# Aura exterior



## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

Whats the big deal about this paint?

I just used it for the first time, and though I am happy with the results I just don't see what all the fuss is about. 

I bought it for the last exterior of the season, thinking it was the only BM exterior paint good to 4.4C (of 40F for you americans) - turns out all of BM's exterior paints are low temperature application paints. As for VOC's, there is only a 4g/l difference between the exterior spec line and the aura line. They're both 100% acrylic. Only the Aura is $40 more than the spec. 

It did have great hide, but I still needed to apply 2 coats (not that I wouldn't have anyways) - but when I sprayed the outbuilding with exterior spec there wasn't a whole lot of apparent difference between the two paints, other than that I only managed 250 sq ft per gallon with the aura and 350 per gallon with the spec. 

I don't think i'd bother using this stuff for siding anymore (especially when it ends up costing $1200 in paint to spray a small house), but I can definitely see advantages using to brush/roll exterior trim.


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## PatsPainting (Mar 4, 2010)

I think the key here is to go back in a few years and then compare the two. I would think no matter what paints you are using. The day after they will look great.

Pat


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

PatsPainting said:


> I think *the key here is to go back in a few years and then compare the two.* I would think no matter what paints you are using. The day after they will look great.
> 
> Pat


You do make a good point there...


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

If you take the top ten paints and put them against one another, there's really not that much difference in quality.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

I use PPG Timeless on most of my exterior jobs at 55 a gallon, but like Pat said, drive by in a couple years and how's it look. I have exteriors that I painted 5 + yrs ago and they still look they were painted yesterday. I don't hesitate to buy higher quality paint.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

That's true but I have seen Home Depoe paint last a good ten years and look good at it.I really hate to say it though.


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## Lambrecht (Feb 8, 2010)

You must be feeling brave tonight to make a positive statement about Home Depot on this site. Lol


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Lambrecht said:


> You must be feeling brave tonight to make a positive statement about Home Depot on this site. Lol


Not really,I don't like the stuff, but I have seen it last longer than I wanted it to.I really feel there is a bigger difference in interior paints than exterior across the board.


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Rcon, the main difference in the VOC's is the colorant. The Gennex tints do not add any VOC. So even though the 2 are similar starting out ( Spec/Aura ), once you add colorant they will be much different.

Longevity, and fade resistance will be the most noticeable difference. Especially if they were dark colors. Hide will be better with Aura, although certain colors makes little difference. :thumbsup:


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## straight_lines (Oct 17, 2007)

I use it when a customer requires the best paint possible. If I am choosing an exterior paint its usually Moorglo. Used it for over ten years and it still performs very well.


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## ttd (Sep 30, 2010)

Timeless is a fine bucket of paint too!


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

ttd said:


> Timeless is a fine bucket of paint too!


It was...I dropped it because of consistency. I was getting bad batches every time I turned around.


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## 4ThGeneration (Apr 17, 2007)

Its going to be hard to use Aura and compete with other people. The price is a killer when people are strict on a budget. Also, imagine when you give your price vs the other guys and yours comes up hundreds more. Do not give me that you gotta sell better jazz. I can close the gap some, but not that much. Bad enough trying to do so on 1 room for interior or a exterior porch, but imagine if your doing a whole house interior or exterior? Besides, when we wait long enough there will be aura Extreme climate or something else that is better than regular Aura...

I use it when I am asked about it or they show interest and I educate them on it, but usually just go with Cashmere or Regal Matte.


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## jason123 (Jul 2, 2009)

I bought the farm a couple years ago on pittsburgh paints deep red.. On that job I would have saved the whole job if I used aura. unfortunately I didn't.
It has great hide. I find it tends to frame the wall. I have to roll really close to fix it.
Dries really fast.


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## DCcenter (Nov 3, 2010)

Agreed. Go back in 5 years. Aura just doesnt fade, and you are less likely to see chalking, surfactant bleed, etc. Maybe as a painter spraying Aura, you see little difference, but for the home owner that is planning to live with it for the next 15, it could make all the difference. Makes your work look better as well.


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## dvab (Mar 12, 2008)

Aura ext flat: volume solids: 46%, WPG: 12.5 lbs
Duration ext flat: volume solids: 41%, WPG 11.7 lbs

Aura ext satin: volume solids: 40.4%, WPG 11.2 lbs
Duration ext satin: volume solids: 41% WPG 10.5 lbs

Aura ext SG: volume solids: 40.4%, WPG 11.2 lbs
Duration ext. SG: volume solids: 40%, WPG:10.2 lbs

Differences in the flat are significant. Not quite sure how SW manages to put less in the can than BM given the similar claimed volume solids in the satin and SG, but they do. Remember, water only weighs 8.34 lbs per gallon and in the higher sheens, it's not about loading with cheap pigments. Perhaps this helps to explain how we regularly see Duration prices in the $20's - can't go there if there is big money in the can.


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

Aura sucks. Over priced garbage.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

Exterior SS sucks and has terrible color retention, I agree that it's a time issue. We used the exterior flat in a dark reddish brown when it first came out and the house still looks great. I have been watching this house in particular as a gage to see how it last over time.

We used 100 gallons last year on town house complex in white which is another thing we are watching as whites are some times hard to work with on one coat. We got great one coat coverage and used it to spot prime raw pine areas that we scraped. ( water stains were spot primed with oil)


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## NEPS.US (Feb 6, 2008)

MAK-Deco said:


> We used 100 gallons last year on town house complex in white which is another thing we are watching as whites are some times hard to work with on one coat. We got great one coat coverage and used it to spot prime raw pine areas that we scraped. ( water stains were spot primed with oil)


Brave.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

NEPS.US said:


> Brave.


yep and I warrantied it for three years, one year down no problems 

if you're going to use a product you need to USE it.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

I think they took the selfpriming away from Aura on wood if I recall correctly. I am not too concerned about the one coat though. No color change exteriors are pretty common jobs and if they are kept up on a regular basis, that is not a big deal. It is when surfaces are let go and there is significant coating damage that more extensive paint jobs are needed.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

DeanV said:


> I think they took the selfpriming away from Aura on wood if I recall correctly. I am not too concerned about the one coat though. No color change exteriors are pretty common jobs and if they are kept up on a regular basis, that is not a big deal. It is when surfaces are let go and there is significant coating damage that more extensive paint jobs are needed.


Most of our scraping on this particular job was on garage door frames, nothing major so I wasn't worried about it.


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Bottom of garage door frames and door casings are where most of the peeling is at, even if a property is kept up.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

DeanV said:


> Bottom of garage door frames and door casings are where most of the peeling is at, even if a property is kept up.


exactly why I figure it wit just using Aura, it was worth a shot to see how it holds up.


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