# one coat coverage



## dfoster (Jun 8, 2012)

Hi guys, 

Rarely do I do one coat interior coverage unless it's going over a similar color, like if I were to do a repaint for a realtor trying to sell a house, but I'm looking to give my customers a different pricing option to help close jobs. I recognize that there are customers that want a good paint job and can't tell the difference between a good paint job and a great paint job. Can anyone give me some pointers on what works best for them in terms of paint products? I know superpaint is a paint and primer in one, but is it a good enough sealant to hide where you spackled drywall repair? Would you prime the joint compound with a good primer first, or just hit it with superpaint?


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## Delta Painting (Apr 27, 2010)

I would prime that patch before applying finish coat. Welcome to PT..


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## ddemair (Nov 3, 2008)

I'm eager to be corrected, but since I use a premium 100% acrylic paint, I've found that the paint works as well as any primer over joint compound patches.

For interior painting, the main reason for primer is to create uniform porosity (to prevent flashing) and not so much the need for adhesion. Over new drywall, primer works better than paint at accomplishing this, but over compound, paint seems to work fine.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

There is no such thing as paint and primer in one...it's all marketing nonsense and just another way of saying that the paint is 'self priming' or that you do not need a primer. I agree it's fine to use the actual paint to spot prime the patches....actually, this is probably a better option than getting out some seperate primer for this because the spot primed areas may flash if you use a primer.


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## boman47k (May 10, 2008)

Delta Painting said:


> I would prime that patch before applying finish coat. Welcome to PT..


 
:thumbsup:

If the paint is flat, you might get away with using it for a prime coat.


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## Beth16 (May 23, 2012)

Spot-priming with the finish coat works for me if it's flat or matte, although I figure two coats on almost all my interior jobs so it's not an issue.

I recently got turned on to Gardz primer and suspect it might be a good option for priming repairs on big-azz shiny well-lit walls but I haven't yet had the opportunity to test that theory out.


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## sincere painter (Apr 14, 2010)

Slightly off Topic but; used lightweight for dings on steel panel door and it took a gazillion coats of "self-priming paint" before the flashing stopped. 😳


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## StripandCaulk (Dec 30, 2011)

Carl said:


> There is no such thing as paint and primer in one...it's all marketing nonsense and just another way of saying that the paint is 'self priming' or that you do not need a primer. I agree it's fine to use the actual paint to spot prime the patches....actually, this is probably a better option than getting out some seperate primer for this because the spot primed areas may flash if you use a primer.


Carl, thats not true. BEHR actually works quite well over drywall.

Disclaimer: For all questions and concerns please contact Jack Pauhl


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## kingsebi (Jan 27, 2009)

Always carry a spray can of Zinsser Covet Stain with you. It works great for spot priming patches and such.

Sometimes you can get away without priming if your using flat. Never with eggshell, semi, etc. 

Be safe. Prime it. What's the big deal you corner cutters


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## kingsebi (Jan 27, 2009)

Covet Stain. That's funny. COVER stain.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

StripandCaulk said:


> Carl, thats not true. BEHR actually works quite well over drywall.
> 
> Disclaimer: For all questions and concerns please contact Jack Pauhl


 
I'm not saying that it doesn't work. I'm saying that there isn't any primer in the can.


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## PhillysFinest (Jun 9, 2012)

Paints that claim to have one coat coverage, really work best over primer.
If you put (1) coat over semi-gloss, for get it, it will never cover!


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## Gwarel (May 8, 2012)

I painted and office today and had a bunch of tiny bubbles popped up. They didn't dry down so I cut them out with a razor knife. It was just a nail holes that had been spackled and painted over. The original paint was fine until the new paint caused it to release.........I like to use a good primer/sealer to spot prime.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

PhillysFinest said:


> Paints that claim to have one coat coverage, really work best over primer.
> If you put (1) coat over semi-gloss, for get it, it will never cover!


My home test for BEHR ultra premium is finding that either two coats or a primer of the same color is necessary.

