By the way, read the label about how to paint. Always keep a wet edge which means paint a strip, paint a strip next to it and keep on going. Never go back to a partially dried area until it is completely dry for recoat.
Any ace hardware stores? Or true value. Their paint is ok too.
Of course you are going to hear complaints about Behr paint. A zillion people use it.
$42 for a gallon of BM? There has to be an alternative.
You might want an aluminum trim tool and diagnol brush for edge work. The trim tool looks like a slat from a venetian blind with a handle. Keep the back of it clean and use mininal paint at the edges.
$42??????? You must be some wealthy yuppie!
1) Benjamin Moore make a line of paint called Super-Hide. You won't see the dealers pushing it because it's half the price but it's what the contractors use. You can have it tinted any color you wish. 2) There is a Home Depot (Behr paints) in Manhattan. Use Google. Personally I don't like Behr because it dries too quickly but Consumers Reports gave it a top rating. I prefer Glidden from HD. 3) Go to Pearl Paint on Canal St. If you don't know Pearl Paint they're a major art supplier but they also have lines of wall paint. Cheaper than both BM and HD. I have their paint in my hall and it looks the same as when I applied it twenty years ago. 4) If you've read about "unreliable quality of cheap paints" it was probably an article (or NG posting) by a seeking-to-justify-existence "real" paint dealer or employee or friend. You should take these things with a grain of salt.Oh, yeah, and if you're using a roller you obviously don't care about the finish.
I wish I were a wealthy yuppie. If I were, I wouldn't be sitting here asking whether I can save money by using primer instead of paint. Or, come to think of it, I wouldn't even be painting the walls myself - I would've just hired painters to do the work for me.
Unfortunately, most things in Manhattan are uncomfortably expensive, and not everyone's salary here (including mine, heh) fully accomodates the higher cost of living. I don't even live in a hip, desirable, or particularly expensive neighorhood, at least not by Manhattan standards. It's just the price you pay for living where everyone else wants to live (or at least thinks they do).
Anyways, I digress.. The alternative I have to not painting is living with bright orange paint through the extremely hot, humid upcoming summer, and considering how much heat a color like that could hold, I'd rather cough up the money and do a good paint job. Thanks again to everyone for all the invaluable advice.
I wish I were a wealthy yuppie. If I were, I wouldn't be sitting here asking whether I can save money by using primer instead of paint. Or, come to think of it, I wouldn't even be painting the walls myself - I would've just hired painters to do the work for me.
Since you seem familiar with the area, I'm sure you know that a lot of basic things can be uncomfortably expensive in Manhattan, especially for newer residents who haven't sifted through the vast amount of retail for the places that offer decent prices.
finish.
I'm confused; every how-to guide I've come across on-line recommends a roller. Are you referring to spraying the paint on as a better option?
I also mentioned earlier that I'm not expecting to do a perfect job (especially since this is my first time painting). But you're probably right; I just want to live with a color less jarring than the ones on my wall right now, and I probably wouldn't care if other methods resulted in a better finish.
I will check out those other paint stores, though. And thanks to everyone for all the invaluable advice.
I wish I were a wealthy yuppie. If I were, I wouldn't be sitting here asking whether I can save money by using primer instead of paint. Or, come to think of it, I wouldn't even be painting the walls myself - I would've just hired painters to do the work for me.
Since you seem familiar with the area, I'm sure you know that a lot of basic things can be uncomfortably expensive in Manhattan, especially for newer residents who haven't been able to sift through the vast amount of retail for the places that offer decent prices.
finish.
I'm confused; every how-to guide I've come across on-line recommends a roller. Are you referring to spraying the paint on as a better option?
I also mentioned earlier that I'm not expecting to do a perfect job (especially since this is my first time painting). But you're probably right; I just want to live with a color less jarring than the ones on my wall right now, and I probably wouldn't care if other methods resulted in a better finish as long as I can still do an acceptable job with a roller.
