| Author | Message | ||
     Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider  Post Number: 15543 Registered: 1-2003  |
I'm painting my daughter's room in "exotic red" semi-gloss, Benjamin Moore paint. Great color, but it goes on really splotchy, even after two coats. And yes, I primed. I wonder if it's a deep color but the paint is too thin. Am I going to need five coats or something? Or am I doing something wrong? | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 12568 Registered: 5-2001 |
Tom, it is the color in all likelyhood, not the paint. We painted our dining room in the now almost obligatory dark red and I think I ended up doing four coats, even after using Zinzeer 123 primer.  Looked nice in the end though.  | ||
| fabulouswalls Citizen Username: Fabulouswalls Post Number: 266 Registered: 10-2005  |
Red pigments do not cover well as a rule. You may need several coats to even it out. | ||
| LilLB Citizen Username: Lillb Post Number: 2362 Registered: 10-2002  |
I think the paint label or the color sample strip indicates how many coats are recommended for that color. We have a couple of red rooms in the house - the red needed 4 coats. | ||
| wunderdog Citizen Username: Wunderdogny Post Number: 129 Registered: 9-2004 |
AFTER I applied EIGHT coats of red paint to our front door (after stripping it down to the bare wood), a contractor buddy told me that there is a different kind of primer that works better for red and darker paints. I didn't check it out since I was done, but there may be truth in that. Also, I've done many red rooms in the past and never got away with less than four coats. Same problem with dark green. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 9368 Registered: 5-2001  |
Yeah - I remember the red experience. But we used an outdoor paint for our dining room. There was a reason at the time, which I cannot remember. But 7 years later, it looks great. We may never have to paint that room again. I don't know why I didn't think of it for the kitchen. | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 2190 Registered: 8-2002 |
Tom -- so that had to be you buying exotic red (with the kitten?). (I was getting paint, with my 10 yo son, blond) I recently read that the red pigments are among the "thinnest" there are -- so you may find yourself adding more coats -- good luck -- Pete | ||
| Wendyn Supporter Username: Wendyn Post Number: 3251 Registered: 9-2002  |
We have Exotic Red in a bedroom as well (eggshell) and the painter had to do 5 coats after priming. Looks great though. | ||
| Hillsider Supporter Username: Hillsider Post Number: 97 Registered: 3-2004 |
and of course it has to be a tinted primer... I did such a bad job with the red, that I painted over with a lighter color... And beware the windowing effect (when the walls dry before the edging or vice versa)... | ||
| Ken Scout Citizen Username: Lightningken Post Number: 164 Registered: 11-2005 |
IGNORE ALL THESE POSTS.....It's not the Paint Color or the primer. It's your sheen. Don't use the SemiGloss on walls, because it requires a near perfect application to avoid the "flashing" that you are seeing throughout. Switch to the Matte finish of the same color and the problem should go away. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15552 Registered: 1-2003 |
Thanks everyone. Too bad some of the advice conflicts, but I guess I could have expected that. What do you folks think of Ken's advice? Perhaps you are all right. In other words, semigloss requires extra care or more coats and I could have saved myself the trouble. I'm on coat 2 now. It's easier to go ahead to coat 4 than to start over, right? | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15553 Registered: 1-2003 |
Oh, and yes, I was the one with the kitten in hand. Nice to sort-of meet you! We should do it for-real one day. | ||
| SO Ref Citizen Username: So_refugee Post Number: 2210 Registered: 2-2005  |
I'd have to agree with Ken's assessment. It took 5+ coats of semi-gloss [wife thought it would be easier to maintain in the long run] to do our stairwell and it's still imperfect [I'll now refer to it as "exotic"] because of the "flashing". It's either two more coats and remain dissatisfied or two coats of matte...you just never know with red. | ||
| george H Citizen Username: Georgieboy Post Number: 326 Registered: 8-2005 |
I think that Ken is on to something.Using semi or even eggshell on walls,requires that you roll continuously from floor to ceiling to avoid seeing the break.You also should work to a wet edge,top and bottom,to avoid a break there.Touch ups are next to impossible without painting the whole wall.You can get any color in a Ben Moore matte finish,it hides imperfections better,dries faster,you can re-coat quicker,touchs up better,and is scrubbable.Great product that gives great results. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15556 Registered: 1-2003 |
Will one or two coats of matte cover up the problems I'm having without starting over with primer? | ||
