Problems with red interior paint

First - You don't buy quality (especially HIGH QUALITY) paint from a big box or discount house. Buy quality paint from a paint store. You get what you pay for. Same thing is true about advice.

2nd - some colors are hard to get to look right. Red is one of them. These colors have more pigment in them and its hard to get that pigment evenly distributed.

3rd - don't use cheap tools. Quality tools (again you get what you pay for) hold more paint and allow the paint to flow better.

Finally - at this point, put on another coat or two. Putting on the tinted primer caused you to 'start over'.

Boy, do I agree with BobF on this one. I couldn't have said it better myself.

Buy yourself paint from a Paint Retailer (found in the YELLOW PAGES under PAINT - RETAIL.) PAY some money for it because, as you see, you're having to spend MORE $$$ on the stuff you have now. Buying good paint at a good price is money well spent.

The same goes for the tools you use. Buy your rollers from the Paint Retailer too.

(I think you've gotten beaten up enough about it. I just have a personal 'peeve' when it comes to paint. As I/we said, "You get what you pay for.")

My best to ya and hope this helps.

Jay J -Moderator

PS: God Bless America!

Well, mission accomplished, I feel pretty beaten up. I thought that using the highest rated paint from a reliable source like Consumer Reports would be ideal. They compared over 50 brands, including the "paint store" brands. I guess I owe them a letter of complaint. I am not the type to skimp on quality for the sake of saving money, which was why I took the time to research paint brands and bought what I thought was the best.

Regardless, I guess I'll put on one more coat and hope for the best.

If the paint is mixed in a clear base and is a very vibrant color all I can say is good luck. Personally I have had the same problem and after 6 coats of color I said close enough and quit. Professionally I know of a job where the painter did 2 walls one red, one blue not only did he tint the primer, it took 8 coats to get the finish right and then when it was dry if you rubbed on the wall it would mark. Major paint chain just said it shouldn't do that and threw their hands up. Two more coats and a clear coat finally fixed it.

I also used a red paint that i cannot get to even out. I would like to colorwash it to give it an uneven appearance ON PURPOSE. Can anyone tell me how?

Ok..........J.........nice to see you back - it has been rather quiet on here without you........you always provide me with a good reason to post.

The mistake here was NOT buying RL in the first place.

RL guarantees that the color of the paint will match the chip - as long as you use RL paint - and - if necessary - the RL Deeptone Primer.

I have personally used a great deal of RL paint in a few of their reds - Hunting Coat - Dressage Red, etc.

They have all covered well in two coats over the Deeptone. So for anyone who is counting - that is THREE COATS OF PAINT!! Guaranteed!

Can't beat that with a stick!!

Try it........it works........

Mr. Paint

ps - get off the "big box" hating band wagon folks.....THD and ******* are the #2 and #3 RETAILERS of paint in the U.S.

........that's a lot of paint.........it can't all be bad

mp

The problem is that most reds are made out of a paint that is basicly clear and that is how you get the really dark vibrant colors but it also does not cover well. The way to get it to cover is to use a red base to make the color and I know Duron has it it a satin and a semi-gloss and I think that Martin Seynour has one as well.

Now I agree that you should buy your paint at a paint store not a big box, and it is not because of the quality of the paint it is the quailty of the advice you will get. At a paint store you will be waited on by someone that all they do is paint not something else like plumbing or garden center in addition to paint. The person at Loews that made that red should have told you about the amount of coats it take would so you either would pick another color or go on with knowing what you were getting into.

Your walls with look fine but it will take more coats and you should be using as short a nap roller cover as you can get such as a 1/4" as i have found that it really helps in the coverage.

Enjoy your new look it your living room as it will be worth it when you are done.

Sounds like you are really fed up and maybe to get this done without anymore frustration is to call someone to take care of it for you?
Just a suggestion.

