# best mildew resistant paint?



## J187

I have had great results so far with Sherwin Williams Bath Paint. I painted my bathroom last year around this time and I haven't had a hint of a problem. Washes really nice too. Hard to imagine putting it to more of a test than I have - I painted around the tub surround rather than tiled. Albeit its temporary until I get to retiling all the walls in the bathroom, but it seems like it would hold up permantely. The paint above my surround takes routine direct splashing from the shower and hasn't had one iota of a problem. 

I think I primed w/ preprite by Sherwin for that project but I've pretty much resigned to using Zinnser Bullseye 123 for most other applications except dark surfaces or stained surfaces.... Then I go with Bin or Coverstain depending.


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## slickshift

The Sherwin William's bath paint, and the Ben Moore's Kitchen and Bath paint are both excellent

The absolute best mildew resistant paint is Zinsser's Perma-White
It's mind boggling how well it works
The only drawback is it's only tintable to light colors and pastels

You'll need to prime with an oil-based primer first
I's stick with the same brand if possible
(BM's Fresh Start primer, Moore's K&B paint, etc...)
But any quality ones will do

The additives work OK also
But if possible, I prefer the factory designed ones


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## robbob11111

Will the Zinsser Perma-White hold up to routine direct splashing like the Sherwin Williams Bath Paint?


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## J187

robbob11111 said:


> Will the Zinsser Perma-White hold up to routine direct splashing like the Sherwin Williams Bath Paint?


 
Slick doesn't  around when it comes to painting cabinets or when it comes to mildew - he only would have suggested the Zinsser if he thought it would do a better job than both SW and BM - but any of the three will suit you just fine.


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## slickshift

Ha ha...no I don't mess around when it comes to mold/mildew

Z's P-W will hold up as well or better than any Bath paint when it comes to direct splashing, keeping in mind that there shouldn't be daily direct splashing on drywall
If there is, a backsplash would be in order

But yeah, the P-W holds it's own real well


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## diylady

Do you always have to oil base prime before you paint a bathroom ceiling? And what happens to the ceiling if you didn't?? GULP!!


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## slickshift

diylady said:


> Do you always have to oil base prime before you paint a bathroom ceiling?


Nope
This case is unusual as it has oil paint already on there
It needs some oil-primer to then coat with latex paint


diylady said:


> And what happens to the ceiling if you didn't??


In this case, the latex could slide right off



If it's latex, but semi-gloss (often found in bathrooms), it's usually a good idea to scuff sand and prime, but the primer can be latex in that case


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## George Z

Oil based primer will promote mildew.
Mildew loves alkyd paint.
I would prime with Zinsser's Bulls eye first, also mildew resistant.
And it is super adherent, making it a great conversion primer (oil to latex)
and finish coat with the Perma-White.


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## Paintguru

Zinsser's Perma White, as previously mentioned is a great mildew-proof paint. Zinsser adds ground mildewcide into the paint as it is made, which is much strong than the additive that paint stores can add into any paint. It also carries a 5 year mold and mildew proof guarantee.


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## joewho

There should be some ventilation in the bathroom, regarless of what paint is used. 

Even though oil is a mold magnet, we'd have to go through all the primers individually to determine which ones actually still use oil in them. Most are solvent based. 

Too much mildewcide will have an effect on paint, probably the reason zinser has limited tintability.


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## slickshift

We use oil-based primers in humid bathrooms (that have no vapor barrier under the sheetrock) to act as a vapor barrier

Especially when properly coated, oil primers do not attract any mold or mildew, and work well as a vapor barrier to keep moisture out of the inside of the wall


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## robbob11111

Slickshift when you say "properly coated" what do you mean?

If the primer is in between the old paint and new paint can mildew get to it?

Would the Perma - White be more durable and longer lasting with oil based primer instead of water based, or is it just an issue of the paint sticking to the walls when you first paint?


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## slickshift

I'm being careful...lol...

I've lived and worked on the shore, the land of rust and mildew for decades
I've never noticed a difference in oil vs. latex per say
It's always about moisture/food/warmth etc...

