# valspar paint, not as adverised? or just me?



## Lethrneck4 (Mar 7, 2010)

ok so ive been painting rooms in my house the last week, did first room with a benjamin moore flat finish paint...primed the walls, and 2 coats of paint looks great..here starts my problem..due to the fact i had a 20% off purchase coupon from Lowes, i went there got a bunch of stuff i needed for the house including paint...Valspar paint. ive heard and read for months how this is some kinda paint and primer in 1..and only 1 coat would be needed. wow just 1 coat..ok..im in.

so i buy a gallon, figuring all i need is 1 coat and a gallon would be fine. so the room i go to paint with it has white walls of some kinda eggshell or semi gloss paint on them. knowing this i was very skeptical 1 coat would work, as i have noticed if you try to paint a wall with sheen to it, and dont use primer..al the paint does is kinda smear on and using a brush makes it worse.

so i start to paint and immediatley i can tell 1 coat is not gonna be enough. the first few parts i covered i checked back on like 10 mins later as it begun to dry, and i saw the white of the old wall showin thru all over. i finished the room and its all like that.not only will it need a second coat, i hope the second coat is enough to cover it, thats how much white is showin thru all over. did i maybe do something wrong, i read the can and did all it said. the color i used is a bubblegum pink color is how i can describe it, for a nursery.

any help or experiences with Valspar will be appreciated. i only posted this cause pretty much everything i read online, people seem to love this paint.

thank you


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## Windows (Feb 22, 2010)

There aren't many true short cuts in painting. Regardless of the formulation, pink is not going to cover white in one coat. Rule of thumb is to always plan for at least two coats, and avoid gimmicks that ignore the realities of paint chemistry.


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## Lethrneck4 (Mar 7, 2010)

yes agreed windows...like i said i was skeptical and should have listened to myself on this one. hopefully a second coat makes it all well..what sucks is now i gotta go back and get at least another quart or 2 to finish as im down to 1/4 gallon left and need a second coat


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

the valspar all in 1 isn't that great. it's what happens when you try and market an invention that never should have been. their cheaper $23 gallon paint is much better than the signature stuff

imo valspar isn't a bad mid level paint but that all in 1 formulation really needs to go


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

You just learned a valuable lesson, just stick with quality paint that you know works.:yes:The 20% that you supposedly saved probably will end up costing you more in the long run.:wink:


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Paint with the primer already mixed in is BS. In a nutshell Pimers need a certain percentage of ingredients for proper bonding, penetration, surface filling and stain blocking. Paints need a certain percentage of ingredients to have durable, finished surface. Unless they found some magical way to get the primer to stay underneath and the paint to stay on the surface, it's BS.


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## Jeff B. (May 6, 2010)

Lethrneck4,
Good Afternoon,
My name is Jeff B. with Valspar's technical supprt department. I came across your blog and am sorry to hear of the difficulties you encountered with the Valspar Signature Paint. I would like to discuss this with you in greater detail. If you get a moment, please call me at 1-888-313-5569 ask for Jeff at X8603. I will be happy to discuss this with you to see how I can assist. Have a great day!!


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## Lethrneck4 (Mar 7, 2010)

well Jeff, thanks for the post. theres not much more to say than what i said in my first post. ill let ya all now how it looks after a second coat..but from what im readin here, most everyone seems in agreement paint and primer in 1 doesnt work and is kinda false advertising

agreed Chris. the 2 other rooms ive done with primer and 2 coats of beny moore look very nice..as it is being said on this topic..there are no shortcuts if ya want the job done right...lesson learned


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## Leah Frances (Jan 13, 2008)

Feel free to heap on your scorn, but I like the Valspar Signature line (especially when it is on sale). :whistling2:

This being said, I'm a prime first and two coats (no matter what) kind of girl and I have always been pleased with the results. 

- I easily spend three times as much time prepping a paint project as actual painting.
- I use high quality tools.
- I have some basic knowledge and understanding of good technique.

Also, I am three minutes from a Lowes and 45 minutes from a paint store.


