Benjamin Moore paint

[blondie23]

Have any of you used Benjamin Moore paint before? if yes I have some questions for you:

I am planning on using Benjamin Moore paint in my house but there are so many options...What type of finish should I use? Flat, Satin Enamel, Eggshell...I've been told that satin enamel doesn't stain but it does have a shine to it wheres flat paint has no shine but if you were to mark on it you can't simply just wipe it off with a wet rag, instead you have to repaint that area??? is that true??

also, does anyne know about BM's new line of paint called Aura??

Help. clearly I'm clueless.

 

[somethingshiny]

I have used BM paint. I don''t think it''s any better than the hardware store brands, though. I did have a problem with a flat BM paint. It got weird when I wiped down the wall. But, the hardware store brand didn''t.

The general rule of thumb for finishes is: flat for uneven surfaces, satin for smooth surfaces, gloss for wood work or something you want to stand out.

Since my flat paint fiasco, I will only use a satin or eggshell finish on my walls.

Whichever way you go, I would put some paint in a small jar when you''re done. (like a baby food jar.) Close it tightly and label it. Then when you need to touch up a mark, scuff, etc, you can just grab a small brush and your jar instead of getting out all the painting supplies. And, store your pain upside down.

 

[moremoremore]

Blondie- I like to use flat paint when possible b/c I like the look...I have Ben Moore flat China White in a majority of the place...I did use an eggshell (diff brand) in my den for a most subtle sheen (probably my imagination)....I use flat for ceilings, glossy for trim.

As for flat, the marks *generally* rub off with a light swipe of a wet cloth...much more so that the eggshell in the den, but you CAN'T simply re-paint one area...it is not seamless....It will look re-painted in that area...

As for the Aura, yes, I read about it and will be using it in the future. i love the seamless touch up and the colors are really pretty (although they don't have exactly the blue I want).... and all go with the others. I have the color fan deck....

Best of luck.

 

[jcrow]

do not use flat paint. i repeat! do not use flat paint!!
every little thing marks up the walls. and when you try to wipe it off, it leaves a smudge. especially if you use colored towels

 

[lyra]

Over many years and with many rooms in many different houses, one thing stays the same: we always use Eggshell on all walls. For kitchen and bathrooms, we use specific kitchen and bath/high moisture type paints but still eggshell finish. We only use Color Your World paint now(do you even have that in the US?), but we have used *every* brand out there at one time or another. I would stick to latex in all cases, it''s just easier to clean up and is plenty durable. Satin finish for trim, or semi-gloss if you really like a shine. Flat always for ceilings--ceiling paint is easiest. You pay for what you get, so if you''re staying in the house, use the higher quality paint.

 

[blondie23]

what is the difference between eggshell and satin finish?? is it the amount of shine?? is it a difference in texture?

 

[lyra]

Satin finish has more shine. Your paint store will have samples of all the finishes to compare. We stick with Eggshell because it''s durable, doesn''t show defects as much and it''s just easier to have the same finish in every room. Designers like to use Flat finishes sometimes, because they feel it shows the true colour of the paint. That''s fine for them, and true in theory, but if you have dogs or kids or both, you usually want to be able to have a surface that is easily cleaned.

Eggshell isn''t shiny, but it isn''t totally flat either. Shiny and flat show off every imperfection.

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 11/21/2007 2:40:30 PM
Author:blondie23
Have any of you used Benjamin Moore paint before? if yes I have some questions for you:

I am planning on using Benjamin Moore paint in my house but there are so many options...What type of finish should I use? Flat, Satin Enamel, Eggshell...I''ve been told that satin enamel doesn''t stain but it does have a shine to it wheres flat paint has no shine but if you were to mark on it you can''t simply just wipe it off with a wet rag, instead you have to repaint that area??? is that true??

also, does anyne know about BM''s new line of paint called Aura??

Help. clearly I''m clueless.