_If_ there is a slight tendency for oil primers to harbor mold or mildew, it absolutely would be negated by the proper (complete two coat) coverage of Z's P-W...there's no way for mold to get to it

I suggested the oil-based primer because of the oil paint already on the walls...it's an adhesion issue...some latex paints will slide right off

But as I mentioned, oil-primer is also used for moisture laden baths with no vapor barrier behind the sheet rock, to keep moisture from settling inside the wall, allowing mold and mildew to grow inside the wall


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## babs96

*Ceiling Paint*

So, review with me, if the bathroom ceiling has white oil base, repaint with oil primer then oil base? Does that need to be sanded first?
If I want to change to latex, sand, then latex primer then latex base?
I'd like to get away from the oil if practical.
What about a kitchen ceiling, same scenario?


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## slickshift

babs96 said:


> So, review with me, if the bathroom ceiling has white oil base, repaint with oil primer then oil base? Does that need to be sanded first?


If you want to stick with oil-base paint, you might not even need the primer, but in baths it's a good idea
Sand, unless it's an old _lead_ paint
But that's another story



babs96 said:


> If I want to change to latex, sand, then latex primer then latex base?
> I'd like to get away from the oil if practical.


Then prime with oil but use a latex paint
This will "switch" you over to latex



babs96 said:


> What about a kitchen ceiling, same scenario?


Short of any other issues/problems...yeah

Mostly there's no reason to prime re-paints
But if there's oil paint on there, and you want to switch to latex, an oil-based primer is generally used which is then coated with latex paint


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## robbob11111

Thanks for all of the info so far, there is only one other question I have. Is cleaning the walls with a mold/mildew stain remover good enough or should I use an actual mildewcide?


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## Brik

robbob11111 said:


> I am looking at repainting a couple of bathrooms that are very humid and warm throughout the day. Right now they have an oil based semigloss paint that has started peeling off in places. What would be the best primer and paint in this situation? I am looking for durablity and mildew resistance. Also are mildewcide additives a viable option or can they mess up the chemical composition of the paint?


The peeling is more likely due to a bad surface prep or moisture behind the wall. A mildew paint will peel just as easily as a regular paint if you have moisture in the sheetrock or a bad prep job.


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## Sublimesub

Wow, I'm a new first-time homebuyer, and I'm really glad I found this forum!

I'm about to paint my musty smelling basement. I plan to use the Ralph Lauren metallics paint. 
Would I be able to use Zinsser's Perma-White primer, and then paint over it with the metallic?

There is no visible mildew, when I had my home inspection, the mildew problem was mostly in
the carpet, which is long gone. I've had a dehumidifier (an older one I found on Freecycle)
running 24/7 for the last six months, which has helped immensely, and now I plan to pick up
a space heater, and use anti-mildew cleaner to clean the floors and walls before I get started
painting. 

Feedback is much appreciated. Thanks all!


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## angie.love

Since your bathroom is an enclosed place without a lot of ventialtion I suggest you use a paint with zero VOC's. ECOtrend Collagen is a natural paint that is naturally mold and mildew resistant for the life of the paint. They have had their paint third party tested by ASTM G-21. This test proved that ECOtrend Collagen stands up to the test when it comes to mold and mildew. 

I recently used it in my bathroom and it has worked great so far.


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## chrisn

I'm about to paint my musty smelling basement. I plan to use the Ralph Lauren metallics paint. 


Why?


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## Sublimesub

chrisn said:


> Why?


I saw it in someone else's finished basement, theater
style. I'm not sure why this is relevant though. =)


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## chrisn

It is probably one of the hardest paints to work with and get it looking good, that is why I asked. Zinnzers Perma White is not a primer, if you apply another paint on top of it,I would doubt it would maintain it's mildew resistance.


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## Sublimesub

chrisn said:


> It is probably one of the hardest paints to work with and get it looking good, that is why I asked. Zinnzers Perma White is not a primer, if you apply another paint on top of it,I would doubt it would maintain it's mildew resistance.


Hmm. Well someone mentioned Zinnzers had a primer, right? Either way,
I plan to put mildew-resistant additives in whichever other primer I use,
as well as the paint. I think it'll come out really nicely. If you have any
tips on using the metallics (or suggestions for another brand of metallic
paint), I'm definitely open. Thanks!


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## ratherbefishin'

chrisn is right, Perma White is a self priming paint, not a primer per se. Bullseye 123 is also mold resistant and is one of the best bonding primers you can buy. The problem here is that you'd be defeating your purpose by topcoating with a non resistant paint. You need to use something you can have a mildewcide added to, so you'll have surface protection. Ben Moore has a metallic glaze and some other faux finish products, I expect Sherwin Williams has something similar. Go talk to the people at one of those stores and I'm sure they'll be happy to help you with your project.