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## Lethrneck4 (Mar 7, 2010)

leah haha thanks for the post, the comment you made about prep taking 3 times longer than actually painting is so true. ive said that to myself after taping off and throwin drop clothes for an hour..only to be done painting in like 20 minutes, haha..like you said prime first, 2 coats of paint..the way to go


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

it's actually a good point for many of these threads. prep work and painting ability are 90% of the job. that being said it's often more of the case of either a great job or a failed one than the brand of paint a person uses.


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## fixinit (May 8, 2010)

*Valspar*

I used valspar in my entire house, even on a particle wood floor waiting to be carpeted,if I were not to get carpet it looks awesome. It works great and in most cases it was a one coat situation, but I do know bright colors, wich I don't have should be prim and prim tint prepared.


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## slickshift (Aug 25, 2005)

OP: It's not you...it's the paint


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## Lethrneck4 (Mar 7, 2010)

ok just 1 more little rant, haha. i had to put off puttin the second coat on for a week as other things came up i had to do first..heres another problem this paint gave me.. when i went to take all the tape down i had put up to protect trim etc..the paint actually PEELED off the wall as i pulled it off!! im guessin this is from not using a primer. it pretty much killed 1 whole side of the room where the wall meets the ceiling, gonna be a ***** to fix it and recut it in again. left it all jagged and torn looking..have i said i hate this paint enough times? NEVER AGAIN!


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## racebum (Mar 8, 2010)

it could be the tape you used. really aggressive tape will pull any latex off. the painters blue from 3m is probably the most latex friendly. some of the white, really sticky tapes will pull any brand of latex from sheetrock. curing is the other thing. 5 year old paint tends to be a good deal harder than 10 hour old. 

i think a lot of you guys get way too wrapped up in the brand when technique, prep work and attention to detail can make any half way decent paint look great.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

You got to much paint on the tape and as posted the type of tape makes a difference. You need to run a razor knife along the edge of the trim before lifting the tape so it will not peel off the paint.:yes:


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## rosemarypepper (Dec 8, 2011)

We will never again buy Valspar paint. I once spent a WEEK trying to paint two rooms with Valspar paint. It was like painting with water. The color had the word "pear" in it -- I remember that. It was the proper type of paint, and it was mixed properly, and it was new paint. It was a nightmare. I did it during Christmas vacation, and I wasted a whole WEEK of my life trying to paint over standard white. Never again. I never had that experience with other types of paint. So no, it's not you. It's Valspar paint.


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

Lethrneck4 said:


> ok just 1 more little rant, haha. i had to put off puttin the second coat on for a week as other things came up i had to do first..heres another problem this paint gave me.. when i went to take all the tape down i had put up to protect trim etc..the paint actually PEELED off the wall as i pulled it off!! im guessin this is from not using a primer. it pretty much killed 1 whole side of the room where the wall meets the ceiling, gonna be a ***** to fix it and recut it in again. left it all jagged and torn looking..have i said i hate this paint enough times? NEVER AGAIN!


Hi ya waited to long to take the tape off. I usually try to get it off as soon as it's dry to the touch. You get a tough, mostly cured paint film isn't (shouldn't) be easy to tear. If I get in the situation where it's been awhile or I have an especially thick coat over the edge of the paint, I run a box cutter knife with a fresh blade along the edge to seperate the film.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

thread is 7 months old


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## jschaben (Mar 31, 2010)

chrisn said:


> thread is 7 months old


:icon_redface:
Oooops, got caught up in the heat of moment.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

jschaben said:


> :icon_redface:
> Oooops, got caught up in the heat of moment.


It happens to the best of us:yes:


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## RallyRed (Aug 15, 2012)

*Valspar Paint with primer*

I agree with you on Valspar. I have painted for 40
years both inside and out. I helped my daughter paint her bedroom with Valspar signature paint in a deep burgandy color. There was wallpaper previously that we removed. The trim was gloss white, you could see where they were not too careful with the white on the edges of the door and window trim as well as the baseboard. It was going to be covered with wallpaper anyway. The Valspar would not even begin to cover the white, the second coat even began to bleed through. I tried every trick that I have learned in 40 years trying to get it to cover on the second coat......no way. In addition, I do not care for the finish. She wanted an eggshell finish and it orange peeled over much of the wall. I had her switch to Glidden in the kitchen and it went on and covered beautifully. I have never used Valspar before, I guess add one to the books. To bad it cost her $300 for paint, an expensive lesson.


