# Aura is not self priming.



## asthma76 (Apr 18, 2009)

I was told by the local BM dealer when Aura first came out, that it was self priming. normally I would not take the chance, but awhile back I had a job that I had to finish fast( new sheet rock) so I wiped the whole wall down 3 times til there was not a spec of dust. then painted it with the Aura eggshell.
sure enough a couple of months later I found out that the general contractor that was doing work there had to put some blue tape on the wall and when he pulled it off it took off a small sheet of paint. anyone else have had problems with Aura not stickin?


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

Nope.

But, got a kick out of a conversation I overheard at BM with a home owner.

HO: "I am painting a bedroom yellow. What paint would you recommend."
BM: "I would recommend the Aura. ONE COAT COVERAGE gauranteed in two coats"
HO: "Is it expensive"
BM: "Well it is about $54 and change but it has a primer in it that is why it is so expensive". She then went on to tell him to "cut in all the corners and then wait one hour before he rolled it." 
HO: "Would one gallon do it?"
BM: "Probably, but you might want to get an extra gallon just in case"

It was everything I could do to keep from laughing out loud.


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

asthma76 said:


> I was told by the local BM dealer when Aura first came out, that it was self priming. normally I would not take the chance, but awhile back I had a job that I had to finish fast( new sheet rock) so I wiped the whole wall down 3 times til there was not a spec of dust. then painted it with the Aura eggshell.
> sure enough a couple of months later I found out that the general contractor that was doing work there had to put some blue tape on the wall and when he pulled it off it took off a small sheet of paint. anyone else have had problems with Aura not stickin?


Did you only use one coat of Aura and that's it on the sheetrock?


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Another possibility is the mud was the setting compound, which even though it is set and hard can still retain moisture and cause peeling and failure to bond.


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

asthma76 said:


> I was told by the local BM dealer when Aura first came out, that it was self priming. normally I would not take the chance, but awhile back I had a job that I had to finish fast( new sheet rock) so I wiped the whole wall down 3 times til there was not a spec of dust. then painted it with the Aura eggshell.
> sure enough a couple of months later I found out that the general contractor that was doing work there had to put some blue tape on the wall and when he pulled it off it took off a small sheet of paint. anyone else have had problems with Aura not stickin?


It isn't the paint. 
You didn't prime fresh drywall before applying the top coat.

:whistling2: *+* :whistling2: = :no:


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

WisePainter said:


> It isn't the paint.
> You didn't prime fresh drywall before applying the top coat.
> 
> :whistling2: *+* :whistling2: = :no:


I made that mistake once.... Never again! Must prime NC walls first before ANY brand of topcoat! :yes:


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

ANY brand of topcoat! :yes:

Not according to the infamous Mr Mike. Aura is self priming and NEVER fades


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

chrisn said:


> Not according to the infamous Mr Mike. Aura is self priming and NEVER fades


I could say the same thing about ProMar 200 XP, but we all know that Priming helps seal up tape/mud lines and the wall at minimum. I don't see any quality interior paint doing this without primer first. 200 XP doesn't and that's some good paint and practically equivalent to Aura as for the self priming... I did a 5000 sqft interior with 200 XP, no priming needed according to the paint rep... Blah! I had to coat 3 times to get the mud lines to go away.... It's marketed for one coat with no primer! Or at least that is what I was told... I haven't used it since...


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## BMDealer (Jun 2, 2008)

Aura is self priming and works very well.......but we did have a problem with blue tape removing some finish a while back. It turned out that there was a 2 fold problem. The tape was left on for a long period of time and there was dust on the walls near the ceiling line.

Aura has backed off a little on self priming for wood, they now recommend a primer for these type substrates. Also Aura exterior semi-gloss is not self priming and says this right on the can.

But we still have many contractors that go in and bang out 2 coats on bare drywall with no issues at all. Some still do want a primer though.....


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

I prime for 2 reasons, the first is for adhesion, the second is to seal the paper on the drywall so my sheen builds evenly on the first coat.


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## BrushJockey (Mar 15, 2009)

Then there's the ever popular - why use a $50 can of paint to do what a $20 one does better?


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## asthma76 (Apr 18, 2009)

BrushJockey said:


> Then there's the ever popular - why use a $50 can of paint to do what a $20 one does better?


:thumbup::clap:


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

BrushJockey said:


> Then there's the ever popular - why use a $50 can of paint to do what a $20 one does better?


well unless you tint the primer almost perfect to top coat, I can prime and paint with same color and product for a flawless finish.. second coat is going to be easy to apply not worry about skips or misses etc.. and in essence save me time and time is more money then 50$ can of paint..


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## GWHRsuperhero (Mar 6, 2009)

WisePainter said:


> I prime for 2 reasons, the first is for adhesion, the second is to seal the paper on the drywall so my sheen builds evenly on the first coat.


How does sealing the paper help to build the sheen?? Honestly never really understood the concept of sealing primers. Just that its a good thing.


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

BrushJockey said:


> Then there's the ever popular - why use a $50 can of paint to do what a $20 one does better?


because the $50 gallon of paint goes 550 sq ft per gallon, and the $20 goes 250 sq ft per gallon?


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

NACE said:


> because the $50 gallon of paint goes 550 sq ft per gallon, and the $20 goes 250 sq ft per gallon?


NACE - I love Aura but I doubt you will get 550 on raw drywall. I use it over construction grade paint (IE CHB) I have a hard time getting 450 a gallon..


