Any Body Use The Ben Moore Aura Yet????

davitk

Perhaps you're right but I maintain to my customers there's no such thing as a one coat paint job. If they want the job done by a one-coat "quick and dirty" guy for 30% less than my bid, then that's their business and they likely would not have appreciated the quality of my work anyway.

It seems to me that the first coat on a re-paint typically highlights the missed defects e.g. nail holes dents dings cracks etc and even holidays (my eyes aren't what they used to be); that second coat gives me the opportunity to fix them.

I'm not arguing that BM Aura is not a good paint, just not my style.

hoya

If you properly prep the walls and patch all dents, nail holes, cracks, etc. spot those areas and applyn the paint, looks great.

I pride my company on quality workmanship and reputation. I would never cut corners. We all need repeat customers, no sense in screwing any body. quick and dirty was not the point or the goal.

davitk

Sorry, I did not intend to imply that you were. It's just that occasionally we have a prospective customer who requests one of those "new one coat" paints, fully intending that our profit from reduced labor will be pocketed by them, and then complaining when the job isn't perfect. No thanks.

WisePainter

1 coat and you are done?



Aura boasts the ability to be touched up without flashing due to the water based pigments used.
Also the ability for darker colors to cover without a primer, unlike Color Accents from Sherwin Williams.
If I need good color blocking coverage I use Super Paint Satin @ $28.00.
Covers like nobody's business every time.

I get the feeling you are still in sales.

__________________
My advice: Hire a real painter to do it.

davitk

Danahy

I've worked with Aura exclusively for about 5 months solid. I love it. Sure it costs the CUSTOMER alittle more, but it has better coverage, looks better than any other topline paint, smells better, lower VoC's which my health can appreciate, stick's to surfaces like it's nobooooooody's business. I don't worry about doing 2 coats , it's just standard practice for me, I worry about coat number 3 or 4. I'm not trying to sell anyone else on this product, in fact I like the advantage of being only a few in my area that use it. In fairness, if SW comes out with a product that performs as well, and is able to sell itself, I'd be willing to try it.

I probably should explain that I'm in Canada, and up here, alot of customers are like Sherwin Who? Benjamin Moore is just soooo much more dominant on the residential repaint scene up here. So the $60 bucks per gallon customers are spending, isn't really a shock. I've used some SW products on occassion (duration/SP), although the price is significantly lower, and the amonia smell is almost unbearable, my customers generally respond with YES I love your work, just wish we had of gone with the better product... It's hard to sell SW because their Canadian Budget for marketing is just plain non existant.

hoya

that sales thing will never leave--I'm trying to shake it



Thanks danahy---good imput---your right when the others come up with a similar product the price will dive. I hope

WisePainter

IF Sherwin Williams comes up with a better product?!?

Seriously.

Really?

The end of the world is near...

__________________
My advice: Hire a real painter to do it.

hoya

Of course---When the others jump on board the price with drop---soon I hope---

WisePainter

Gonna troll a real painter eh?

__________________
My advice: Hire a real painter to do it.

Burpaz Painting

the good of aura: self priming, dark colors coverage, low vocs, smell touch ups, all finishes washables
the bad: dries too fast, light colors always 2 coats, price, not good in sq. ft ,
i think it's a little better than S/W Duration
if you need something ecofriendly, you can use ecospec. for same price of Regal, good enough for me

MattCoops

I have no problem with Aura. Anything Ben Moore makes is superior (except for glazes, I like SW for glazing). I just hope they come out with an even more expensive paint than Aura to lower the price of their "Super Spec" line. I've been using 2 coats of Super Spec ever since I started our business. I've used Super Spec in eggshell finish on some jobs and only had to use 1 coat.

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Matt with Cupan Custom Tile & Paint of Lowell, Massachusetts
Design and installation of ceramic tile and natural stone for floor, wall, and countertops
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Damon T

There are factors which make it a great product in some situations. The one hour recoat time can be a huge logistical bonus so you're not standing around watching paint dry. The color coverage is probably the best on the market, due to the new line of colorants, that being said there are a few colors that don't even cover in two coats.
The quick recoat time can be a problem in some application modes, and I have found either thinning or using a thicker than the spec'd 3/8" Aura roller to help. I have achieved great results spraying millwork. You can dust on coats, starting with a tack coat, and buildup, quicker than with other waterborne coatings, and perhaps with less chance of sag. We only had one sag on a recent basement remodel, and that was where my guy went overboard on it.
I think it has it's place, but certainly not for every situation. Also, typically not for ceilings, as not a dead flat. The matte is much flatter than the Duration Matte, which I appreciate. Our typical cost is somewhere around $50 per gallon.

vandyandsons

i have brushed & rolled Aura. Probably 50 or so gallons since it came out.

nice product but i'm not sure that I liked it any better than SW Duration.

i like Aura, but I love SW Duration matte finish.

then again, I am typically a SW guy.

i'd use Aura again if I could get them to buy it.