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## Brushjockey (Mar 8, 2011)

$300 for a room full of Valspar? Must have been a big room!

In your 40 years- ever painted with a red? Most paints suck at red. 
And colors don't bleed. A pro would know the difference between coverage and bleed. 
Not standing up for Valspar, but I smell a rat in the kitchen as they say...

And after the stripping of the WC- what did you do, start with the paint?


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## RallyRed (Aug 15, 2012)

We used 6 gallons of signature. She had a popcorn ceiling that she wanted painted. It covered and looks good, after three coats. But any paint would have a problem with a popcorn finish. 

Did I say bleed, if so I meant shows through. it did not bleed. In any event, we stripped the WC and put on a coat of kills, then two coats of paint. Yes, I agree any shade of red is a "B" to put on but three coats, no way. Sorry buddy, the paint is junk and for that kind of money it should cover.:no:


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## Jay 78 (Mar 2, 2011)

racebum said:


> i think a lot of you guys get way too wrapped up in the brand when technique, prep work and attention to detail can make any half way decent paint look great.


*AMEN!*


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

hey jeffb my uncle bought valspar also and when he went back to get another300.00 dollars worth of paint so he could put a 3rd coat on and he mentioned it to the woman that was helping him she said "we should have told you that you needed to prime first". he had to put 3 coats on everyroom he painted. i told him he should go back and complain but he didn't. i wish he would have called me before he bought the paint i coulda saved him 3 or 4 hundred dollars on paint. my daughter in law bought valspar for me to paint at their house. six months later the trim was still tacky and it was new trim that was primed.


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## Expert Paint (Jul 24, 2012)

theres a reason why their own data pages tell you to prime and 2 coat. . . even the paint/primer in one data pages tell you to prime and 2 coat. .. . marketing gimick? DUHHH


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## trs1000000 (Oct 15, 2012)

*Valspar is terrible paint*

I've been painting for many years and use high quality products for preping and painting. I can say, hands down, Valspar paint is horrible, terrible and a waste of time and money!!!!! If you apply it thin enough so that it does run it's so thin it doesn't cover anything. It's so thin and running, to finish a room you would have to go over all the walls and trim 3-4 times!! It sucks! I will NEVER make this misake again! If you think differently, then you obviously have never used good paint before. I say to you get out and try some decent paint- you'll like it!


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## ToolSeeker (Sep 19, 2012)

Jay 78 said:


> *AMEN!*


There is no way I"m going to spend hours prepping,sanding, washing, filling, priming and doing all the other prep work and then take a chance on cheap paint just to save $5 or $10 bucks. Paint and primer is a rip I don't care what brand it is. In 95% of applications it does not work. If a home owner insists on using it I make them sign a release that I am not responsible for the coverage or how long the finish lasts


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## ltd (Jan 16, 2011)

nothing wrong with valspare paint .for the money its a good paint :wink:


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

ltd said:


> nothing wrong with valspare paint .for the money its a good paint :wink:


 
Now that statement is certainly debatable

Not by me, not worth the effort:whistling2:


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## DannyT (Mar 23, 2011)

i didn't realize i had posted here already and directed it to jeffb the valspar guy but i never got any reply from him.


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## chrisn (Dec 23, 2007)

DannyT said:


> i didn't realize i had posted here already and directed it to jeffb the valspar guy but i never got any reply from him.


 
Don't hold your'e breath:whistling2:


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## dshricci3 (Apr 26, 2013)

*Nice Customer Service Jeff!*

I was a painting contractor for years and loved Valspar back in the day. Well I just bought the newer all in on one primer and paint and it is amazing. Smooth application, coverage, durability, it's far better (less sticky on the brush) to work with than other brands of primer/paint. -David



Jeff B. said:


> Lethrneck4,
> Good Afternoon,
> My name is Jeff B. with Valspar's technical supprt department. I came across your blog and am sorry to hear of the difficulties you encountered with the Valspar Signature Paint. I would like to discuss this with you in greater detail. If you get a moment, please call me at 1-888-313-5569 ask for Jeff at X8603. I will be happy to discuss this with you to see how I can assist. Have a great day!!


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