Standard colours for building and decorative finishes (with supplement)

IS SP:1650-1973 — Introduction and Scope Summary

• Purpose: Standardizes a range of colors for building finishes (paint, distemper, tiles, hardboards) to aid architects and decorators in selecting and matching colors reliably.

• Scope: Covers colors suitable for various finishing materials and types of gloss finishes:

  • G — Gloss
  • SG — Semi-gloss / Egg-shell
  • M — Matt

• Color Selection Guidance:

  • Colors may not be reproducible in all gloss types.
  • Final selection is by agreement between user and supplier.

• Munsell Color References:
  The standard uses Munsell notation to specify colors, facilitating precise communication.

Key Notes:

• The standard includes a glossary of color terms (Appendix A).
• It provides a unified color range to coordinate finishes across materials.
• Helps avoid mismatch by correlating colors from different charts.

flowchart LR
    A[Building Finishes] --> B[Paint]
    A --> C[Distemper]
    A --> D[Tiles]
    A --> E[Hardboards]
    B & C & D & E --> F[Color Selection]
    F --> G[Gloss (G)]
    F --> H[Semi-gloss (SG)]
    F --> I[Matt (M)]
    G & H & I --> J[Final Agreement: User & Supplier]

This ensures consistent, reliable color matching across building finishes as per IS SP:1650.

IS SP Part 1650: Scope & Key Specifications

This standard provides guidelines for paint colours and finishes used by engineers, architects, and decorators, with emphasis on gloss finishes and colour references.

1. Scope Highlights:

• Covers types of gloss finishes and their suitability for various colours.
• Includes Munsell colour references for precise colour identification.
• Provides guidance for selection between gloss (G), semi-gloss (SG), and matt (M) finishes.

2. Types of Gloss Finish (Clause 5.1):

Note: Not all colours are reliably producible in all finishes; final choice is user-supplier agreement.

3. Munsell Colour References (Sample from Clause 7.5 & 2.5):

Summary Diagram:

graph LR
A[Paint Colours] --> B[Gloss Finishes]
B --> C[G - Gloss]
B --> D[SG - Semi-Gloss]
B --> E[M - Matt]
A --> F[Munsell Colour References]
F --> G[Card Numbers & Notations]

Use IS SP 1650 as a reference for selecting paint finishes and colours with standardized gloss types and Munsell colour codes.

IS SP Part 1650: Definitions of Colour Terms — Key Points

1. Colour Definitions

• Defined in Appendix A (detailed glossary of colour terms).
• Essential for uniform understanding in the standard.

2. Scheme of Division of Colours (Clause 3.1)

• Colours graded top to bottom from light to dark.
• Left side: greyish colours; right side: fairly strong colours.

3. Reference Numbers for Colours (Clause 2.5)

• Uses Munsell notation for precise colour referencing.
• Example:

Summary Diagram: Colour Card Division

graph LR
    Card0("Card 0: Strong Colours")
    Card1("Card 1: Red")
    Card2("Card 2: Yellow-Red")
    Card3("Card 3: Yellow-Red")
    Card4("Card 4: Yellow")
    Card5("Card 5: Green-Yellow")
    Card6("Card 6: Green")
    Card7("

IS SP Part 1650: Scheme of Division of Colours

1. Colour Grouping (Clause 3.1)

Colours are organized on 10 cards (0 to 9) for easy comparison:

• Colours on each card are graded top to bottom from light to dark.
• Left side shows greyish colours, right side shows fairly strong colours.
• Spaces between colours maintain regular lightness gradation.

2. Reference Numbers for Colours (Clause 7.5)

Colours are referenced using Munsell notation with card numbers:

• G = Glossy, SG = Semi-glossy, M = Matte finish.