"One coat coverage" is just an industry lie. Sure, some do better than others, but any drastic color change even with the best paint and two will be needed.

And I can't think of any scenario where painting directly over semi-gloss without sanding would be advisable, even with a primer - that is, PROFESSIONALLY speaking.


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## dfoster (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks everybody for your replies. I've always used a lot of eggshell on walls and I usually do a lot of prep work, so I end up tinting the primer to the finish coat and priming the whole thing so I don't have flashing. People sometimes want just the walls painted in a room, but there's always a nail pop or something that needs to be spackled. I think the best way to go if someone is looking for an economical one room color change with a single coat would be to go with flat to prevent flashing.


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## caulktheline (Feb 10, 2011)

I go through and bump all my spots once or twice with the roller before rolling everything out.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Out here eggshell is a fairly popular sheen for walls (around 80%). I use spackle to fill nail holes as well as the somewhat bigger ones caused by anchor or molly bolts. First coat and the spackled spots always flash. Second coat always eliminates the flash. I rarely do single coats unless freshening up in the same color and sheen. When I do that, I hit the repaired spots with the paint before applying the single top coat.


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## PhillysFinest (Jun 9, 2012)

daArch said:


> My home test for BEHR ultra premium is finding that either two coats or a primer of the same color is necessary.
> 
> "One coat coverage" is just an industry lie. Sure, some do better than others, but any drastic color change even with the best paint and two will be needed.
> 
> And I can't think of any scenario where painting directly over semi-gloss without sanding would be advisable, even with a primer - that is, PROFESSIONALLY speaking.


I've used Valspar Premium, from Lowes. If you paint over the same color it covers pretty good with one coat!


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

PhillysFinest said:


> I've used Valspar Premium, from Lowes. If you paint over the same color it covers pretty good with one coat!


 
You are just perpetuating the 'one coat coverage' lie here. First of all, coverage depends a lot on the color and what color you are painting over....if you are painting with some taupe color over a similar color, of course it is going to cover in one coat....yes, in any brand. Second, coverage is not all we care about. Hardly any paint will have even sheen across the entire surface when you only apply one coat. Most times, you need to apply two coats to achieve sheen uniformity....who cares if you have achieved color coverage, but the wall is flashing like crazy. Also, remember that most homeowners cannot apply a full coat of paint because they just don't put enough paint on....for them, one coat will certainly almost always look like crap. Two coats is especially important for them. There...one coat coverage myth is dead, now tell Home Depot and Lowes to stop running ads with lies.


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## PhillysFinest (Jun 9, 2012)

Carl said:


> You are just perpetuating the 'one coat coverage' lie here. First of all, coverage depends a lot on the color and what color you are painting over....if you are painting with some taupe color over a similar color, of course it is going to cover in one coat....yes, in any brand. Second, coverage is not all we care about. Hardly any paint will have even sheen across the entire surface when you only apply one coat. Most times, you need to apply two coats to achieve sheen uniformity....who cares if you have achieved color coverage, but the wall is flashing like crazy. Also, remember that most homeowners cannot apply a full coat of paint because they just don't put enough paint on....for them, one coat will certainly almost always look like crap. Two coats is especially important for them. There...one coat coverage myth is dead, now tell Home Depot and Lowes to stop running ads with lies.


I agree with what you are saying 100%. I stated, the 'same over same' 1 coat would work. 

I did my living room with Valspar 1 coat paint. I cut a 2x2 inch square of paint off the wall and took it to Lowes and they computer matched it. I applied one coat and it looks fab. I am a renter so I wanted a low costing freshen up coat and I got iot!


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## boman47k (May 10, 2008)

A few years ago, I did our lr. I was not familiar with Behr at that time, it was what my wife picked up. To look at it now, it looks no more than eggshell if that.

Anyway, I patched a few spots and "primed" them with the paint. Now it may have been my patching ability at the time, but everyone of the patches jump out at me now.

