# BM Ultra Spec 500



## NEPS.US

Anyone try it yet?

http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/...interior-paint?lang=en_US&role=C#advs=0&tab=3

I am going to use it on our next NC project and am hoping this will be our new "NC" paint for the future. After several issues with Super Spec we started using BEN while waiting for Ultra to show up in stores for the same price point as Super. 

Zero VOC and GENNEX platform as well.


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## Paint and Hammer

How do you interpret this?


"Zero-VOC Ultra Spec 500 is a professional-quality interior coating designed to meet the needs of professional painting contractors, facility managers, and property managers."


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## NEPS.US

I read each word slowly and understand it?


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## George Z

We used it for brush and roll.
The low sheen is a good choice for new drywall,
the eggshell is good too.
Definitely an upgrade from Superspec, but why do they need Ecospec now?
Ultraspec or Natura should be enough of a choice.
Reminds me of all the brands GM had.
But yes, good product


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## DeanV

I talked to our rep at a paint show and he said ultra spec should be better than super spec and cheaper as well. It has a different pricing strategy that rewards dealers for volume. I am not sure on the details of pricing but something. Ist is different on the BM to dealer side that provides incentive for the dealers to price it more aggressively.

I really do not see it as an option for most NC work, but maybe commercial or track/spec homes.


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## Paint and Hammer

NEPS.US said:


> I read each word slowly and understand it?


Seriously....does that just mean its a price point product? 

I'm always a bit baffled by "contractor grade" and what that means.


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## wills fresh coat

NEPS.US said:


> Anyone try it yet?
> 
> http://www.benjaminmoore.com/en-us/...interior-paint?lang=en_US&role=C#advs=0&tab=3
> 
> I am going to use it on our next NC project and am hoping this will be our new "NC" paint for the future. After several issues with Super Spec we started using BEN while waiting for Ultra to show up in stores for the same price point as Super.
> 
> Zero VOC and GENNEX platform as well.


Not that I use a lot of BM but when I do it is ss, what were the issues you were having?


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## NEPS.US

wills fresh coat said:


> Not that I use a lot of BM but when I do it is ss, what were the issues you were having?


Flashing, bad touch up abilities, inconsistant coloring, 275-01 (flat white) with a terrible batch of paint that was like whip creame in a five.


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## RH

Have a job starting Tuesday where the HO tried to touch up some ceiling spots with Behr tinted to match BM Atrium White. Didn't work out. My BM supplier wants me to try out the Ultra Spec 500 (they stopped carrying Regal in exchange for stocking the US/500 - they have limited storage space) and gave me a free gallon of flat to use. 

How's it worked out for any of you that have used it? My regular price would be around $29 per gallon.


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## PatsPainting

NEPS.US said:


> Flashing, bad touch up abilities, inconsistant coloring, 275-01 (flat white) with a terrible batch of paint that was like whip creame in a five.


I have yet to try it, but my bud told me it touches up much better then the normal SS. I would imagine it covers better too being it's tinted with the gennix colorants. 

Pat


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## MonPeintre.ca

We had problems with the ceilling flat. Dosent touch up well and too much flashing.


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## TJ Paint

Sounds like it's a lower grade natura, being zero voc. If it costs less than superspec, I'm not going to hold my breathe on it being high performance. Hope I'm wrong.


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## Scotiadawg

DeanV said:


> I talked to our rep at a paint show and he said ultra spec should be better than super spec and cheaper as well. It has a different pricing strategy that rewards dealers for volume. I am not sure on the details of pricing but something. Ist is different on the BM to dealer side that provides incentive for the dealers to price it more aggressively.
> 
> I really do not see it as an option for most NC work, but maybe commercial or track/spec homes.


I tried the Ultra and was impressed ! Great paint and good price $ 26 + tx here .:thumbsup:


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## earl12

Im using the product for the first time, It rolls and brushes on nice and it hardly has a smell. Its a better product then super spec. it cost a little more then spec not sure why people are saying its cheaper


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## NCPaint1

earl12 said:


> Im using the product for the first time, It rolls and brushes on nice and it hardly has a smell. Its a better product then super spec. it cost a little more then spec not sure why people are saying its cheaper


I have completely dropped Super Spec for Ultra Spec in our stores. No complaints whatsoever. We kept the price the same as SS. It does cost slightly more, but were talking pennies. The finish names are different, sheens look the same as SS. Flat, Low Sheen (SS Eggshell), Eggshell (SS Pearl), Semi-Gloss, and now a Gloss finish added.

