Crap. How much paint will I need?

[tarheels]

Finally moving out of (this) work apartment of DH's. I painted the walls when he moved in and now we have to paint them back. No prob.

DH has talked to mgmt who knows how many times about moving out and needing to repaint and they never mentioned that *you have to buy the paint to repaint from them.* if you don't, they automatically charge you $750 to repaint, assuming you're incapable of color matching. GRR. I can see their point about the color, I'm just so pissed that I have to use cheap contractor flat paint to do what would have been a quick and easy job with good paint.

So, how many coats of kilz and crap contractor flat paint will I need to go from deep dark green to white?

[auntie]

I think I might buy the paint from them, then use my own choice of a high hiding good quality paint. Donate the crap they wanted you to use. It's not like they'll be taking samples.

[mrs.jacinthe]

You know what? I bet if you do two coats of kilz, you can cover the green with their cheap paint with only a coat. I'd buy as little of their paint as possible.

[emjacobs]

I would prepare for two coats of Kilz and two coats of crap. If the color is still peaking through after 2 coats of kilz I would do another coat of that vs extra coats of crap since you will get better coverage with that.

[TBM]

Jun 20, 2013 10:33:33 GMT -5 auntie said:

I think I might buy the paint from them, then use my own choice of a high hiding good quality paint. Donate the crap they wanted you to use. It's not like they'll be taking samples.

Good idea.  You can have the good stuff color matched to the contractor crap.

[Susie]

I don't know, my problem with cheap paint is usually wear, rather than coverage. I wouldn't want to buy expensive paint. Maybe just some primer to go under the cheap paint.

[emoflamingo]

Jun 20, 2013 10:40:30 GMT -5 emjacobs said:

I would prepare for two coats of Kilz and two coats of crap. If the color is still peaking through after 2 coats of kilz I would do another coat of that vs extra coats of crap since you will get better coverage with that.

This. I could do 2 coats of Kilz and 2 coats of Wal-Mart brand paint and I went from red to tan that way.

[sierramist03]

Jun 20, 2013 11:05:37 GMT -5 emoflamingo said:

Jun 20, 2013 10:40:30 GMT -5 emjacobs said:

I would prepare for two coats of Kilz and two coats of crap. If the color is still peaking through after 2 coats of kilz I would do another coat of that vs extra coats of crap since you will get better coverage with that.

This. I could do 2 coats of Kilz and 2 coats of Wal-Mart brand paint and I went from red to tan that way.

This is what I did when I painted over dark brown in our first apartment

[TBM]

Jun 20, 2013 11:04:47 GMT -5 Susie said:

I don't know, my problem with cheap paint is usually wear, rather than coverage. I wouldn't want to buy expensive paint. Maybe just some primer to go under the cheap paint.

I would rather pay more for the paint and only paint a couple of coats at most.  Painting four coats seems like a waste of time.

[emjacobs]

Buy the cheap stuff and pay a few high school boys to do the painting for you?

[pitterwoo]

I agree with using plenty of primer first and then you shouldn't need too many coats with the contractor paint.

[tarheels]

So we got it done with just two coats: one primer and one color. Lowe's was out of Kilz, so Valspar has a "high hiding" primer that worked fine. DH did a very slow, methodical first coat with it and it did a good job.

The green paint I put up was eggshell and we had a problem with the primer sort of "slipping" on it and not adhering. Like if you brushed back over a spot, it'd wipe away the white, leaving the green underneath showing. Is that always the case with primer? I haven't primed in years and can't remember.

[TBM]

Jun 21, 2013 17:01:01 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

Last room I primed, I used kilz. My memory is one coat was pretty streaky.

It usually is, but t doesn't matter.  The purpose is to seal and provide a base for paint, not full coverage.


Yea for not having to do four coats!

[katie4253]

You shouldn't need 2 coats of primer.  One coat of primer and 2 coats of paint should be fine.