Research, are you saying you could apply 2 coats of eggshell on new drywall with no need for primer?


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

boman47k said:


> A few years ago, I did our lr. I was not familiar with Behr at that time, it was what my wife picked up. To look at it now, it looks no more than eggshell if that.
> 
> Anyway, I patched a few spots and "primed" them with the paint. Now it may have been my patching ability at the time, but everyone of the patches jump out at me now.
> 
> Research, are you saying you could apply 2 coats of eggshell on new drywall with no need for primer?


Nope. Any new dry wall always get primed first with PVA or SmartPrime. I've been using SmartPrime more because I like how it tints. My previous post concerned using eggshell over spackled spots.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

it sounds like we all are in agreement.

One coat works with same color, same sheen, no patches.

but that ain't no epiphany, that rule aint been changed since the very late 60's when I first picked up a brush for pay.


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## Rcon (Nov 19, 2009)

Just coming off a job where we repainted several walls in the house the same colour. Used aura matte over builders eggshell. Spot primed patches (with aura) and did one coat - looks freakin great.


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## 1963 Sovereign (Dec 14, 2011)

I almost always do one coat tinted primer and two top coats of finish paint.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

1963 Sovereign said:


> I almost always do one coat tinted primer and two top coats of finish paint.


 
I think we would all love to do that, but if I'm bidding against 3 other painters that are just doing two coats without priming, then I'm going to lose a lot of work.


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## boman47k (May 10, 2008)

I think I will stick with priming my patches if the finish coat has *any kind of sheen* other than flat. When I did the lr, I was in a hurry, its mine, etc, and I just went arounde and hit the patches with the paint instead of primer like others said they have done. Didn't work for me.

Then again, I may have rushed it and went over the patches too soon.


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

All I do is interiors and I never put down a coat of primer on an entire wall or ceiling prior to top coating unless:

* It's new drywall or texture or it's just never been painted before
* There's extensive staining, smoke damage, or some other surface damage that priming will help rectify
* I'm doing latex over oil
* Some fool used a high gloss before (can't remember the last time I encountered that)

Otherwise just spot prime as necessary (usually none needed) and two topcoats. Never had an issue.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

Good timing on this thread. I just finished painting a room in our house, used BM aura matte HC-82 over both bright yellow and blue (it used to be a playroom, now an office). I hit all the repairs with a quick shot of the aura while cutting in. One coat covered perfectly. 

I had two jobs in the last two weeks where the ho's had selected behr colors. One was a ceiling so we used premium plus flat, but not their ceiling paint, as we had a few walls to hit too. Was a lighter shade, Pot O Cream. We came to call it Pot O Crap as it didn't cover worth a crap. 

Last week the HO had a bunch of wild colors, so we went for the Ultra thinking we'd get better coverage, the orange "sweet mandarin" took four cuts and three rolls! The blues were good in two, as was the bright green. Me and the crew are done "testing" behr. We will insist on Benjamin Moore from now on.


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Although some of the characteristics of BEHR premium Plus Ultra are acceptable, coverage is NOT one of it's strong points. And at $40 gallon (s/g) why bother ? The savings in labor FAR exceeds the material cost differential.


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

Gwarel said:


> I painted and office today and had a bunch of tiny bubbles popped up. They didn't dry down so I cut them out with a razor knife. It was just a nail holes that had been spackled and painted over. The original paint was fine until the new paint caused it to release.........I like to use a good primer/sealer to spot prime.


 Was it Lawerence Welks old office?:whistling2:


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## boman47k (May 10, 2008)

mudbone said:


> Was it Lawerence Welks old office?:whistling2:


 
Tiny bubbles?

Don Ho blue? :whistling2:


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## pucks101 (Mar 29, 2012)

I don't get doing one coat. All the work is in the prep. By the time you're actually painting, all the hard work is done. There's no reason not to just to the 2nd coat. Even if it looks good now, it never looks as good as it could over time with one coat.


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## 6126 (May 9, 2010)

One coat or two, I spot prime patches.


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