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## chrisn

Go talk to the people at one of those stores and I'm sure they'll be happy to help you with your project. :thumbsup:


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## Sublimesub

Thanks everyone.  I'll check out what can be added to the RL metallics paint.


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## ccarlisle

The chemicals that paint manufacturers add to the 'mould-resistant' paints must rise to the dried surface of the paint to be effective and act as a repellent to mould spores floating around in the air. But when these chemicals rise to the surface of the dried paint, they interfere with the natural way the paint pigments orient themselves when the solvent flashes off. If those paint pigment were heavy and thick like in a dark coloured paint, the mould-repelling chemical wouldn't give you a nice look, so the tinting of such paints must be with light pigments. That's a bit oversimplified, but close.

So you can't coat a mould-repellent paint with anything.

You seem to be attacking the symptoms rather than the causes of mould: high relative humidity. Assuming you have enough food for the moulds to grow on, then all they need is enough humidity, something like 70% at room temperature. Now that you get in a bathroom without ventilation - but you don't often get in a basement unless there is no dilution of the stagnant air with the rest of the house. The key is _air movement_. 

Seal off a carpeted basement room with no air movement and withing weeks you'll get a musty odour from the wood, the drywall, or the carpet or all 3. And painting the walls - even with the best mould-repellent paint - will do squat for you. Too late by then... 
:yes:


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## Sublimesub

Interesting. There's no mold on my drywall currently. It just smells musty, and mold was found 
(and removed) from my laundry area in the basement, and I want to keep mold from growing on
the rest of my basement drywall. The nasty, musty carpet was ripped up before I moved in, and
now it's just the bare concrete, which I'm going to clean thoroughly. Then I plan to use area rugs.
I've got a dehumidifier running 24/7, and plan to use a space heater to further dry out the air. I
suppose I should really do an air quality test to see how things really are down there. I guess I
had a pretty big misconception as to what the additives can actually do. I thought they basically
acted as a type of sealant to keep any mold outside the drywall from coming inside. (Yes, I am a
total n00b!) If all they do is keep mold from growing on the paint surface, then maybe I don't need
to use one at all.


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## countrycrpntr81

Ive always found best results with "zinnzers" oil based primer 123 or "kilz" primer. As a heads up if your in a tight spot, i warn you that the odor from these primers is extremely strong, so you may want some ventilation. In terms of paint well every DY or age old contractor will say a certain paint is best. Which for the most part with many it seems true. However your best approach would to try samples on sheetrock and wood, preforable with imperfections. The better disguise over these imperfections would be best suited. In my opion from trade shows and inside vendor training of formulas and statistics, I am taking back from "BHER" Paint with NANO GUARD technology inhanced. Most paint companies when you look at its molecular lever have small beads of paint with channels running in between them. These channels are filled with the oil based color liquid or water based. These channels allow to much room for moisture and air which leads to mold growth. With "BHER" NANO GUARD paints the composition is different. They start off with beads of paint and where channels of liquid would be they fill it up with even smaller beads of paint, blocking the pores from moisture and air. Block the pores or channels and there will be less mold if not any. Bher even makes a primer and paint in one. Remember your best results are always with best prep work and study.


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## ccarlisle

Well, it looks like you are heading in the right direction with the dehumidifier and all, but being in the same climate zone as we are, I can tell you that in the winter things will be better. You can actually tell how you are getting along by putting a humidistat down there and reading the results. No matter what heating system you have, it'll be drier down there.

And in time the mould will move on; it feeds on wood and pretty much anything organic but its threshold for growth is 70% RH. Keep that in the 30-40% range all the time will not cause any more growth. Add a squirt of bleach or some other mould counteracting product and you'll be winning the war. Of course, your laundry room is a prime mould-magnet, so proper ventilation is required there anyhow. How do you handle _that_?

If you are back to the concrete walls, moisture is coming into your house; therein may lie a challenge in the fight against mould, so it should also figure into your plans. Don't figure on wool or oriental area rugs down there either.:whistling2:


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## ccarlisle

countrycrpntr81 said:


> Most paint companies when you look at its molecular lever have small beads of paint with channels running in between them. These channels are filled with the oil based color liquid or water based. These channels allow to much room for moisture and air which leads to mold growth. With "BHER" NANO GUARD paints the composition is different. They start off with beads of paint and where channels of liquid would be they fill it up with even smaller beads of paint, blocking the pores from moisture and air. Block the pores or channels and there will be less mold if not any.