Summary

• 10 cards divide colours by hue and strength.
• Colours graded light to dark vertically.
• Munsell system used for precise colour referencing.
• Gloss finish types are indicated by G, SG, M.

flowchart LR
    A[Card 0: Strong Colours

IS SP Part 1650: Reference Numbers for Colours

Colour Scheme (Clause 3.1)

• Colours divided into 10 cards (0 to 9):
  • Card 0: Strong colours
  • Card 9: Greys
  • Cards 1 to 8: Intermediate hues with greyish colours on left, stronger on right.
• 8 hue groups across cards, e.g.:
  • Card 1: Red
  • Card 5: Green-yellow
  • Card 7: Blue-green and blue
  • Card 8: Purple-blue and red-purple
• Colours graded top to bottom: light to dark.

Colour Numbering (Clause 4.1)

• Colours numbered 001 to 101 per card.
• Example: 0-014, 6-072, 9-101.
• White (102) and Black (103) excluded.
• Format: Card number - Colour number used as SP:1650-1973 identifiers.

Gloss Finishes (Clause 2.5)

• Gloss types: G (Glossy), SG (Semi-gloss), M (Matte)
• Example references:

  Number	Gloss Type	Munsell Reference
  7-075	G, SG, M	5 G 9/2 / 5 B 9/2
  7-076	G, SG, M	5 G 7/1 / 5 B 7/4
  7-077	G, SG, M	7.5 BG 6/2 / 7.5 B 6/6

Summary Table: Colour Cards and Hues

flow

IS SP Part 1650: Types of Gloss-Finish (Clause 5.1)

The standard defines three main types of gloss finishes for building colours, indicated by letter symbols:

Key Points:

• Not all colours can be produced reliably in all gloss types.
• The letter adjacent to each colour sample guides the suitable gloss finish.
• Final gloss finish selection must be agreed upon between user and supplier.
• Gloss finish affects the visual perception of colour and is influenced by material texture and lighting.

Additional Notes:

• Colours are identified by Munsell-based numbers (e.g., 0-014, 6-072).
• The colour cards are generally printed in semi-gloss for daylight viewing.

flowchart LR
    A[Colour Selection] --> B{Gloss Type}
    B -->|G| C[Gloss Finish]
    B -->|SG| D[Semi-gloss / Egg-shell Finish]
    B -->|M| E[Matt Finish]
    C & D & E --> F[Material & Supplier Agreement]

This helps architects and decorators choose appropriate finishes consistent with material availability and aesthetic requirements.

IS SP: 1650 — Munsell References (Clause 2.5 & 7.5)

This clause provides standardized Munsell color notations used for soil and material color identification in geotechnical and structural contexts.

Key Points:

• Munsell Notation Format:
  Hue Value / Chroma
  Example: 5 G 9/2 means Hue = 5 Green, Value = 9, Chroma = 2.

• Tables Summary:
  The tables list paired Munsell references for various card numbers, showing color notations under columns G (General), SG (Slightly Grayed), and M (Moist).

Sample Table Extract (Clause 2.5):

Usage:

• Soil color identification: Helps classify soil types and moisture conditions.
• Standardization: Ensures consistent communication of soil color across projects.

Additional Notes:

• Hue indicates the dominant wavelength (color).
• Value represents lightness (0=black, 10=white).
• Chroma is color purity/saturation.

flowchart LR
    A[Munsell Notation] --> B[Hue (Color)]
    A --> C[Value (Lightness)]
    A --> D[Chroma (Saturation)]
    B --> E[Examples: 5G, 7.5BG]
    C --> F[Range: 0 (black) to 10 (white)]
    D --> G[Range: 0 (neutral gray) upwards]

For detailed color matching, refer to IS SP 1650 Table 6 for exact

IS SP Part 1650 – Colour Identification and Correlation

Key Points from Clause 3.1 (Scheme of Division of Colours)

• Colours are grouped into 10 cards (0 to 9) for easy comparison:

  • Card 0: Strong colours
  • Cards 1 to 8: Intermediate colours arranged by hue groups
  • Card 9: Greys

• Each card contains colours graded top to bottom from light to dark.

• Colours on intermediate cards show greyish tones on left and stronger colours on right.