As others indicated, primer does not have better coverage properties; it has better ADHESION and SEALING properties. Indeed, it often has far WORSE coverage than normal paint, and will almost always look pasty and translucent. Primer's purpose is to adhere to bare wall better and (ironically) does not penetrate a bare wall as much. If you do not use primer, it will end up "bubbling" or otherwise failing down the road, and you will likely need two coats of paint to replace the one coat of primer because the first two coats will soak into the wall: especially on bare drywall or bare wood. In your case, using the primer a second time only ended up in you needing to coat it again with regular paint.

Spraying instead of brushing and rolling can give you better and more even coverage. I have painted a deep, brick red over white with a Wagner Power Sprayer and covered it completely and evenly in just one coat. I then re-painted a section BACK to white with the Wagner, and it, again, covered in one coat. In comparison, the touch-up spots (in the corners) that I needed to do with a brush took two or three coats to cover the white.

I used Ralph Lauren Paints both times.

If you roll, make sure that you apply the paint horizontally, then do the finish rolls with a damp--not dry and not drenched--roller. Do not press too hard on the finishing strokes or you sill squeeze paint out of the roller and create new lines. All final strokes should be downwards (for uniformity).

Finally, you might be seeing the roller lines from several coats of paint back show up.

[This message has been edited by Lawrence (edited October 30, 2003).]

I see that this thread is quite old now, but unfortunately the problem of red streaky paint is not any better. I went to a paint specialty store. S-W sold me a $25 quart of All Surface Enamel (Acrylic Latex) in a Satin finish and bright red color. I am painting a wood rocking chair that has been previously stripped to the bare wood, for a client. (I paint furniture as a small business) After one coat, I realized I needed a tinted primer (which they did not suggest) so I went to my trusty H-D and got a dark pink quart of Kilz tinted. That has helped, but I am SO disappointed with the quality of the paint S-W sold me. I called after I started having problems and they were clueless as to what to tell me and said I did have to best product for the job I was doing.
I had originally planned to buy the very popular brand of chalk paint, but decided to give S-W a try instead. So very disappointed - in fact you do not always get what you pay for.

Use a gray base coat prior to painting Red and use a lambs wool roller cover.

Red is one of the toughest colors to paint with.
From my experience, it usually takes 3 or 4 coats to get the true color
Care also has to be taken to keep even pressure on the roller and blend in.
Thanks
David

Hey,
Forgot to mention. Micro fiber rollers also work very well for all paint colors.
A little more money than conventional covers, but well worth it.
They seam to cover better with almost zero spatter.
Thanks and good luck
David

If I were you, I'd better contact the architect to help you with house interior designsor hire a qualified builder. Moreover, you will be sure that everything will be okay and you will have a modern and roomy house. ( and it wilI be cheaper and better) I tell you this from my own experience

I am in the middle of this argument with my husband I have been painting for 12 years and he is a handy man that at the beginning of his career owned a paint business, so he supposably knows more than me.... Anyways I have tried proving my point that a grey primer is needed when painting red walls, he swears he could cover it in two. So, I have three walls with two coats and one with three and know I am a liar because I only put one coat of red according to him... Thus I quit painting the room and will be purchasing my grey primer and another red and starting from square one... Jokes on him though because are dining room is also going red and it is ALL his and I will laugh at his frustration and wait for an apology!!!
Grey primer,grey primer, grey primer!!!!

It takes several coats of red to get the correct colour, it is a very transparent colour in fact.
I have had a red wall for years, beetroot to be exact.

Not being a painter I happened upon this thread about painting red over white. I have a wall semi gloss white. When I read the comments I almost decided not to attempt. Being ignorant of "painting rules" I decided to try some valspar porch floor and patio latex paint I had left over. It was a satin finish. Ureka!!! Not only did it cover completely but it only took one coat and the finish is exactly what I wanted. Thinking outside of the box can work. Just FYI

When deciding to paint my dining room red the local paint retailer told me 1. use exterior paint, even on interior walls for red, use gray primer, and plan on four to five coats. It took five - but it's fabulous!!!!