You're mixing up two separate functions; the mould and mildew reistance comes from certain chemicals added to the vehicule where 'Nano-Gard' technology is the addition of smaller nanoparticles to make better coverage and hiding. 

One has nothing to do with the other.


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## chrisn

countrycrpntr81 said:


> Ive always found best results with "zinnzers" oil based primer 123 or "kilz" primer. As a heads up if your in a tight spot, i warn you that the odor from these primers is extremely strong, so you may want some ventilation. In terms of paint well every DY or age old contractor will say a certain paint is best. Which for the most part with many it seems true. However your best approach would to try samples on sheetrock and wood, preforable with imperfections. The better disguise over these imperfections would be best suited. In my opion from trade shows and inside vendor training of formulas and statistics, I am taking back from "BHER" Paint with NANO GUARD technology inhanced. Most paint companies when you look at its molecular lever have small beads of paint with channels running in between them. These channels are filled with the oil based color liquid or water based. These channels allow to much room for moisture and air which leads to mold growth. With "BHER" NANO GUARD paints the composition is different. They start off with beads of paint and where channels of liquid would be they fill it up with even smaller beads of paint, blocking the pores from moisture and air. Block the pores or channels and there will be less mold if not any. Bher even makes a primer and paint in one. Remember your best results are always with best prep work and study.


 
May want some ventilation is putting it mildly at best.

BEHR spelled correctly is still bad paint, nano guard or not, you do not want this product on your walls.


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## Sublimesub

ccarlisle said:


> Well, it looks like you are heading in the right direction with the dehumidifier and all, but being in the same climate zone as we are, I can tell you that in the winter things will be better. You can actually tell how you are getting along by putting a humidistat down there and reading the results. No matter what heating system you have, it'll be drier down there.
> 
> And in time the mould will move on; it feeds on wood and pretty much anything organic but its threshold for growth is 70% RH. Keep that in the 30-40% range all the time will not cause any more growth. Add a squirt of bleach or some other mould counteracting product and you'll be winning the war. Of course, your laundry room is a prime mould-magnet, so proper ventilation is required there anyhow. How do you handle _that_?
> 
> If you are back to the concrete walls, moisture is coming into your house; therein may lie a challenge in the fight against mould, so it should also figure into your plans. Don't figure on wool or oriental area rugs down there either.:whistling2:


Thanks very much! I had the dryer ventilated (it wasn't when 
I had the first home inspection done) and the dehumidifier is 
actually *in* the laundry room, so it can drain directly into the
utility sink. That's all I've been able to think of to do as far as
keeping it dry. 

As far as the concrete walls, I'm pretty sure there isn't *extra*
moisture coming in (I'm a center unit, too), other than it just 
being naturally damp to an extent. Please forgive my ignorance,
but is 70% RH 70% relative humidity? :laughing: And as long as that's
below 70% any existing mold will die? Will the musty mildewy
smell die with it?



chrisn said:


> May want some ventilation is putting it mildly at best.
> 
> BEHR spelled correctly is still bad paint, nano guard or not, you do not want this product on your walls.


I have BEHR Premium Plus Ultra in all of the rest of my house,
and I love it. What makes you say it's a bad paint?


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## ccarlisle

Yes, "RH" is short for 'relative humidity'. 

Moulds need unmoving air and 70% RH at room temperatures in order to thrive...dry the air, keep the air moving and mould will not find that area a hospitable place to thrive. Dry it down to 30% RH at room temperatures - like in the winter - and they won't appear. Keep it at 30% RH (and put a fan down there) for extended periods of time and the smell will go away.

I'll let chrisn say why _he_ doesn't like Behr paints - better still do a search - but he's one of several contractors who do alot of _comparative_ painting i.e has the means to try a lot of different brands and has come to that conclusion. 

Personally, I do both personal and commercial paint jobs and I am more than happy just to take a real pros' advice on that. Long time ago I went to Benjamin Moore and prefer to stay with them...