| george H Citizen Username: Georgieboy Post Number: 327 Registered: 8-2005 |
Ask at Riccardi's,they might suggest you rough up the semi a wee tad,so the matte can grab,or they might tell you to have at it. | ||
| Bob K Supporter Username: Bobk Post Number: 12579 Registered: 5-2001 |
Tom, my experiences with red paint were with flat. While semi-gloss shows imperfections in the walls and is harder to apply, just changing to a low or no gloss paint isn't going to allow a two coat paint job. | ||
| george H Citizen Username: Georgieboy Post Number: 328 Registered: 8-2005 |
I think that Tom was asking whether the 1st 2 coats of semi-gloss counted towards the finished product of four coats of paint, and was looking to avoid starting from scratch by re-priming prior to painting with matte. What do you think, Bob K? | ||
| peteglider Citizen Username: Peteglider Post Number: 2192 Registered: 8-2002 |
Riccardi's strongly suggested I use the Ben Moore "Matte" finish -- which they insisted was completely washable and scrubable (I sure hope so!). I primed first -- and it did cover with 1 coat (an off white going over very dark brown). BTW -- it didn't occur to me until after we left the store that the guy buying 'exotic red' might be you, Tom! While there was something familiar about you -- your hair is just so much shorter than your picture ;-) Good luck with the project Pete | ||
| MB Goff Citizen Username: Mbgoff Post Number: 55 Registered: 5-2003 |
When we had to use red paint for something classroom related, Ricciardi's recommended we prime with pink. it worked like a charm. | ||
| mbb Citizen Username: Mbb Post Number: 43 Registered: 4-2006 |
The two coats of semi-gloss should count for coverage if you plan to use the same color matte paint, and you don't use a white primer on top of the semi-gloss. If a primer is needed on top of the semi-gloss for the matte paint to hold, I would suggest getting a primer that is tinted the same color as your finish paint [i.e. red]. Then, one coat of primer and one coat of matte paint should do the job. | ||
| CJH Citizen Username: Christel Post Number: 210 Registered: 1-2006 |
I had this same exact problem when trying to paint part of my last apartment in that stupid exotic red and I nearly went out of my mind. The problem was exactly what everyone here has said -- not using a flat paint and not using a tinted primer. When I finally started making some changes, the primer that was recommended to me was actually a light grey, just dark enough to give the wall some body and help the paint not seem so light at first, but the biggest problem by far was the flashing from the semi-gloss. I was also told by the paint "expert" at the store that in order to paint over the semi with a flat, I would indeed have to prime all over again, pretty much undoing the numerous coats I'd tried on previous attempts. I still love the idea of having a nice deep red wall, but it was a terrible experience and I never got the results I was looking for. Next time I want rich, even color, I'm using wallpaper. | ||
| Ken Scout Citizen Username: Lightningken Post Number: 167 Registered: 11-2005 |
Tom I am sorry to say that it is very hard to paint a flat paint over a sheen (it will adhere fine, but it may not resolve the flashing you are experiencing). You will have to do a test patch. If the flashing problems are going to be resolved, it should only take one coat to do so. If, however, your test patch continues to produce flashing, than you will have to prime the entire surface, and than repaint with the Matte paint. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15568 Registered: 1-2003 |
Last night, I did the whole room in all the areas that I can paint with the roller, leaving the brush areas for later. Now some of the "roller areas" have two coats and some have three. It is getting better. So this is good news. The next question is whether I can accomplish the same in the "brush areas". Thanks, everyone. And I will not be trying flat at this point. Might as well go ahead with the current paint. Well, this has been educational. My daughter apologizes for all the trouble. She is paying, however, by doing other chores. She just doesn't want to paint. Yesterday, she mowed the lawn. I'll be giving her other chores. Maybe I can get her to pull weeds. That will keep her busy for HOURS. | ||
| daylaborer Citizen Username: Upondaroof Post Number: 937 Registered: 4-2003  |
"Last night, I did the whole room in all the areas that I can paint with the roller, leaving the brush areas for later. Now some of the "roller areas" have two coats and some have three. " You're going to see a difference where the brush and roller areas meet. You should always paint to a wet edge and if rolling to a brushed edge, try to roll the brushed area as well. Speed rollers work well here. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15636 Registered: 1-2003 |
What does painting to a wet edge mean? |