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## NACE (May 16, 2008)

MAK-Deco said:


> NACE - I love Aura but I doubt you will get 550 on raw drywall. I use it over construction grade paint (IE CHB) I have a hard time getting 450 a gallon..


however, if you do have to use a second coat over the tighness of the film, what is your spread rate?


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

NACE said:


> however, if you do have to use a second coat over the tighness of the film, what is your spread rate?


over Aura on the second coat yes I would easily get 450 not sure if I ever gotten 550.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

But we still have many contractors that go in and bang out 2 coats on bare drywall with no issues at all.

Has it been checked after the fact? Say1 year, 2 years, 5 years??


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

And, just about all of Benjamin Moore's interior paints say they can be used over bare drywall. Not just Aura. I did use Aura once on raw dry wall in a small re-done office. It took a lot on the first coat, but almost looked perfect in one coat. Second coat was very quick and light.


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## BMDealer (Jun 2, 2008)

chrisn said:


> But we still have many contractors that go in and bang out 2 coats on bare drywall with no issues at all.
> 
> Has it been checked after the fact? Say1 year, 2 years, 5 years??


 
Good question...here in the North East Aura is just over a year old. Out west, which was the test market, has had the product longer. So to answer your question from my perspective, no. But if there are any western US dealers or even BM reps on this board, they maybe able to answer you better then a flat out no.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

*Tough Call*

Although Aura is self-priming, and I've had/seen great success with that over bare drywall, drywall repairs, or plaster, I can't tell from here if the tape quality (they do vary, was it a ripper?) or the prep (was it as clean as it should/could be?) was adequate, or if regular priming would have avoided the issue

The "self-priming" moniker, as always, should only be taken as an "under perfect conditions" type deal


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

BrushJockey said:


> Then there's the ever popular - why use a $50 can of paint to do what a $20 one does better?


exactly :thumbsup:. ALWAYS prime over bare sheetrock, come on man, (not intended to anyone in particular) . I normally have it tinted as well.

I've painted a lot of stripes in my day and closed off rooms with plastic and tape, and I learned my lesson early on about unprimed sheetrock. When you go taping mutiple rolls on top of that crap, the paint always lifts in a least a few spots and creates a serious SNAFU.

jt


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## MAK-Deco (Apr 17, 2007)

ParagonVA said:


> exactly :thumbsup:. ALWAYS prime over bare sheetrock, come on man, (not intended to anyone in particular) . I normally have it tinted as well.
> 
> I've painted a lot of stripes in my day and closed off rooms with plastic and tape, and I learned my lesson early on about unprimed sheetrock. When you go taping mutiple rolls on top of that crap, the paint always lifts in a least a few spots and creates a serious SNAFU.
> 
> jt


I have seen a lot of primer not tinted... and they were putting more then one top coat on.. So you are saying you get one coat coverage over tinted primer? Perfect level sheen build with eggshells and satins?


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

MAK-Deco said:


> I have seen a lot of primer not tinted... and they were putting more then one top coat on.. So you are saying you get one coat coverage over tinted primer? Perfect level sheen build with eggshells and satins?


nah...I always do 2 topcoats with matte/eggshell/satin/etc. I do tinted primer + one topcoat with a flat finish only. I just like to have the primer tinted regardless.


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## plainpainter (Nov 6, 2007)

ParagonVA said:


> nah...I always do 2 topcoats with matte/eggshell/satin/etc. I do tinted primer + one topcoat with a flat finish only. I just like to have the primer tinted regardless.


I don't care for the tinting primer anymore, unless you are painting a real real bold color. I find on anything that isn't ultra bold, deep in color - two coats will get a good color - and when you are spreading around tinted primer - you can no longer slop it on, you now have the same effort in cutting as you do a top coat. 

And I find primer never cuts down on your time for correct sheen level - it's like starting from square one everytime.


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## 1977corey (Feb 27, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> I made that mistake once.... Never again! Must prime NC walls first before ANY brand of topcoat! :yes:


I gotten away with just 2 coats flatpaint and only ONE coat cutting in the lid and thats new construction.


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

1977corey said:


> I gotten away with just 2 coats flatpaint and only ONE coat cutting in the lid and thats new construction.


I've heard of priming with flat paint. Never tried it.


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## ParagonVA (Feb 3, 2009)

[email protected] said:


> I've heard of priming with flat paint. Never tried it.


Around here a lot of guys a long time ago used to prime right over the raw doors and trim with the same flat that was being sprayed on the new walls and ceilings, :blink:. 



plainpainter said:


> I don't care for the tinting primer anymore, unless you are painting a real real bold color. I find on anything that isn't ultra bold, deep in color - two coats will get a good color - and when you are spreading around tinted primer - you can no longer slop it on, you now have the same effort in cutting as you do a top coat.
> 
> And I find primer never cuts down on your time for correct sheen level - it's like starting from square one everytime.


I see your point for sure. I don't do a ton of new work, but I always love a tinted primer 'cause it gives the HO an early idea of the tone they've chosen. If they freak out, then all they have to do is buy me some new wall paint and pay me to test it out 

If I did have a tinted primer + 2 topcoats of an eggshell, the 3rd cut in always goes so fast 'cause the line is already tight by then...but I hear ya, it is a little more work. I probably do too much for my customers sometimes, but they of course love that.


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## bryncomeaux (Mar 29, 2009)

for the money i'd rathe have Pratt& Lambert Accloade. All colors look great together no matter the scheme. Usually two coat coverage. Toch-up always blends no matter what or when you do it. Looks better than any other paint bar none. Aura dries too fast.


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