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## Sublimesub

ccarlisle said:


> Yes, "RH" is short for 'relative humidity'.
> 
> Moulds need unmoving air and 70% RH at room temperatures in order to thrive...dry the air, keep the air moving and mould will not find that area a hospitable place to thrive. Dry it down to 30% RH at room temperatures - like in the winter - and they won't appear. Keep it at 30% RH (and put a fan down there) for extended periods of time and the smell will go away.
> 
> I'll let chrisn say why _he_ doesn't like Behr paints - better still do a search - but he's one of several contractors who do alot of _comparative_ painting i.e has the means to try a lot of different brands and has come to that conclusion.
> 
> Personally, I do both personal and commercial paint jobs and I am more than happy just to take a real pros' advice on that. Long time ago I went to Benjamin Moore and prefer to stay with them...


Thanks so much for all of the advice!  I've heard some painters
swear by Behr, others swear by Sherwin Williams, etc. Everyone
has their preferences, and I'll be interested to see what's said about
Behr. 

Thanks again, I really appreciate it!


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## ccarlisle

OMG! There's a *monster* thread on this bb about Behr Paint...it's about 250 posts long and it seems to have one common theme: behr paint is DIY standard at best, certainly not professional grade. As such, it does an OK job once for the neophyte, maybe, but will in the long run disappoint many. 

It is not really sold as a "paint" - rather a coloured-liquid-that-pays-HD's-overhead- and-you-just-thought-of- buying-while-you-were-shopping-for-a-washing-machine. 

Worth about $8 per gallon but sells for $35...:whistling2:


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## Sublimesub

ccarlisle said:


> OMG! There's a *monster* thread on this bb about Behr Paint...it's about 250 posts long and it seems to have one common theme: behr paint is DIY standard at best, certainly not professional grade. As such, it does an OK job once for the neophyte, maybe, but will in the long run disappoint many.
> 
> It is not really sold as a "paint" - rather a coloured-liquid-that-pays-HD's-overhead- and-you-just-thought-of- buying-while-you-were-shopping-for-a-washing-machine.
> 
> Worth about $8 per gallon but sells for $35...:whistling2:


Wow! Hmm, I'll have to check out that thread. It came highly
recommended to me by other non-professional painters (just
other homeowners like me). I guess we'll see how it holds up.

Regardless, I'm not planning on using it in my basement, as I
want the Ralph Lauren metallic paint in Manchester Purple.
Sooooo pretty! ^_^


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## ccarlisle

*"Commenting on Behr Paints"*...thread started in August 2005 & still going strong. 262 posts! Even sales reps from Behr chimed in - but were drowned out, methinks.
:laughing:


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## Sublimesub

Wow! Behr sure does have some haters!  I looked on Benjamin Moore's
website, and they do have a Metallic Glaze... maybe that would be a 
better bet. But I have seen the RL Metallic on someone's walls and I
thought it looked fantastic. Apparently Home Depot will stop carrying
RL paint in 2010, replaced with Martha Stewart. :/


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## chrisn

Sublimesub said:


> Wow! Behr sure does have some haters!  I looked on Benjamin Moore's
> website, and they do have a Metallic Glaze... maybe that would be a
> better bet. But I have seen the RL Metallic on someone's walls and I
> thought it looked fantastic. Apparently Home Depot will stop carrying
> RL paint in 2010, replaced with Martha Stewart. :/


 
I will not get into the Behr discussion with you, it's just not worth the effort. As for the RL paint, as I already posted, if it is not applied properly, it is a disaster. Please read the label directions before buying and trying to paint with it. I don't know about BM but I do know that at least there( at the BM store) will be someone to help you.Will there be someone at Home Depot that has ANY knowledge about paint or application there of, I think NOT.:no:


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## Kevin M.

Sublimesub said:


> Wow!
> 
> 
> 
> Behr sure does have some haters!
> 
> 
> 
> I looked on Benjamin Moore's
> website, and they do have a Metallic Glaze... maybe that would be a
> better bet. But I have seen the RL Metallic on someone's walls and I
> thought it looked fantastic. Apparently Home Depot will stop carrying
> RL paint in 2010, replaced with Martha Stewart. :/
Click to expand...

The deeper issue at hand is not hating Behr, rather validating the truth as pertains to the Consumer Report claims that the Behr paint is highly rated. I, for one am not convinced that they speak the truth. As a responsible person, it would be beneficial to others to divulge what I know about the situation to assist others in validating all the claims and promises concerning this product. 

Hopefully, others will be challenged to at least consider the facts based on first hand experiences from qualified people, as opposed to carte blanch acceptance of a magazine's opinions.

Professional or amateur, makes no difference, is this product legitimate to the degree of the claims?

Good luck on your project!


