some work better with grain. Instead of forcing one system to fit, I built my own. Every color we use at Cornbread Customs is mixed in-house and tested directly on wood. Not on paper. Not on plastic. Not on a screen. My goal is simple but difficult to execute. The color has to pop, but the wood grain still has to show. The grain is not something I hide. It is part of the design. I use professional-grade paints from multiple sources, blended and adjusted in house to achieve that balance. The process took years to dial in. It came from trial, failure, and experience. It is part of the craftsmanship, and it is not something you rush. Bright Without Looking Fake The goal is not just bright color. The goal is depth. I want colors that stand out from across the room but still feel warm up close. Colors that highlight the natural wood grain instead of burying it. Colors that feel real, not printed or plastic. That means layering, remixing, and sometimes starting over. It means slowing down when speeding up would be easier. Why Cutting Corners Shows When corners are cut, it always shows. Colors fade too fast. Grain disappears. Signs start to feel disposable instead of permanent. People may not always know why a sign feels cheap, but they feel it. Craftsmanship Lives in the Details Most people notice the design first. Fewer notice the color work. Almost no one sees the hours behind it. That is fine. Craftsmanship is not about being noticed. It is about being felt. And that is why I refuse to cut corners. — The Cornbread Customs Team