# Red paint - why doesn't it cover?



## annapaints (Aug 12, 2010)

Hi! I'm an office admin for a painting company in Seattle - we do interior/exterior residential and commercial businesses. My boss wants me to write an article about why red paint doesn't cover well - does anyone know? Thanks for any and all help!

Anna


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

If you look at the base for a darker color, its almost one quart empty, and almost clear. The reason its low on paint is to make room for the tint, and tint by its very nature dose not cover well. 

Also, paints that cover well have more titanium dioxide, and titanium dioxide it _white. _So if you put white titanium dioxide in a base that is to be tinted a dark color (red) its going to throw off the color. Red would turn out pink!


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## y.painting (Jul 19, 2009)

This should answer your question.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

y.painting said:


> This should answer your question.


Thanks Y! That article said it better than I ever could.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

Also any color you pick in a clear base would have a hard time covering.


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## Last Craftsman (Dec 5, 2008)

Red is usually the worse.

Yellow also does not cover well.

Paints with sheen tend to not cover as good as flat paints.

There are new paints such as Aura with a base that literally can hold more particles of pigment in suspension which do cover better, but sometimes require different application techniques than previous paints to finish nicely.


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## Retired (Jul 27, 2010)

http://www.pcimag.com/Articles/Feature_Article/510dbf08f45f9010VgnVCM100000f932a8c0____


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

Elimination of Chromates and Lead.


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

not all reds are created equal

ive used reds that covered fine (aura, muralo just to name 2)

the clear base is the problem, its more like a glaze than a paint.


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## Faron79 (Dec 11, 2007)

*Other reason's too...*

Since we tint soooo many Reds/Burgundies up here....

Good reasons above too!
* There's also the QUALITY of the TI02 going into a particular paint-line.
* Some TI02's are whiter than cheaper grinds.
* Other TI's have FINER grind-levels.
* Also...Reds, Magenta's, and Yellows aren't "Earth-based" colorants. Meaning, they're artificially created, and, unfortuneately, fairly transparent.
* The transparency of these colors can be reduced by using a dark-gray primer underneath. Grays cut light reflection through sheer tint-bases, allowing a Burgundy to be more "color-correct" with fewer coats.
* The price of the colorants is up there too...a Magenta colorant is usually more expensive than a Black or Brown BY A FACTOR OF FIVE OR SIX...!

(the above points assume the very common Glycol-based LIQUID colorants)

High-end paints like FPE :notworthy: are entirely different...their colorants are PASTES, and very opaque. With an FPE Red/Magenta...you can get by with ONE COAT ON WHITE....I've done it:yes:, and torture-tested it. Two are preferred though.

Faron


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## Harry (Aug 4, 2008)

Faron79 said:


> Since we tint soooo many Reds/Burgundies up here....
> 
> Good reasons above too!
> * There's also the QUALITY of the TI02 going into a particular paint-line.
> ...


What's up with reds and burgundys in Fargo?


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## Retired (Jul 27, 2010)

Up there if you let them breathe they turn into popsicles.


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## nEighter (Nov 14, 2008)

no one has said a thing about red tint bases.. start red then are tinted to the desired red..

I know Glidden Pro has one, Kwal paints has one.. sure others do as well.


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## Faron79 (Dec 11, 2007)

*"Fargo" colorants!*

Yeah-yeah....I KNOW it gets coooolllldd up here!

JOKING....Why do you think there's all that Glycol in colorant anyway?!?!LOL...paint won't freeze up here then...

Red & Yellow bases:
ACE-Royal has had-'em for yeeeears now.
If the color is vibrant enough, it'll call for this type of tint-base. We don't use it much though. These type of colors aren't used much.

Faron


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## Retired (Jul 27, 2010)

Oh, those kinds of reds and burgundys. I was gonna say that MD2020 will freeze into popscicles too.

Loved your movie BTW!


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## jack pauhl (Nov 10, 2008)

annapaints said:


> Hi! I'm an office admin for a painting company in Seattle - we do interior/exterior residential and commercial businesses. My boss wants me to write an article about why red paint doesn't cover well - does anyone know? Thanks for any and all help!
> 
> Anna


The article should include specific product when you talk about when and why it doesnt cover.

 http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackpauhl/4569491979/


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## annapaints (Aug 12, 2010)

Thanks, everyone! You've been a tremendous help.


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