Guide to Colour Matching With Mortlock Timber

Every project has its own vision and sometimes, achieving the perfect timber finish requires going beyond our standard coating options. Designed for projects that require a customised finish, Mortlock Timber offers a Colour matching service that ensures your timber blends seamlessly with your design intent.

In This Blog

Learn how Mortlock Timber’s Colour Matching Service can help you achieve a custom finish tailored to your project. jump to the section that matters most to you:

• What is Colour Matching
• How the Process Works
• The Benefits of Pre-Finishing
• Colour Matching Beyond Timber
• Fee’s & Conditions
• Important Limitations
• Why Choose Mortlock Timber

What is Colour Matching?

Colour matching is the process of creating a custom finish that matches as closely as possible to a physical sample you provide. Colour matching service may be needed for:

• Renovations or extensions where new timber must blend with existing services
• Matching timber to other design materials such as stone, steel or concrete
• Achieving a unique or specific colour palette

How the Process Works

PROVIDE A SAMPLE

Colour matching can only be achieved from a physical timber sample supplied by the client. We cannot colour match from photos or digital images.

CUSTOM SAMPLE CREATION

Our skilled team will prepare a test finish that matches your reference sample.

SAMPLE DOCUMENTATION

Once the colour match is approved, we record the exact finishing process, machine settings, coating system, and all relevant details of the sample. This ensures the same result can be accurately reproduced when the full project moves into production.

CLIENT APPROVAL

You’ll review and approve the colour sample and we will move into full production to complete your colour match order.

Please note: Colour matching service are only available for projects of 100m2 or more.

The Benefits of Pre-Finishing

One of the biggest advantages of working with Mortlock Timber is our ability to pre-finish or pre-oil timber before it arrives on site. This saves valuable time during installation, reduces labour costs, and ensures a consistent, high-quality finish across every piece.

When colour matching, we apply the custom finish in our controlled facility using systems like Enviro Clear and Aqua 2K for interior applications. This process ensures accuracy, consistency, and a premium-quality result that’s difficult to achieve on-site.

For exterior projects, there are more limitations. Because external applications require exterior-grade coatings, not every custom finish is suitable for outdoor use. Our team will guide you through what’s achievable and recommend the best coatings to protect your timber while maintaining the desired aesthetic.

Colour Matching Beyond Solid Timber

Our colour matching service isn’t limited to cladding and battens. We can also colour match timber veneers and engineered flooring, helping designers achieve continuity across different surfaces within the same project. This makes it possible to carry a consistent look through interiors, joinery, and flooring for a fully resolved design outcome.

Fees & Conditions

We charge a fee for colour matching to cover the specialised machine setup, labour, and time required to carefully prepare and process each sample.

• A non-refundable fee of $250 applies for each colour match request.
• If project specifications change (such as timber species, finish, or colour), a new $250 fee will apply for preparing updated samples
• As timber is a natural product, variations in grain, tone and finish are unavoidable and are taken into consideration as part of the process and final product. Timber is matched to the best of our ability given these variables.

Important limitations

While we work carefully to achieve the closet possible match, Mortlock Timber cannot guarantee a 100% identical result. Clients should allow for natural differences when approving samples and planning their projects

In addition, we recommend clients first review our standard coating options before requesting a colour matching service. Many of our finish options, such as Enviro Clear, Cutek, SiOO:X or Controlled Erosion Stain already cover a wide range of tones and aesthetics. Opting to use a factory finish often meets design goals without the added cost of custom matching.

Why Choose Mortlock Timber?

With decades of experience in timber finishes, Mortlock Timber combines precision, technology, and craftsmanship. Our colour matching service gives architects, builders, and homeowners confidence in achieving a finish that compliments their project.