How Many Coats With Tinted Primers?

Mike Finley

If I use a tinted primer can I use only 1 coat of paint and still get a nice paint job without compromises?

The conditions would be painting over a white wall with some drywall patching, the final color would be a beige and the paints would be Benjamin Moore.

ProWallGuy

Mike, if its flat paint, and from a good quality manufacturer, it should be no problem for it to fly with one coat from white to beige.

However, if it has a sheen of any kind, satin, eggshell, pearl, semi-, etc., almost always you will need 2 coats of finish to make the sheen appear even.

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Digital Murals Installation

slickshift

It's a compromise
But you may be able to get away with one coat of flat premium BM over tinted primer
Both primer and top coat will have to go a little slower to ensure even coverage
You can out the good BM on pretty thick

...I could make it look good...yeah. no problem

Zeebo

Mike...I have done this before on commercial jobs and some private homes. I don't like doing this, but the customer is fully aware of what I am doing. I do not offer a warranty for this type of application as 2 coats of paint is required to get my warranty (not primer and paint). Usually, the customer has a certain budget and this is one alternative that I suggest.

I have had success with off whites and beiges. I have had great success on priming drywall (tinted primer) follow by 1 coat of paint. I usally have the primer tinted 80-90%. Yes I know it's high, and I run the risk of it being darker than the actual paint, but it has worked for me.

In other words, yes it does work, and yes it does create a good look and finish....however, the customer is given full disclosure and signs off on this fact in the contract.

The point about the different kinds of sheen is something I have never considered as I have always done this with a flat sheen.

Zeebo

phinsher

Its possible, but there are compromises.

As with all my answers it just depends. If your customer isn't the pickiest, or if they just wont pay for 2 coats then go for it. If you're about to paint a million dollar home than I wouldn't try it.

cutnroller

You mentioned some drywall patching.... if you go around and hit those spots first with a fairly dry roller and feather it out well and let it set up before you do the primer coat, you won't see them once you put the top coat on. As mentioned though, only for desperate circumstances when you can't put two real coats on.

Mike Finley

Curse you professional painters... I thought I was onto something... back to the drawing board.

slickshift

Hey wait a minute, aren't you the guy that said the best way to paint window panes was to remove the glass and dip them?

Mike Finley

Not good?

Son of a!!!!

I'm never going to catch that damn road runner!