• The 8 hue groups on cards 1 to 8 are:

Colour Correlation

• Colours in this standard are correlated with IS:5-1961 (Colours for ready mixed paints) wherever possible.
• Appendix C provides the near equivalents between IS SP 1650 and IS 5-1961 colours.
• Definitions of colour terms are in Appendix A of the standard.

Summary Table: Colour Cards and Hue Groups

| Card No. | Hue Group                      |
|----------|--------------------------------|
| 0        | Strong Colours                 |
| 1        | Red                           |
| 2        | Yellow-Red                    |
| 3        | Yellow-Red                    |
| 4        | Yellow                        |
| 5        | Green-Yellow                  |
| 6        | Green                        |
| 7        | Blue-Green and Blue           |
| 8        | Purple-Blue and Red-Purple    |
| 9        | Greys                        |

Visualization of Colour Grouping

graph LR
    Card0[Card 0: Strong Colours]
    Card1[Card 1: Red]
    Card2[Card 2: Yellow-Red]
    Card3[Card 3: Yellow-Red]
    Card4[Card 4: Yellow]
   

IS SP Part 1650: Glossary of Colour Terms - Key Points

1. Colour Finish Types (Clause 5.1)

• Colours may not be reproducible in all gloss types.
• Final finish selection is by user-supplier agreement.

2. Colour Reference System: Munsell (Clauses 2.1 & 2.5)

• Colour terms follow Munsell Colour System definitions (Appendix A).
• Colours are coded with Munsell notation, e.g., 7.5R 6/0.5 or 2.5Y 6/0.5.
• Gloss finish symbols (G, SG, M) are appended to Munsell codes to specify finish suitability.

3. Example Munsell Colour Table (Clause 2.5)

This standard ensures consistent colour communication using Munsell notation combined with gloss finish codes, aiding specification clarity in structural applications.

Munsell Colour System (IS SP Part 1650 - Clause 2.5 & 7.5)

The Munsell Colour System specifies colors based on three attributes:

• Hue (H): The type of color (e.g., Red, Yellow, Green).
• Value (V): Lightness from black (0) to white (10).
• Chroma (C): Color purity or saturation from neutral gray (0) upwards.

Format of Munsell Notation:

Hue Value/Chroma
Example: 5R 6/4

• 5R = Hue (5 Red)
• 6 = Value (lightness)
• 4 = Chroma (color intensity)

Key Points from IS SP 1650 Tables:

Practical Use:

• Soil, paint, and material colors are matched using Munsell cards.
• Helps in consistent color communication in engineering and construction.

Visual Summary:

graph LR
A[Hue] --> B[Value]
B --> C[Chroma]
C --> D[Munsell Notation: Hue Value/Chroma]

**Summary

Correlation of IS SP:1650 Colours with IS 5-1961 Colours

IS SP:1650 correlates its finishing material colours with IS 5-1961 "Colours for ready mixed paints" using Munsell notation. This ensures consistency in colour specification across standards.

Key Points:

• Colour correlation is indicated in Appendix C of IS SP:1650.
• Colours are referenced using Munsell Colour Notation: Hue, Value, and Chroma (e.g., 5R 3/5).
• Near equivalents from IS 5-1961 are provided where exact matches aren't possible.
• Tables in clauses 2.5 and 7.5 list paired colour codes from both standards.

Sample Correlation Table Extract (Clause 7.5):

Munsell Colour Notation Format:

Hue (e.g., 5R, 2.5 YR) / Value (lightness) / Chroma (colour purity)

Summary:

• Use Appendix C for detailed colour correlation.
• Refer to Munsell notation for precise colour communication.
• IS SP:1650 colours are harmonized with IS 5-1961 to maintain uniformity in paint and finishing materials.

flowchart LR
    A[IS SP:1650 Colours] --> B{Munsell Notation}
    B --> C[Hue]
    B --> D[Value]
    B --> E[Chroma]
    A --> F[Appendix C]
    F --> G