# Painting Garage Walls



## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

I've got a client with a home that was just built and wants to finish his garage. Right now its drywall that has been taped/mudded/sanded (no texture). Obviously I have some cleanup to do on the walls for preparation but I was curious about the actual paint that I should use in this case.

We usually use SW paints but I haven't done a garage yet. The client is ultimately going to epoxy the floor (thats a topic for another discussion) but they do a lot of work in their garage construction wise as well as working on cars. They were looking for a very durable and easy to clean paint. My initial thought was to use an exterior, like the Solo but then a colleague of mine told me to look at Ceramic paints like Muralo instead. The bottom line is we just need to choose a very durable and easy to clean paint to be used and I would welcome any recommendations. 

I'm also not sure if we want to use a Flat paint (recommended by the same colleague who recommended the Muralo) but a Semi-Gloss may be too much. We painted a few areas with test colors from SW which is all Satin and the client isn't exactly thrilled about the sheen of the Satin. I'd be concerned with Eggshell's durability though?

So to sum it up I am looking for recommendations on the following:

- Interior Garage paint - need something very durable and easily cleaned. Does not need to be able to take a hose to it but would like to be able to take a wet rag or towel to clean with no concerns.
- Client is not thrilled with a Satin (used for the test spots) but does not want to go to as far as Flat.


Thanks for any assistance!


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## Chuck the painter (Sep 16, 2015)

Promar 200 semigloss or any of the HD paint & primer.

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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

The Muralo comes in a ceramic Matte finish also. And an eggshell. Either one would be a lower sheen then satin. They are pretty pricey, which is why it is common to see paints such as promar 200 and Paint and primer used.But to get any durability and wash-ability out PM200 you have to use a semi-gloss.
That being said and knowing how nice some of the homes in Las Vegas are, if your customer doesn't mind the extra expense you wouldn't go wrong with the Muralo Ultra Ceramic matte. And honestly, the difference in a two car garage between using PM 200 semi-gloss and the Muralo shouldn't be significant to someone who is building the house of their dreams in Las Vegas! It just isn't all that common to use that high of grade of paint in a garage in most areas of the country.

Any of the quality ceramic paint brands such as Muralo Ultra ceramic, Graham Aqua Borne ceramic, and California Super Scrub are extremely washable and scrubbable in their matte and eggshell finishes. I am a California dealer and i have test patches of the Super Scrub on my walls and I have customers scrubbing them with scotch brite pads and Ajax on a regular basis and there is yet to be any scrub through to the tinted gray primer i put under them.


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## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

PACman said:


> The Muralo comes in a ceramic Matte finish also. And an eggshell. Either one would be a lower sheen then satin. They are pretty pricey, which is why it is common to see paints such as promar 200 and Paint and primer used. To get any durability and wash-ability out of them you have to use a semi-gloss though.
> That being said and knowing how nice some of the homes in Las Vegas are, if your customer doesn't mind the extra expense you wouldn't go wrong with the Muralo Ultra Ceramic matte. And honestly, the difference in a two car garage between using PM 200 semi-gloss and the Muralo shouldn't be significant to someone who is building the house of their dreams in Las Vegas! It just isn't all that common to use that high of grade of paint in a garage in most areas of the country.


Thanks for the info. I was seriously considering going with Muralo, though the issue I am finding now is distribution. They don't list anyone in NV who carries it. So access to the product may be an issue.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

smokey7722 said:


> Thanks for the info. I was seriously considering going with Muralo, though the issue I am finding now is distribution. They don't list anyone in NV who carries it. So access to the product may be an issue.


All three of those companies sell through independent paint dealers for the most part, and are predominately east coast and mid-west companies.
You can do a dealer search for California at their website but i don't know if you can for the other two brands. I doubt if California is that far west though.

Have you checked Kelly Moore and Dunn Edwards to see if they have any ceramic paint lines? I am not very familiar with their lines since i moved back east.


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## HD painting (May 27, 2013)

Sw precat epoxy- eggshell? Chemical resistant. 
I think my store has it 30% off now...


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

HD painting said:


> Sw precat epoxy- eggshell? Chemical resistant.
> I think my store has it 30% off now...


That's a definite option. Funny though, i have my P&L W/R precat on sale at 30% off also! Must be a trend.


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## Exactoman (Mar 28, 2013)

Dude. If you're painting high end homes in vegas you have absolutely zero business using any product from Sherwin Williams. Zero business at all.


