Matching Commodore breadbin beige

I don’t think it’s any great secret that RAL 1019 is the color of the Commodore 64 breadbin and its matching peripherals. But what can you do in parts of the world where you can’t find RAL 1019 in spray cans? Here are some other tips for matching Commodore breadbin beige.

There are several reasons to want to match old computer colors. Maybe you want to paint a damaged case, or maybe you’re building a peripheral for it and want a vintage color for it. Fortunately there are some off-the-shelf matches that are fairly close, including in the Krylon Fusion line, which bond well to plastic.

Hardware store matches for Commodore breadbin beige

matching Commodore breadbin beige
Left top: Krylon Fusion Satin Khaki. Right top: Rustoleum Satin Fossil. Bottom: the result of mixing the two.

As far as hardware store matches go, Krylon Fusion Satin Khaki is just a little too brown, but it’s close, and has the advantage of bonding to plastic. I think it’s the closest match out there for the original. Depending on how yours has aged, it may not be the best.

Krylon Colormaster Pebble seems a little too gray, but it’s also pretty close. The Krylon Colormaster Khaki looks a little too yellow. I don’t think it’s as good of a match as the Fusion version.

Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Satin Fossil is a little too gray, but closer than Krylon Pebble. It’s the closest match I could find in the Rustoleum line. Rustoleum also has a couple of different Khaki colors. The Painter’s Touch Khaki is too brown. Rustoleum Khaki Camouflage looks closer, but its finish is flat. Unfinished plastic has a bit of a shine to it, so satin finish more closely matches unpainted plastic’s inherent appearance.

I found I was able to get a pretty close match by spraying with Krylon Fusion Satin Khaki, then dusting a bit of Rustoleum Satin Fossil over it, and alternating very thin coats of the two until it blended in. It can take 3-5 repetitions to get it about right.

Hobby shop matches for Commodore breadbin beige

If you have a hobby shop nearby, there are some very close matches in hobby paints. Citadel Zandri Dust is almost a perfect match for RAL 1019. Model Master 1704, Model Master 1992, and Model Master 1955 from Testors are also very close.

These paints will match the original color better than hardware store paints, which can be a big advantage. Unfortunately they also have some disadvantages. They’re probably going to be harder to find for you, at least locally. They’re more expensive. And while they’ll stick to plastic, they’re intended for models, which don’t get handled as much as computer gear. You’ll probably want to paint the item with Krylon Fusion Satin Khaki first, then follow up in a week or two with the closer match. That will give it something to bond to, and when it wears, at least it will wear to a fairly close color underneath.

What about the 64C, 128 and Amiga?

Krylon Fusion Satin Almond is a close match for later Commodore machines. It probably won’t be perfect, depending on how your machine aged, but that color will be close. Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Heirloom White or Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Ivory are probably too white.

Amigas used a darker beige as an accent color, most prominently on the front of the Amiga 2000, or on the bezels of certain monitors like the 1080. Rustoleum Painter’s Touch Satin Fossil is a fairly good match for that color.

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One thought on “Matching Commodore breadbin beige

  • February 10, 2021 at 3:13 pm
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    LVP Paints out of Dallas sells RAL 1019 in spray cans

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