I use BM paint all of the time. It''s the best on the market. And if you ask any interior designer, more than likely they use BM paints. Other than BM, I would use Valspar which is sold at Lowe''s. Another excellent option would be ICI Dulux paint. ICI is similar to BM, it''s sold through freestanding dealerships. I personally think it''s better to go to a REAL paint store because the service is much better. If the paint is less than 28 bucks a gallon, I wouldn''t buy it. Cheap paint is well, cheap.

You''re definitely a newbie to paint. Let me ask you, are you going to be doing the painting yourself or will you hire professionals. I''m very familiar with paint and I can paint very well, but I still hired painters just because they can do it so much better. Ben Moore costs more than what you''ll get at Home Depot or Lowe''s but it''s worth it.

Flat: Flat paint is for very low traffic areas. Never use flat in a kitchen or bathroom and don''t use it in children''s rooms either. One of the benefits of flat paint is that you can hide any imperfections in your wall. However, it cannot be washed that''s why it''s not recommended for kitchens, baths, or kids rooms.

Eggshell: This is the most versatile finish and is appropriate for the majority of rooms in your home. It has a very subtle sheen to it and it''s cleanable - to an extent. However, it''s not appropriate for kitchens and baths.

Satin: I like to use Satin finish in kids rooms because it holds up to being scrubbed. It''s has a little more shine than Eggshell, but it''s very durable - and it is appropriate for most rooms in the home. If your room gets a lot of traffic, I would recommend Satin.

Semi-gloss: Semi-gloss is what you use for VERY high traffic areas such as kitchens and baths. Additionally, it''s also used on trim, doors, and cabinets. Imperfections in your walls will be visible so take time to prepare your walls if you use a semi or high-gloss paint.

High-gloss: The only thing high-gloss is good for are doors, trim, and cabinets. If your wall has any imperfections and you paint it in a high-gloss, you''re going to see them. Also, it''s highly reflective, so it''s best to use on doors, trim, and occasionally cabinets.

The BM AURA paint is EXCELLENT! It''s specially formulated so that you don''t have to prime your walls before you paint. This is great if you''re painting a wall red or if you''re covering up red. But the thing about the AURA is the beauty of the color. The depth is just amazing. Additionally, AURA is a "green" paint. No toxins and what not. AURA does run about $65.00 a gallon, but it''s worth it. It''s like two buckets of paint in one so you wouldn''t be spending anymore than usual. I painted my house in AURA. There are some colors that are only available in AURA. However, if you like a color that isn''t necessary an AURA color, such as, Waterbury Cream, you can still have in made in the AURA paint.

Also, you don''t want enamel. You want latex. If you don''t get AURA, get the Regal. Latex is water based and easy to clean and it doesn''t have such a strong odor. But odor is usually only problem with cheap paint.

 

[Octavia]

This isn''t specific to BM paint, but another problem with flat finish is that it''s harder to paint over. Because it''s more porous, it sucks the paint right out of your roller when you try to put a different color on the wall, and turns a room that should be reasonably easy to paint into a miserable monster. Hehe, can you tell I just had to deal with this? If you plan to move before you paint again, this could be a nasty little present to the next people...but if you think you ever might want to redo your walls while you''re there, go with eggshell.

I wish I had gone with a low-or-no VOC paint when I did our apartment a few months ago...sometimes it STILL smells like paint in here. If I''d been thinking, rather than just wanting to get things done ASAP after we moved in, I''d have paid a little more for a "green" paint in a heartbeat.

 

[moremoremore]

That's so funny bc I found that the marks on my flat paint comes off so much easier than on the eggshell in the den...That's strange I guess...I personally would never use a semi gloss on walls except in a bathroom...I really dislike the look....Oh, and flat is for hiding imperfections, not showing them....but I guess it's a toss up....This is an interesting thread to me since I'll be doing a lot of painting soon...I am guessing that the majority agree on eggshell?

If you go with the Auro, let me know how you like it. The seamless touch up is a huge benefit!

 

[blondie23]

We have hired someone to paint for us and he has a contract with BM so we''ve decided to do the satin finish in the Aura product line. He gets the paint at $40 a gallon which is still expensive but cheaper than $58/gallon we were originally quoted. I will let you all know how it turns out when we are done! We''re considering doing most of the walls in BM Stonehouse and the bedrooms in a silver sage type color...I will post pictures once it''s done.