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## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

Exactoman said:


> Dude. If you're painting high end homes in vegas you have absolutely zero business using any product from Sherwin Williams. Zero business at all.


Never said this was a high end home. Just that the garage will be seeing a lot of heavy use and that I want to provide the best coating I can on the walls for it. Thats also why I was posting here to get opinions on what I should be using for this purpose as I have not done it before.


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## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

PACman said:


> All three of those companies sell through independent paint dealers for the most part, and are predominately east coast and mid-west companies.
> You can do a dealer search for California at their website but i don't know if you can for the other two brands. I doubt if California is that far west though.
> 
> Have you checked Kelly Moore and Dunn Edwards to see if they have any ceramic paint lines? I am not very familiar with their lines since i moved back east.


Thanks for the recommendations. I just checked Kelly Moore and Dunn Edwards but couldn't find anything in a ceramic line (I could have missed it if they exist but couldn't find it).

Also doesn't look like any of the three, Muralo, Graham Aqua Borne, or California Super Scrub make it all the way out west. I did find a few places online that seem to sell Muralo but the shipping cost starts to make it not worth it. Man, this seems amazing that I can't find a ceramic out here.


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## Exactoman (Mar 28, 2013)

smokey7722 said:


> Never said this was a high end home. Just that the garage will be seeing a lot of heavy use and that I want to provide the best coating I can on the walls for it. Thats also why I was posting here to get opinions on what I should be using for this purpose as I have not done it before.



Gotcha smokey. Any Ben moore product in low sheen, Ultra spec or higher end regal will be a great garage coating!


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

I've often told people at the end of the day, it's just paint. It's a thin coloured film colouring a surface. It's not bullet proof, it can get scratched off, etc. You can only ask so much of it.

Consider a pearl finish. Less sheen than the satin they didn't like, more than eggshell, and more scrubbable than eggshell. If the guy is working on cars and building stuff in his garage, he'll understand. It's just paint.


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

PACman said:


> All three of those companies sell through independent paint dealers for the most part, and are predominately east coast and mid-west companies.
> 
> You can do a dealer search for California at their website but i don't know if you can for the other two brands. I doubt if California is that far west though.
> 
> ...



That WOULD be crazy to find California Paints way out west...


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## Seth The Painter (Jun 24, 2015)

I would go with regal select matte finish there.


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

radio11 said:


> That WOULD be crazy to find California Paints way out west...
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


California Paint is a Massachusetts company. They make great products including Storm System stains. It doesn't get sold in California due to some agreement with Dunn Edwards or some other old school, not so good anymore paint company. Which sucks for those who can't get it.


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## slinger58 (Feb 11, 2013)

smokey7722 said:


> I've got a client with a home that was just built and wants to finish his garage. Right now its drywall that has been taped/mudded/sanded (no texture). Obviously I have some cleanup to do on the walls for preparation but I was curious about the actual paint that I should use in this case.
> 
> We usually use SW paints but I haven't done a garage yet. The client is ultimately going to epoxy the floor (thats a topic for another discussion) but they do a lot of work in their garage construction wise as well as working on cars. They were looking for a very durable and easy to clean paint. My initial thought was to use an exterior, like the Solo but then a colleague of mine told me to look at Ceramic paints like Muralo instead. The bottom line is we just need to choose a very durable and easy to clean paint to be used and I would welcome any recommendations.
> 
> ...


Construction type work and they work on their cars. And the concern is too much sheen? Why? 

Higher the sheen, the more cleanable it is. 

It's a Sheetrock wall. If there's a hissy fit and someone throws a wrench or a hammer at the wall, the paint won't stop it. :no:


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

kdpaint said:


> California Paint is a Massachusetts company. They make great products including Storm System stains. It doesn't get sold in California due to some agreement with Dunn Edwards or some other old school, not so good anymore paint company. Which sucks for those who can't get it.


California Paints and Dunn Edwards share their color card system. Many of the color chips in my chip selector have Dunn Edwards logos on the back. I am not sure of any other agreements but I would assume part of the color agreement would include a no compete clause. Which really is kind of stupid if you ask me.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

slinger58 said:


> Construction type work and they work on their cars. And the concern is too much sheen? Why?
> 
> Higher the sheen, the more cleanable it is.
> 
> It's a Sheetrock wall. If there's a hissy fit and someone throws a wrench or a hammer at the wall, the paint won't stop it. :no:


That's true. But also remember that the drywall work typically done in a garage is done to a utility grade standard. (level 3 at best) That would mean that a lower sheen would hide surface imperfections for someone who is concerned about it. 