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## Sprayboy

I am sitting in a computer room painted 15 years ago with Dutchboy light yellow lemon-scented paint. The scent is long gone but the room still looks good. Of course, Zinsser 123 primer first and then 2 finish coats can rescue just about anything. It's one thing to use cheap paint and quite another to apply it improperly. ;-)


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## ccarlisle

Yup... truer words were never spoken, sprayboy. "Prep" is often quoted as 50% or higher of the quality of a paint job and I haven't seen a good job where there wasn't as much attention paid to it as the rollering itself...

Even a bad paint will look good if there good prep beforehand and if nothing is done to it. I mean it's not as if a cheap paint will disintegrate over the short lifetime of a paint job. No, a 'yellow paint job' will still look like a 'yellow paint job' no matter what the paint was...and only those with the higher standards that come from experience will know for sure, But the average HO won't...and that's what _paint marketing companies_ - and in that group I lump all the box store paints and all the Martha Stewart famous people etc -type lines out there that sell colour-in-a-paint-can -that's how those marketers pay the electricity bill every month.

It's a bit different if you sell professional services for cash...there your reputation, your advanced knowledge and technique oblige you to go with the best. Most of us can't afford not to. Call-backs to me are equivalent to professional purgatory.:laughing:


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## ratherbefishin'

ccarlisle said:


> Yup... truer words were never spoken, sprayboy. "Prep" is often quoted as 50% or higher of the quality of a paint job and I haven't seen a good job where there wasn't as much attention paid to it as the rollering itself...
> 
> Even a bad paint will look good if there good prep beforehand and if nothing is done to it. I mean it's not as if a cheap paint will disintegrate over the short lifetime of a paint job. No, a 'yellow paint job' will still look like a 'yellow paint job' no matter what the paint was...and only those with the higher standards that come from experience will know for sure, But the average HO won't...and that's what _paint marketing companies_ - and in that group I lump all the box store paints and all the Martha Stewart famous people etc -type lines out there that sell colour-in-a-paint-can -that's how those marketers pay the electricity bill every month.
> 
> It's a bit different if you sell professional services for cash...there your reputation, your advanced knowledge and technique oblige you to go with the best. Most of us can't afford not to. Call-backs to me are equivalent to professional purgatory.:laughing:



VERY well said!!!:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## Sprayboy

ccarlisle said:


> Yup... truer words were never spoken, sprayboy. "Prep" is often quoted as 50% or higher of the quality of a paint job and I haven't seen a good job where there wasn't as much attention paid to it as the rollering itself...
> 
> Even a bad paint will look good if there good prep beforehand and if nothing is done to it. I mean it's not as if a cheap paint will disintegrate over the short lifetime of a paint job. No, a 'yellow paint job' will still look like a 'yellow paint job' no matter what the paint was...and only those with the higher standards that come from experience will know for sure, But the average HO won't...and that's what _paint marketing companies_ - and in that group I lump all the box store paints and all the Martha Stewart famous people etc -type lines out there that sell colour-in-a-paint-can -that's how those marketers pay the electricity bill every month.
> 
> It's a bit different if you sell professional services for cash...there your reputation, your advanced knowledge and technique oblige you to go with the best. Most of us can't afford not to. Call-backs to me are equivalent to professional purgatory.:laughing:



It's kind of peculiar, but whenever I'm on a job site I always notice what is being sprayed on the walls. A lot of ProMar 2000, a lot of BM, a lot of other expensive SW colors. I NEVER see a 5 gallon can of Behr, Olympic, or Valspar. I wonder why that is? :whistling2:


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## ccarlisle

If I were to manufacture a paint spraying machine, a machine that forces a paint under pressure through a small aperture, I'd certainly spend a lot of time with paint manufacturers to get the proper specifications for the paints I would recommend, and I'd certainly start with those companies who are the largest and who have a real good understanding of paint rheology. 

Cheap paints guys who produce cheap paints with variable grind parameters don't have the clout to make me a certain kind of paint just for me and I would run a chance of my machine getting a bad name because of improperly-spec'd paints. On the other hand, the big guys _know_ flow parameters and grind sizes and are big enough that they in turn can purchase a filler with a precise particle size - one that won't clog my machine.

They may already have one on the shelf - after all I'm not the first guy to put a spray-machine on the market, am I?...They have clout. _And_ the bucks to make me a paint that they garantee will work on my machine. 

