# favorite paint and primer



## slickracer (Nov 13, 2008)

If you're on a budget, Ace Hardware paint is a good paint in your price range.


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## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

Look, if you do any form of research on this topic on this bb, you'll find a few good recommendations, most being narrowed down to the products from a paint store, not a big box store, as these product represent the best value performance-wise to most of the respondents here. These guys are mostly professional enough to do a lot of comparative painting for money.

You don't fit that profile; you are the occasional painter HD goes after because you don't really know one junk from the next. And I'm not being disrespectful! please...I'm just saying you are like 95% of the paint buying population who buys paint by colour. And _only a few_ can tell a 'good' paint from the next because it saves time and time=money for the pros here. In your case, you have no comparison to judge a paint by, and therefore anything fancy will do because if you don't like it, you time has no value and so you paint it over.

Not so for pros; they go after the paint that offers the best performance per unit hour of painting. Some people use a cheap paint and love it. Some (fewer) use a good paint and gripe about it, mostly the cost. 

So many many here will tell you to go to the paint store and chose. That's what I would do only because I support the paint stores, not the box stores. Go and spend $30 on a gallon of $30/gallon paint at a paint store. 

Go to a big box store, you'll spend $70 and get three hamburgers with fries for the family, a set of dishrags you found you needed, a set of Made-in-China screwdrivers, paid for the aprons, the pretty curves of the cashier, the lighting, the shine on the floor and the parking lot you used - and got an $10 gallon of paint that you paid $30 for... 
:laughing:


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## diy'er on LI (Jul 6, 2009)

ccarlisle- I ask becuase I don't want to be forced to do 3 coats of paint after priming, and I don't want it to wear poorly..... but I'm still hoping that I don't have to spend $500+ just to paint our apartment....

I know everyone on this board keeps saying SW and BM, but my question is if their mid-priced paint is also very good (goes on evenly, wears well), or are these glowing reviews only for the $50/gallon premium paints? I'm also asking if there are any other brands out there that are also good.

It's funny that you mention researching this board, becuase in real life, I am a researcher, and tend to search topics to death online prior to posting. It's just that I often encounter conflicting info from different sources (ex. consumer reports, who I'm trusting less and less these days.... vs. chat forums)


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## housepaintingny (Jul 25, 2009)

SW promar line and progreen are good mid priced paints, within the budget that your looking at.


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## PTP WX (Oct 28, 2009)

diy'er on LI said:


> ccarlisle- I ask becuase I don't want to be forced to do 3 coats of paint after priming, and I don't want it to wear poorly..... but I'm still hoping that I don't have to spend $500+ just to paint our apartment....
> 
> I know everyone on this board keeps saying SW and BM, but my question is if their mid-priced paint is also very good (goes on evenly, wears well), or are these glowing reviews only for the $50/gallon premium paints? I'm also asking if there are any other brands out there that are also good.
> 
> It's funny that you mention researching this board, becuase in real life, I am a researcher, and tend to search topics to death online prior to posting. It's just that I often encounter conflicting info from different sources (ex. consumer reports, who I'm trusting less and less these days.... vs. chat forums)


I would first check the prices at a Sherwin Williams or Benjamin Moore dealer, see if they have sales check what the $$$$ per gallon is. Maybe you can get 5 Gal paint buckets at lower cost??

If that is out of your price range, I would suggest Pittsburgh Ultra (you can find that at some Menards stores). NOT the regular Pittsburgh paints, get the Ultra, I have used it dozens of times and usually pay about $21-25, unless you get it on sale. It is not quite the quality of SW or BM but it covers really well, is workable, durable and will last. Look for the 5 Gal you may be able to save money.

Read through this topic and you'll get a really good idea of good and bad paints from Pro's.... http://www.diychatroom.com/f4/commenting-behr-paints-867/


SW Promar is a good mid-priced paint - I second that


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

This is an easy one. Sounds like the walls are in good shape, so primer is not necessary. Go with SW ProMar or Benjamin Moore Prospec. Both are in the mid $20's a gallon and even cheaper if purchased in a 5 gallon bucket as PTP mentioned. If you can go with the same color that is on the walls then you can probably get away with one coat.


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## diy'er on LI (Jul 6, 2009)

thanks for the input. I'll get one of those BM and SW lines... 

blah, nothing as uninspiring as a weekend of painting rooms I'll never live in.... At least they'll look good once I'm done....