Just like the customers that have to have Behr no matter what, if this customer wants a low sheen washable paint just do it and count that cash!

A Ben Moore premium line like Regal select would be a good intermediate option. Not as "scrubbable" as a ceramic but much more durable and washable then PM 200.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

I'm a bit late to the party here, but yah the Regal BM line is nicely washable in all sheens. 

I would recommend Rust Scat (from Coronado, any BM dealer can order it) as I've heard awesome things about it, but he lowest sheen available is semi-gloss. Seems like it'd be perfect for the job other than sheen.


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## Roamer (Jul 5, 2010)

Promar 400 flat. Even though the garage is tape and mudded it probably is a long way off from being a level 5 finish. Any paint with a sheen will high light any of the poor mudding or taping.

A cheap flat is easy to apply and better yet easy to touch up. If the owner is working in his garage he'll likely ding his walls and if he does there isn't a paint that will withstand that. Better to keep it simple. Leave him a gallon for touch up.


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## HD painting (May 27, 2013)

400 flat is def an option. Touchups are easy. What's about greasy hand prints? 

Paint the ceiling and top section of the walls pm400 flat then tape a line for bottom half of walls. Then use something a little better where they will be likely to get abuse? 

Best of both worlds  cheap and high end 
Maybe add a stripe and now you can have 3 colors


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

Roamer said:


> Promar 400 flat. Even though the garage is tape and mudded it probably is a long way off from being a level 5 finish. Any paint with a sheen will high light any of the poor mudding or taping.
> 
> A cheap flat is easy to apply and better yet easy to touch up. If the owner is working in his garage he'll likely ding his walls and if he does there isn't a paint that will withstand that. Better to keep it simple. Leave him a gallon for touch up.



If it were my garage, I would go inexpensive flat on the rock as well. Washing/scrubbing is a joke in many circumstances and a monthly touch up would take 10 minutes--max. Cleaning the walls would take much longer and still look like crap. I would go with a top shelf quality enamel on the trim and doors. 


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

radio11 said:


> If it were my garage, I would go inexpensive flat on the rock as well. Washing/scrubbing is a joke in many circumstances and a monthly touch up would take 10 minutes--max. Cleaning the walls would take much longer and still look like crap. I would go with a top shelf quality enamel on the trim and doors.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Really depends on what you're shooting for. Customer didn't ask for easy touch-up, he asked for easy clean. He might be okay with easy touch-up; it's definitely a conversation worth having, but I wouldn't just slap PM 400 on there without talking to him about it, or he's gonna be real upset the first time he tries to clean it.

PM 400 is definitely simple to touch up for the cost, but over time it will start looking really bad and splotchy. There's tradeoffs whichever way you do it.


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

I'd go with something with a sheen. 
Mine I went precatylized epoxy S.G. Well it was left over from a job.
Good choice though
But really pro mar 200 a eggshell would be fine IMHO you know if the price of the room is gonna be the same whatever u use.


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## radio11 (Aug 14, 2015)

Ha ha--you're right about 400. How bout we recommend a "good" flat that will touch up well for a long time. 


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

radio11 said:


> Ha ha--you're right about 400. How bout we recommend a "good" flat that will touch up well for a long time.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Even cheap flats touch up pretty well, it's just that with the really cheap ones you have to touch up a LOT to keep it looking good in a situation like a garage, and that takes its toll. Plus it's gonna mar when he tries to clean it. 

As with a lot of things, it's all about the HO's expectations, rather than the paint itself. That's what we should be asking about.


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

What the hell? If the guy wants a good washable lo sheen just give it to him. If he came in my store and wanted Superscrub for his garage i would sure as heck sell it to him. And having garages painted with a higher end paint isn't all that uncommon in California and Nevada. If that's what they want they would be quite disappointed if you used 400 no matter how well it touches up.


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

Not for nothing. Almost nobody is gonna periodically touchup the paint in their garage, or really I any room


And washable wall paint isn't the same as a finish on ur car or ur refrigerator either.


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## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

Wow definitely lots of really great info here. Based on availability I am going to end up passing on the ceramic, though I would have loved to play with it. It looks like theres a few recommendations to go with the BM Regal Select Exterior Flat (W105). Theres only 3 BM dealers in Vegas but one is fairly close and I can swing by to get some pricing info. I assume it should be no issue matching to an SW color that the client picked out. Worst comes to worst they can match it off the swatch if they don't have a direct cross reference.