The biggest difference that I've personally noticed is the dry time. SS has always dried fairly quick, but Ultra is probably 50% faster +/-. 

The Ultra Spec exterior has gotten great reviews. Good looking label, 25yr warranty, good price, same application as the 100% acrylic SS exterior (183,184,185 product lines).


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## TJ Paint

Since when have warranties been worth anything? :jester:

sounds good overall though.


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## NCPaint1

TJ Paint said:


> Since when have warranties been worth anything? :jester:
> 
> sounds good overall though.


Not disagreeing with you, but the old SS exterior only had a "satisfaction guarantee". Basically the same thing, product replacement .....but people want to see an actual year warranty. Just like they want to see "primer & paint" on the label.


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## Honestpainting

Anybody noticing a lot of drag on the brush with ultra spec? Upside is it forces me to brush ultra fast


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## Wildbill7145

Girls at the paint shop finally convinced me to give this stuff a try. My understanding is that this stuff replaced Superspec which I was forced to use several years ago and considered it to be complete garbage.

Weird thing is that the girls told me the BM rep told them he felt it performed better than Ben, which is hard to believe considering that Ben is close to $20/gal more expensive.


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## Rbriggs82

I thought the old Superspec was garbage too, I thought the UltraSpec was a little better but I still didn't really care for it.


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## Wildbill7145

The job I did with the Superspec was funny. Guy got a job at the nuclear power plant, so he's now making a fortune but cheaped out on the paint. Bought a house here in town and wanted me to paint it out for him over a weekend. He bought the fiver of Superspec and wanted me to one coat it. I swear the stuff was as thin as water and if I'd peed on the walls it would have offered more colour.

He thought it looked great, I thought it looked horrible. I seem to remember even telling him that but can't be sure of that.


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## George Z

Funny how opinions differ.
We used maybe 5,000 gallons of that stuff for the last few years it came out.
It's not Aura but seriously, nothing in it's category comes close.
I know, every time I show up with any Pro Mar or similar, my guys despise me.
Let me see what this inexpensive (6th line) paint has:
- Full Gennex with zero VOC colourants
- 41% solids (yes, you read that right)
- Full line (flat to gloss), even exterior.
- 1 hour re-coat and very painter friendly for us.
- Thousands of gallons worth of our own field experience (schools, museums, offices, health facilities, residences, etc)

Personal opinions aside, you may or may not like it but I wouldn't call it junk.
I know Benjamin Moore dealers get raving reviews and sales from contractors and I wouldn't dream replacing it for our commercial work.


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## Rbriggs82

You're right it's not junk, it's probably one of the best contractor grade paints you can get. 

I was brought up on Regal, superpaint, and Cashmere, gawd only know how many 1000's of gallons I've run of those. When you come from those paints to spec or promar it's just not nearly as good and left a bad impression. Now if I only used Superhide or promar 700 (I'm not sure if that's a real paint) superspec and promar 200 would feel like the cats meow. :yes:


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## George Z

Rbriggs82 said:


> You're right it's not junk, it's probably one of the best contractor grade paints you can get.
> 
> I was brought up on Regal, superpaint, and Cashmere, gawd only know how many 1000's of gallons I've run of those. When you come from those paints to spec or promar it's a just not nearly as good leaving a bad impression on me. Now if I only used Superhide or promar 700 (I'm not sure if that's a real paint) superspec and promar 200 would feel like the cats meow. :yes:


Definitely not close to Regal I agree


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## RH

Wow, a 2012 thread resurrected - and a NEPS one to boot. Interesting seeing all those old names that are in it.


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## kdpaint

I miss a lot of those guys!


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## bluegrassdan

I don't understand why a contractor would want to use a "contractor paint". If someone is paying top dollar for labor why skimp on the product. 
I was using flat 500 for ceilings until recently. It dries way too fast. Did a fairly big ceiling and it flashed like crazy even with extender. Also noticed a glare instead of a true flat finish. Actually I find all BM paints dry way too fast. I miss when a good paint would flow real nice when brushing.


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## kdpaint

Agreed, BM 500 is not a true ceiling paint, as it is not a real "flat." However, I'd put the rest of the line against any paint within $10 a gallon more in price, Contractor line or not. As for paint drying fast, this is true of most paints produced in the last 10 years.


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