Any experience of who can colour-match F&B exterior paint?

[onesandwichshort]

We've been warned off Farrow and Ball exterior paint by a few people, including on here, because it doesn't last. But they seem to be the only firm to do the colour we want - it's 'railings', a kind of faded black which will match the faded black already there .

Has anyone had any success with getting these colourmatched? We are miles from a Dulux Decorator or Johnstons store so I'd like to be reassured they can do it well before I take a 20 mile drive to see them.

I have Farrow & Ball matched exterior paint on my house - done in B&Q so it's Dulus (I think). It looks fine. My only comment is that when I went to get some more, the second lot was a slightly different colour than the first, so make sure you get enough to do all that you want to do in one go.

Don't do it.

I know someone whose attempts to replicate Lichen have resulted in a house that's the colour of snot. They didn't have £3k to repaint so it's going to stay this colour for five years.

F&B paint is fine - the professionals don't like it because it isn't available at trade discount, so prefer not to recommend it.

7/10ths of an exterior paint job is to do with the quality of preparation underneath, not the brand of paint on top.

Am usually a fan of F&B, but I don't like the exterior stuff. We used the pukka F&B Exterior Primer underneath, still had to have it re-covered a couple of times and then gave up and had the lot done in Weathershield. Same decorators so not a preparation issue. The Weathershield is holding up just fine after 4 years.

I wouldn't try to get F&B matched though. But I'm not going to get in to that debate again, I still bear the scars from last time .