Any recommendations on if I should use any specific primer for it? Though the TDS states is a self priming paint, I figured I would ask for those who may have used it before and if they recommended otherwise for going onto brand new drywall.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

For the Regal Select, check if your local store has the high build (little more durable, should be the same price or near to). That'd be N400 Regal Select High Build Flat.

I wouldn't recommend putting exterior paint direct on drywall with no primer. It'd probably be fine, but not what it's meant to be self priming on. I'd prime with Fresh Start (046), or if money is a bit tighter you may be able to get Sure Seal (BM 027) which is a newer BM product. If they don't have Sure Seal, 1-2-3 primer from Zinsser should do just fine as well.

Matching the color should be no problem. If the customer likes the color on the swatch, it's actually usually better to scan a match off the swatch rather than trust BM's computer match. Sometimes the actual paint color is a bit different than the swatch. Either way, they should be able to get close enough you can't tell the difference.

Good luck dude, let me know if you have any other questions.


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## Oden (Feb 8, 2012)

Exterior flat paint on drywall inside of a garage is what we came up with here?
Really?


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## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

Oden said:


> Exterior flat paint on drywall inside of a garage is what we came up with here?
> Really?


I could have interpreted the posts wrong, thats why I posted to talk about it! They do have the interior (547) which I could use but given the durability request I thought I was still going with an exterior. I'd have liked to go higher than a flat - I guess they have matte and egg-shell at BM though.


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## smokey7722 (Sep 10, 2015)

DrakeB said:


> For the Regal Select, check if your local store has the high build (little more durable, should be the same price or near to). That'd be N400 Regal Select High Build Flat.


Thanks, I can look into seeing if they have the N400 when I swing by there. It won't be until next Thursday as I am out of town at the moment though.




DrakeB said:


> I wouldn't recommend putting exterior paint direct on drywall with no primer. It'd probably be fine, but not what it's meant to be self priming on. I'd prime with Fresh Start (046), or if money is a bit tighter you may be able to get Sure Seal (BM 027) which is a newer BM product. If they don't have Sure Seal, 1-2-3 primer from Zinsser should do just fine as well.


Yup I didn't expect to or want to, even if they said it could be done. Thanks for the recommendations



DrakeB said:


> Matching the color should be no problem. If the customer likes the color on the swatch, it's actually usually better to scan a match off the swatch rather than trust BM's computer match. Sometimes the actual paint color is a bit different than the swatch. Either way, they should be able to get close enough you can't tell the difference.


Thanks, as I said earlier I tend to use SW primarily and haven't had to do much matching outside of their stuff which by code is usually enough. I have the swatch and will use that.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

smokey7722 said:


> I could have interpreted the posts wrong, thats why I posted to talk about it! They do have the interior (547) which I could use but given the durability request I thought I was still going with an exterior. I'd have liked to go higher than a flat - I guess they have matte and egg-shell at BM though.


If your customer wants flat that's his call. There's also a low luster that you could try that's got a bit more sheen to it. BM has really nice sheen swatches that can show you the difference between them and strike a good balance between washability and hiding imperfections. Honestly, if you're going flat you might as well use interior (like 547 or 548) because it's not going to wash nicely either way. If you want something with a bit more gloss, the exterior paint can hold up a bit better long term.

Make sure if you're doing exterior you leave the garage open for as long as you can (preferably a couple of days) because the off-gas on exterior paint is pretty harsh/not good for you. If you can't have it open for a while, stick with an interior paint. Exterior handles temperature extremes (if it's not a temperature controlled garage) better, and tends to be a bit more durable.


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## DrakeB (Jun 6, 2011)

Just note that exterior paint can have some odor issues due to mildewcide when in enclosed spaces, and can trigger some people's allergies. There are reasons why you shouldn't use exterior only paints in enclosed spaces. You just need to determine what's best for the situation.

Like I said before, Rust Scat sounds like what you want, just have to deal with a high sheen. Might be worth having an in-depth conversation with your customer about why flat isn't the best sheen for the job.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

Customer didn't want it too shiny, didn't like satin because of this. Want's some level of durability and washable. Flat's a terrible choice for this reason alone. Hit the middle and go with low luster. Show the guy a sample of the sheen.

If he's ok with it, fire it up.

I used to agonize over decisions like this up until a few years ago. Then I realized how much of my own time I was wasting coming up with more options than were necessary and either confusing myself or the customer. Go with your gut, keep it simple and come up with a narrow range of options for the customer and let them decide. A week after it's done, nobody's even going to remember the questions that were being asked.


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