Thank you everyone who replied!

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 11/25/2007 4:42:16 PM
Author: blondie23
We have hired someone to paint for us and he has a contract with BM so we''ve decided to do the satin finish in the Aura product line. He gets the paint at $40 a gallon which is still expensive but cheaper than $58/gallon we were originally quoted. I will let you all know how it turns out when we are done! We''re considering doing most of the walls in BM Stonehouse and the bedrooms in a silver sage type color...I will post pictures once it''s done.


Thank you everyone who replied!

Those are beautiful colors.

 

[jcrow]

very interesting about the aura. i''ll have to look into that when we repaint.

blondie: we have stonehouse in the guest rooms and bathrooms and love the color!
i hope you post pics when you are finished!!

 

[blondie23]

JCrow!!! you used stonehouse???? i'm so glad you like it...i'm so nervous about painting my walls i don't even know why. i really want to add some bold color to my house (i.e. chocolate brown and red) but i am nervous that i'll get sick of it so i'm sticking with neutral colors. i hope the BM stonehouse is bold enough but not too bold if that makes any sense at all....i'm hoping to add more color with accents like pillows, etc..we paint this upcoming weekend so more pictures to come!

 

[jcrow]

yep. muslin for all trim & ceilings. stonehouse for non main rooms and scarecrow for kitchen, living, dining and master bedroom. i really love the muslin as well. it''s a soft cream, but not too cream or yellowie. and not stark white either. stonehouse isn''t bold. it''s soft, especially in comparison to the scarecrow

 

[blondie23]

Just wanted to give everyone an update. We painted the house a week ago with BM Aura and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The painters we hired did an amazing job! We even chose the Aura flat paint and to test it our painter marked the walls with all kinds of different things (crayons, marinara sauce, dirt, sharpie, etc) and all except the sharpie came off the paint with NO problems. He used the sharpie to show the flawless touch up. Also, it only took one coat of the beige and silver sage colors and two coats for the chocolate brown color we used as an accent.

Once we get a little more settled I will be sure to post pictures.

 

[butterfly 17]

I love the color silver sage. I used it in my daughter Kara''s room. I found it in a PB catalog and loved the way it looked on the pages. I used the next darker color in the same family, I can''t remember the name right now, for my room.

It''s such a pretty shade of green!!

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 12/11/2007 6:22:09 PM
Author: blondie23
Just wanted to give everyone an update. We painted the house a week ago with BM Aura and I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The painters we hired did an amazing job! We even chose the Aura flat paint and to test it our painter marked the walls with all kinds of different things (crayons, marinara sauce, dirt, sharpie, etc) and all except the sharpie came off the paint with NO problems. He used the sharpie to show the flawless touch up. Also, it only took one coat of the beige and silver sage colors and two coats for the chocolate brown color we used as an accent.


Once we get a little more settled I will be sure to post pictures.

Isn''t it just the best paint?!

 

[Angel7]

I''ve never used BM but I love their colors.
My brother who is an union carpenter ONLY uses Sherwin Williams so I never get to use BM! He says SW has the best coverage by far.
Good Luck!

 

[pennquaker09]

Date: 12/14/2007 2:32:30 PM
Author: Angel7
I''ve never used BM but I love their colors.

My brother who is an union carpenter ONLY uses Sherwin Williams so I never get to use BM! He says SW has the best coverage by far.

Good Luck!

Nah, BM is much better. Especially Aura. And then Dulux/ICI. SW is further down on the list.

 

[Angel7]

Date: 12/15/2007 2:42:40 AM
Author: pennquaker09

Date: 12/14/2007 2:32:30 PM
Author: Angel7
I''ve never used BM but I love their colors.

My brother who is an union carpenter ONLY uses Sherwin Williams so I never get to use BM! He says SW has the best coverage by far.

Good Luck!

Nah, BM is much better. Especially Aura. And then Dulux/ICI. SW is further down on the list.

To each their own I guess!