Re-Design Blog

We know that paint quality has a big imnpact on coverage, but what role does paint color play? All colors have different degrees of opacity or transparency, which determine the way they reflect light. Opaque paint colors tend to obscure the color of the surface, while transparent colors tend to allow the surface to show through. So which paint colors are more challenging in terms of coverage? Bright, clean yellows, oranges and reds are pigments that tend to be more transparent in nature. What about a bright, clean blue? It's the same issue. Any primary color that's really clean tends to be more transparent. You get more hide when you add muted colorants, such as iron oxides or black. In general, muted,grayed-off or duller colors have better hide. What should you keep in mind when choosing paint colors? Some colors can cover a surface in one coat, but many can't. If you look at some paint companies' color palettes, often the colors have been "dirtied up" for optimized hide. If a company says its paint can hide in one coat, the colors generally are not bright and clean. If you want to use a bright, clean color, what can you do to maximize hide? Primer is the best system to ensure the best possible hide. Sherwin-Williams is one paint brand that uses Color Prime System which includes six gray shades for tinting primers that have been matched up scientifically to optimize color. What about primer that has been tinted with the topcoat? Conventional Wisdom says you should use a white primer or one tinted with the topcoat color. Primers tinted to the right shade of gray creates the ideal balance of light absorption and reflection, which gives you superior hide. Bold, vivid hues reach their true color in fewer coats when applied over a gray-tinted base coat. How should you determine which gray shade to use? On the back of Sherwin-Williams color chip it will be coded for the recommended gray-shade primer. P1 for the lightest gray, through P6 for the darkest--indicating which shade of gray your primer should be tinted. Sherwin-Williams, Mural on the Wall