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Matthewt1970 said:


> This is an easy one. Sounds like the walls are in good shape, so primer is not necessary. Go with SW ProMar or Benjamin Moore Prospec. Both are in the mid $20's a gallon and even cheaper if purchased in a 5 gallon bucket as PTP mentioned. If you can go with the same color that is on the walls then you can probably get away with one coat.


Totally agree with brand choices but you cannot, and never should try to get away with one coat. I don't pay as much for either SW or BM. Demand a discount of some kind even if it is not as deep as mine. At least 15 percent should be available but you need to ask.


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

I have done one coat and it looked great too many times to count. If it covered and the sheen is even, you are done.


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## user1007 (Sep 23, 2009)

Matthewt1970 said:


> I have done one coat and it looked great too many times to count. If it covered and the sheen is even, you are done.


Hope you never have to wash anything off of it. Two finish coats always. Do it right when you are in the mood.


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## RegeSullivan (Dec 8, 2006)

Check out the SW web sight... When you register they send you email coupons. I have had them up to 25% off. Also, chat with the people at SW and have them give you and account. It can get you at 5 - 10% off. Try to buy in the 5 gal buckets if you can use that much paint for one job. It is a little cheaper and you seam to lose as much throwing 5 cans.

Rege

Rege


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## mazzonetv (Feb 25, 2009)

Check out the BEN line from Ben Moore. Sells for @ 30 a gallon and is low voc.


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## Sprayboy (Oct 21, 2009)

Can't go wrong with Zinnser primer and Promar from SW. Rule of thumb says, "One coat of primer and two coats of finish". :yes:


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## fozzie (Oct 5, 2009)

*Do as I say, not as I did.*

:icon_redface: I'm finishing up painting a whole house and I learned that it pays to know what you are willing to put up with in order to save some money. If you are ok with putting on a coat of primer and two coats of paint on the ceiling, you may be able to get away with big box mass market top end paint. The walls are another story. Go to a paint store, open up your checkbook, and put yourself in the hands of the salesman. Buy what they tell you to buy and put it on like they tell you to put it on. I have never ever heard of someone getting hosed at a BM, Pratt & Lambert, or Pittsburgh dealer. 
I went big box to save some bucks, and wound up putting on 3 coats of Consumer Reports best buy paint (Olympic). After two 5 gal pails in two rooms, I went to the PPG store and got some Manor Hall. What a difference! Less spatter, stayed on the brush/roller, and stayed on the wall without dripping or running... It was like dying and going to paint heaven! Both Olympic and Manor hall are made by PPG, but it's like Manor hall is concentrated Olympic. I finished by using Olympic on the ceilings only and Manor Hall on the walls. If I had it to do over, I'd save the aggrevation and go Manor Hall. 
As for primer, I used Kilz oil base for the Kitchen and Bath, And Zinseer 123 water base for everything else. If I had it to do over, I'd just use the Zinseer water base for everything. Kilz and Zinseer Oil based primers stink like hell, and and are not much better for 'normal' applications ( no smoke, crayon, or severe stains). If you go this route be sure the primer you get is tintable, and have it tinted to your creme color. Tinting makes a big difference in the hiding ability. When applying, lay it on thicker rather than thinner, especially the primer. Hope this helps,
Good luck.


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## ccarlisle (Jul 2, 2008)

It's funny how such a number of posts like fozzies seems to appear on this board; and it's too bad they don't get to read these posts first before they shop at HD or somewhere like that...but there are scores of others who are quite happy with their own results and don't give a hoot.

Times they are a-changing':laughing:


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## Skuce (Nov 2, 2009)

http://www.homesteadhouse.ca/colours/

I have never used a primer that beats their Alkyd primer! ever!

It's a smaller paint manufacturer from Toronto...but everything they make blows me away.


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## diy'er on LI (Jul 6, 2009)

RegeSullivan said:


> Check out the SW web sight... When you register they send you email coupons. I have had them up to 25% off. Also, chat with the people at SW and have them give you and account. It can get you at 5 - 10% off. Try to buy in the 5 gal buckets if you can use that much paint for one job. It is a little cheaper and you seam to lose as much throwing 5 cans.
> 
> Rege
> 
> Rege


 holy cow.... no way! I'm registering pronto. 

Thanks fozzie for the FYI. I've learned to never trust consumer reports for anything but cars, and to go to SW or BM for the paint. I only go to the big box for kilz and painting supplies (tape, rollers, tarps). that being said, they have so many lines, I was worried that only their primo stuff was good. It's good to find out that some of their mid-range paint is also great.

thanks everyone! I'm really hoping I can just do a primer, 2 coats, and no more... Maybe then my husband and I can pump this apartment out in 3 days... (a girl can dream, right?)


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