Aura Paint Review (Matte Finish)

regal

all set

MakDeco

I used the Aura Matte today for the first time, BM rose Parade over BM Bluebelle. I was impressed to say the least. I was a BM for over 10 yrs when I really ditched it 3 yrs ago for various reasons.

It almost cover in one coat with a quick second coat. Two gallons of Matter @ 46.99 each I would of done at least and I mean at least 3 coats with P&L redseal Aqua Matte and or BM superspec egggshell and would of bought 3 gallons at lets say 25$ gallon. I used a extra firm wooster rat tail with a wooster 3/8 super-doo z sleeve.

Aura - 94$
P&L - 75$

All tho time say for 3rd - 2.5 hrs @ 50$ hr $125

I figured I made an extra $106 on that job that was bid at 3 gallons of a red w/ minimum 3 coats.

I would like to try a lighter color and see how that fares.

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MAK Deco

MakDeco

Also for guys how have used it now regularly how are treating patches? spot priming with aura? primer? or not at all? or other? Just curious that was the one thing I played around with.

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MAK Deco

slickshift

So far I've said don't even bother spot priming repairs/patches as I haven't had any issues....until now...
Dun dun dunaaaahhhh.....
Well...
I did have one almost not quite not sure with the eggshell and a really deep color though...but I'm not sure if it's flashing or just that the wall had a so much stipple from previous paint jobs and was so much smoother on the patches with just two coats Aura that it's showing....it's that little of a thing I can't tell for sure which it is
...I'll have to drop a touch up over it and see what happens
Good test of the Aura Eggshell Touch-up though

I might consider spot priming repairs with a swipe of Aura if I was doing another deep eggshell

I don't think I'd bother with the matte though...haven't had even a hint of issue with that

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Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

BCPNJ

I like aura. Used it four times now and results have been good. Color selection is limited and turns a few customers off, but may be Moores comes out with a wider selection if the line takes off?

I like how the waterbourne levels... reminds me of how saniflat used to look.

Anyhow, I like to prime small patches with the paint (aura in this case) and always figure two coats minimum on walls with even a slight color change. So my patches would have three coats on a two coat job. This is as much for texture as it is for flashing or coverage.

DeanV

FWIW, Aura is available in all of BM's colors without custom matching needed, they are built into the machine.

BCPNJ

Cool.

Thanks for the information.

MakDeco

Hey Slick,

I think that was similar to my situation, the wall had some heavy stipple from previous paint job and the patches were showing up smoother.
Using a 3/8 I wasn't putting much stipple onto the patches either.

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MAK Deco

4thGeneration

The man who owns a BM store my Gran dpa has traded with for over 40 years said it cost over 10 grand for the special mixing machine to tint the Aura. Aura can be matched to all BM colors, but BM paint cant be matched to the Aura colors.

gideond

Yep Aura requires resin based zero VOC pigments and a special tint machine the keeps them humidified so they don't dry out.

DeanV

The aura does leave a pretty smooth stipple pattern. So far, I have usually hit spots that have been spackled when I cut in the wall, so they get an extra coat. Do not know if it is necessary, though. It does seal up ready patch just fine, even in reds (matte, not sure on the eggshell there though).

PlainPainter

Heck I was in the '9th' inning of a Pratt & Lambert accolade job - and had this one big joint compound repair in the wall - that just couldn't wait with priming and all - I had already fixed and mudded a ton of cracks, and already had one coat on the walls. So after sanding this patch down - I brushed over the entire area with the accolade paint - then cut and rolled a 2nd coat everywhere - it came out absolutely perfect. It's not something I plan on doing - but to me the Accolade has the exact same 'primer' capability as Aura does.

MakDeco

Well I used Aura eggshell in a bathroom today BM Arizona Tan over BM China White, I use the same method as yesterday to apply and it did NOT cover in one coat now Arizona Tan is a base one not to deep so I was expecting better coverage so i would of use one gallon no matter what product I used. I do like the way it covers patches but not sure I can justify paying that much for two coat coverage when I am happy with the current products i use.

Also I was told the tinter was more like 15k but who knows there are so many rumors out there about what things cost its hard to believe any one. The tinter looks a lot like the C2 tinter

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MAK Deco

DeanV

There are multiple tint machines that they can order, I do not remember the cheapest model or the most expensive but I think the range was from 10-20k for the various models.

For other paints priming abilities, I have been told by some paint manufacturers that their product can also be used over raw drywall, even though the label does not say so. I have tried it over repair areas and found that it may work most of the time, but in harsh light or with some colors, flashing cannot be avoided with two coats over the repair and it takes a third coat.

slickshift

I had a putty over white same thing...I was kinda surprised it didn't cover one coat
I still think it is worth it for it's many other attributes
The save a coat thing isn't my priority
But even so, if I don't need to prime repairs that's a huge time savings, even on little patches (dry time)

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Originally Posted by ModernStyle I have never used this crap before and I pray to the paint gods that I never have to use it again, I would rather use Behr

PlainPainter

Like I said - most other manufacturers are not advertizing 'self' priming capability for mud repairs - but P&L accolade put to test succeeded in this attribute - and I suspect most other companies 100% acrylic lines of paint do as well - I am not impressed with Aura on this front either - and as I am reading, guys aren't getting that magical one coat coverage either.

touchofcolor07

I love BM. I generally use Super Spec except for really dark colors, then it's Regal matte. Designer wanted Aura matte throughout so,... I was told it goes farther than the regular paint so I did "push it" in a couple areas (included $50 per gallon on bid). First area I did is right at 600sq ft, 2 gallons of Super Spec or Regal would have been sufficient so I got 2 gallons of Aura. I ran out still needing to do an another coat on a couple walls and most cut in. There's an additional $50 I'm out.
My son and I generally work together, one cutting, the other rolling (at same time). Can't do that with the Aura as cut in has to dry thoroughly before rolling. My brush got "boogery", my bucket got "boogery". Where the paint hit the tape line the tape stuck to ceiling leaving 1/16 of tape behind. I did interior of door and brushing between door and casing some paint got on side edge of door. Regular paint can be cleaned up a good 3 days after painting, not the Aura. 1 hour later, paint would not come off. This can be a good thing, not in this case.
For the rest of place I decided to get super spec and prime, then go over it with Aura I had originally gotten. I'll still be $100 - $150 out for additional paint when all is said and done.
I'm not impressed. I would not reccomend it and don't see where the additional cost is effective.

mattyhabs

I average between 450-475 sq.ft. from a gallon of Aura. Were you trying to get 600 sq. ft. per gallon? If so that's not realistic in my opinion. I have cut and rolled immediately after with Aura without a problem. Only in small areas since i work by myself, but if you have someone working immediately behind you, i dont think it should be a problem.
Aura does tend to clog up my brushes much faster than other paints, adding the extender does help. Not a fan of using tape on the ceiling, but haven't had a problem when i have taped off base.
I was disapointed the first time i used Aura too. It was impossible to live up to the hype, however the more i used it the more i liked it and it's now my favorite paint.

THINKPAINTING

Checkout the pics of AURA in my profile, the colors were dark grey, red, and green. They all covered great and some of those hallway walls were 150 long by 9 ft high, we had no issues at all.

Those photos are old and we have used it many more times since.

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katoman

We did a whole house last summer in aura, at the customers request. We found it to be excellent.

Sounds like you need to use their additive to 'dilute' it. That is extend it's open time.

The selling point is that it is totaly toxin free. In out case the HO had a parot, no toxins of any kind allowed. Up sell them, no lose of money to you.

Why are you taping? Just cut it in.