I will check out those other paint stores, though. Thanks to everyone for all the invaluable advice.
Roller finish quality is a function of the nap thickness of the roller cover and the paint. Saying all roller finishes are lacking is misleading. In any event, the OP is a tenant, looking to get a couple of years out of the paint job, and is totally new to painting. I'd tend to doubt that she believes that she is going to get a factory perfect sprayed lacquer finish look her first time out. A roller with a 1/4" nap will work just fine.
R
I suggest that you use at least one primer coat of a pigmented shellac like Zinsser's BIN. While you have to take some simple precautions due to the alcoholic fumes, it has two big positives.
Think of priming as rendering your "canvas" white. Once your wall is white, or pretty close, you should only need one topcoat of even a medium quality paint to completely cover the primer coat(s) and whatever may still be peeking through. Whatever still peaks through will be much less intense and will have a primer coat over it so a topcoat should cover it. I have used this technique on many different colored walls and it has always been successful for me. I admit that I do use a very high quality 100% acrylic paint for the topcoats but I can clearly see that a standard vinyl or vinyl / acrylic blend would work just fine. I can apply two primer coats and one topcoat in one day with no problem. I always wait at least 24 hours before applying a second topcoat.
Good Luck.
All rollers regardless of nap length produce a stippled effect; it's the nature of the beast. But you don't need to go to the expense (and skill requirement) of spraying: a smooth surface, especially on a wall, can easily be achieved using brush and paint pad. This method has the added advantage of allowing the application of more paint per coat.
finish.
Yes, they will. As long as you don't care about the stippled effect, the roller will be faster. OTOH spatter will be greater.
No. Far too much work for such a small job. Paint pad and brush for the edges. You'll need a brush anyway.
Can't say anything about Kilz but Behr is junk. And this is not from just one experience with one color or situation. I can buy much better quality paint at a real paint store for pennies difference.
It depends what version you buy. Both Sherwin and Benjamin Moore have low end paint designed to meet a price point such as you would find at hd and a line of quality stuff. Their low end paint is one step above the hd premium stuff.
In my experience SW is junk. It cleans up well off the brushes because it doens't adhere worth a crap.
So far someone has trashed every brand of paint. Does that mean they all suck? What's that old saying about opinions...?
R
You don't normally need to prime a wall that is already painted. Priming is not for color - it is for adhesion and sealing in stains. Buy cheap paint and you will likely need more coats than if you used a quality paint, like Ben Moore. Two coats of paint is normal. Dark color with light over it may need a third coat. You do need to be sure the wall is clean and free of dust. Any good household cleaner, rinse and dry.
Not normally, but in a case such as this -- where he's painting over a color that will be difficult to hide -- a tinted stain-blocking primer can be a great help.
Absolutely right. Cheap paint is usually more expensive in the long run.
Right again.
Or two coats over a tinted primer -- which may well be less expensive. Depends partly on the size of the room: for example, if one can of paint is not enough for two coats, but two cans is enough for three, then skip the primer.
Amen! Too many people omit this step... then post here wondering why the paint is peeling. :-)
In fact paint does suck these days compared to decades ago. That is because of environmental concerns and ingredients which can no longer be used in paint. But some are worse than others. Plus some paint companies are less than ethical. A friend of mine had a summer job when he was young and in school pouring paint from old damaged cans into new cans for sale. That is why sometimes when you get a can of paint you feel like you need to filter it thru cheese cloth before using it. Best thing to do is to return it.
Sure, if you paint over dirt or grease.
My house and a number of apartments I own are painted with SW paint and I am quite pleased with how tough the paint is and how well it holds up. I started using it on the advice of someone who owns hundreds of apartments.
We were painting some rooms that were freshly drywalled and people actually thought the primer was the top coat because of how well it covered.
Primers have a lot less hiding power than paint. Why would you prime and paint when two coats of paint would cover better?
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