paint coverage

Hello,

I recently bought some Dulux 'Nature's Choice' paint for use in a toilet room - measuring 1.7x2.4x1.0m

On the tin it states 'coverage up to 27 square m' - so I just bought the one, thinking a factor of 3 was a reasonable margin.

It also said 2 coats were needed for coverage.

The paint ran out before the job was finished - having covered barely

9 sq.m. The wall surfaces were 'full plastering' on one wall and a skim on the other - this job was done over 4 weeks ago and both walls were primed about 3 weeks ago.

To make matters worse, the particular colour I chose appeared to be a rarity - I've had to scour the region for a second tin.

I called Dulux for a bit of a gripe and their response was ...

.. they can't guarantee results when paints are used with non-Dulux products (the primer was from International Paints). Coverage is only guaranteed when used in conjunction with their other products.

.. plaster walls should be left for 6 months before painting. Painting walls before that time had elapsed would seriously affect coverage.

.. they couldn't guarantee the product if it was applied to a wall without a damp-check having been made.

This all seemed rather bizarre - I mean, I can accept that painting a 'wet' wall could cause adhesion problems, flaking, premature failure etc. But coverage? and by a factor of 3?

Anyway the wall wasn't wet and the primer coat had been sitting there quite happily for 3 weeks without any bad effects.

Eventually, after several phone calls, I spoke to someone who agreed 'as a gesture of good will' to refund the cost of the second tin.

I wonder if anyone has any comments?

Many Thanks Mr WZ Boson "if it doesn't work, it must be Physics"

Reply to
Mr WZ Boson
Loading thread data ...

New plaster likes water. It loves water. It drinks paint for breakfast. The primer will have limited this effect, though.

However, there isn't much margin with your calculations. If there were no doors/windows, I calculate the wall area to be 13m2. This gives 26m2 for the two coats. Basically any margin you have was purely due to the doors/windows in the room. You never get quite the coverage they state on the tin. They are given for laboratory conditions by skilled artisans.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

are given for laboratory conditions by skilled artisans.<

I have never been able to get the amount of coverage they state on tin when using emulsion paint and brush UNTIL I switched to paint pads for all my emulsion painting and now i get very close to the coverage they state on the tin.

Reply to
gamemaniak

doors/windows

If you are desperate to get the best coverage on bare plaster, first paint it with a dilute Unibond coat (pva) to seal the pores. Do remember though that plaster needs to breath for awhile when new.

Andrew Mawson

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

Well - the area is truly 9 sq.m - there are 2 walls, each measuring

1.7x2.4 m (a total area of about 8.2 sq.m.) the 'window wall' is covered with wainscot - with a bit around the actual window - about 0.5sq.m - and the 'other wall' is all door + architrave + glass. The ceiling is painted white.

But I think I've probably been a bit naive. I assumed that since the paint said 'two coats are needed' then the term 'coverage' referred to 'wall completed with two coats as specified on the tin' (because that's what it said was needed to 'cover' the surface)

However - I think the 'coverage' means 'total area per coat' - which makes the area 'covered' = 2 * 9 = 18 sq.m. for 2 coats,which is a bit closer to the 27 specified.

I still think they are trying to 'cheat through obfuscation' though.

If you look at International Paints - they specify coverage by 'square m per coat' - which is unambiguous.

I'm not an artisan, nor a professional decorator - I generally try to avoid decorating whenever possible - but if I need to do it, I like to see the 'rules' clearly laid out.

My main gripe is that if they'd been a bit more honest with their figures, I wouldn't have chosen that colour in the first place (only

1 tin available) - I'll just steer clear of Dulux in future.

Anyway - thanks for the comments - at least they're giving me a refund on tin 2.

Mr WZ Boson "if it doesn't work, it must be Physics"

Reply to
Mr WZ Boson

Ah. I see. Coverage is always quoted per coat, as the number of coats is variable. You could need anything from 1-4 coats depending on what you are covering. 2 coats is a typical average rather than set in stone.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

Even that doesn't help much as how much you put on per coat is variable. Know your paint and buy from a shed that will take it back! Having said that, I have just ordered a load of paint from Wickes (fairly liberal order as I assumed Wickes paint might not be up to much - SWMBO picked the colour). It is excellent in all respects, I have to say, covering twice as well as I thought it would (this is V/S emulsion). I shall have a few tins to return.

Reply to
Bob Mannix

Yeah. I bought some Wickes stuff once and it was alreet. I tend to stick to Dulux Trade and Glidden now, though, when I can. You know they've actually put pigment in the stuff rather than flour.

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

I still use Dulux Trade undercoat and liquid gloss for preference. I have recently done a new upstairs room with Dulux V/S emulsion and last night did a new downstairs room with Wickes V/S emulsion . IMHO Wickes is (at least, dare I say it!) as good as the Dulux V/S.

Reply to
Bob Mannix

Do you mean Dulux or Dulux Trade?

Christian.

Reply to
Christian McArdle

I'm afraid we want colours on the walls so it's just Dulux for the emulsion, rather than Trade emulsion, which tends to be white (mainly?). I couldn't see how the paint I got from Wickes could be improved on though (I think it is their "Master" range AFAICR). Having roughly painted the plaster with slightly watered down cheap white emulsion to seal it, the Wickes paint covered it on one coat - as I recall, the Dulux didn't quite look right after one. As it happens I'll put another coat on anyway. It also didn't seem to drip off the roller as much. My only complaint was that the colour we wanted was only available in 2.5l tins rather than 5l. It's not cheap though (upk9.99 for 2.5l, I guess you get what you pay for!).

Reply to
Bob Mannix

If you go to one of the Dulux trade stores you can get trade paint in many colours, they even blend to match if required.

Reply to
Christopher Roberts

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.