So paint consistency is of paramount importance. And how do you get consistency? repetition and tight quality control. Even a cheap bath-tub batch of ceiling white latex at $1 won't do me any good at all if it clogs every other day...beside the big guys would probably want to help me market my machine if I use their paints exclussively. Sort of a kick-back.

Don't know really, just thinking out loud, But I've been in enough paint research labs to know that the big guys produce the best quality products and that the little guy just doesn't have the muscle.


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## mike1

I have used both Behr and Valspar paint from lowes and home depot. The stuff is absolute garbage. This was the high end line. I made the mistake of buying this stuff and painting my trim with it. The stuff runs like crazy even when put on very light, come back 20 min later and you will have runs. It also chips farely easy. I would stay away at all costs.

I was introduced to sherwin-williams 400 paint and the stuff is great. Goes on like butter. REAL one coat coverage.

I have a feeling I will be redoing all my trim in the house with SW very soon. 

I recently painted my bathroom with SW 400 paint and added 18 oz of mildewcide. I don't know the effectiveness of the mildewcide which is what led me to this site. I dont have any mildew issues just thought it wouldn't hurt to add.


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## ccarlisle

Cool.

Look the #1 foe we have to contend with in bathrooms is moisture since this leads us to more problems like mould...so don't forrget in all your treatments of the symptoms, to also attack the problem that being excess humidity in there.


Fans. Add one. Add a bigger one. Or just use it. Or just use it longer. Failing all that, change your habits.

Do that and you won't have a mould problem because you don't have a moisture problem and so you won't have a paint problem.

It's all comes back to H20...I love it!


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## WNW

*Zinsser Perma White (satin)*

I do not normally post to forums, this is an exception.

I recently painted our basement storage area with Zinsser Perma White; walls (drywall), concrete floor, ceiling.

Pros: Covers well. Very good adhesion. Dries fast. Very tough, scrubbable.

Cons: Difficult to apply. I've done a lot of painting, and this stuff is tricky. Will sag and drip very easily. If you use it, plan on at least 3 light coats rather than the 2 that are recommended.

STINK. NOXIOUS/TOXIC. "Low odor??!!" This stuff made me and my wife sick for two days. It must be the mildewicide / fungicide. *VERY NASTY*. 
We have had internal/external exhaust fans on for the last 3 days to get the fumes out of the house.

Unless you have very good ventilation to the outside to let this stuff cure for several days, you may want to consider another paint.

Although it may be a good product in the long run, I would not use it again.

Sorry, Zinsser, I used to like your products.


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## Sprayboy

You really don't have much choice over a fungicide that doesn't stink. The very least of which is a 20% bleach mix. Like ammonia? Use the mold-resistant drywall, the cell insulation, Zinsser, and a couple of top-coats and keep the water out. These foreclosures are many times full of mold and you have to be careful with remediation. I'm getting to the point where I may just start a company for this alone. :thumbsup:


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## shemp

I have found that Scott Paint is the best mildew resistant paint around. They are made in Florida which is a hot ,tropical region and they make paint specifically for that climate. SW and other national brands are made to work in a multitude of areas which are different than Florida. Check them out at www.Scottpaint.com They even have an online store to make a purchase.


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## MightyMango

*mildew around windows*

So, every apartment I have lived in gets mildew around the windows, and managment tells me that I should just be able to wash it off. Honestly, I'm tired of cleaning mildew and am contemplating painting around the windows myself. We actually live in a dry climate and air flow seems adequate considering we can open the windows for ventiliation, so I'm not quite sure why the mildew is growing in the first place. My only idea is that 1) we live in dumpy apartments that probably used the cheapest paint on the market, and 2) we run a humidifier in the winter due to respiratory issues. Any suggestions on paint or anything else that might get rid of the notorious mildew would be much appreciated.


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## Sprayboy

I think Zinnser makes a dry moldicide additive that you can add to any paint. I know they carry it at Menards.


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## JeepDan

*best midew resistant paint*

I can tell you that Valspar's kitchen and bath paint is your best bet for interior applications where mold or mildew is a concern, for exterior you can try Durax, both these paints have somthing called cross linking technology that ensures the hightes protection against mold.


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## chrisn

JeepDan said:


> I can tell you that Valspar's kitchen and bath paint is your best bet for interior applications where mold or mildew is a concern, for exterior you can try Durax, both these paints have somthing called cross linking technology that ensures the hightes protection against mold.
> 
> Details, please


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