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caroline94535

Painting Woes, new mantra "If I burn it down..."

caroline94535
9 years ago

"...I WILL go to jail." "If I burn it down I will go to jail." This is chanted while clicking the heels of my work boots.

Caveat - Yes I'm grateful I have a warm, safe, paid-for home and all the blessings that encompasses. Truly grateful...but...

Twelve + years ago we moved to the base at Grand Forks. I chose a paint for the living room (old base housing, scheduled for demolition, they let us paint with color and abandon!)

I chose a sage color, "Key Lime Pie" in a satin finish from Dutch Boy. I used the Dimensions line of their base paint. This is a brand not held in high regard by the high-end décor gurus, but I found it to be...

(1) So easy to apply; it went on like silk, wore like Kryptonite.

(2) Very easy to clean; the walls could be cleaned with no damage to the finish. They could be wiped down with a spritz of Windex, washed down with a Mr. Clean solution, or even lightly scrubbed with Mr. Clean erasers when a certain rambunctious puppy drug his toy rubber tire up and down the hallway to hear the sounds resonate. Such a smart and curious little guy! LOL

(3) Very affordable! Yes, I used a good primer, and yes I used two carefully applied coats of the color.

(3) Beautiful colors. I used Key Lime Pie, Lilac Vapor, and Lemon Curd. Not all in the same room; that would be a bit much even for me! It was Technicolor Happiness.

Five or six years ago we moved from the base to our old/new house - The Little House of Horrors on the Prairie. I immediately bought more paint in my three favorite Dutch Boy colors and painted the living room, sewing room, and mudroom. Again, Technicolor Happiness.

Since this June, yes, June, workers have been busy (not!) and have partially installing a heat pump/AC system which includes new ductwork, sealing off some floor/wall vents and cutting new ones; building a small closet, partially replacing two windows, installing a still-not-here new front door, and closing in a 9' doorway down to 5'.

Yes, we're going into the sixth month now and the room is still not finished.

The new drywall work/patches are finished and textured so I though I could go ahead and repaint the room before the trim work goes around the windows. Applied two coats of primer or the new drywall and one coat everywhere else.

I go to the paint store. Dutch Boy no longer has the "Dimensions" paint base. It's been replaced with a "Platinum" base. It's touted as a self-priming paint. I knew that was wrong to start with. Primer is not paint and paint is not primer. I should have run, screaming, out of their door right then.

They assured me the Platinum base would look, wear, and clean just like the Dimensions; the color would be the same. It was "even better" quality. So I gave them the paint chip numbers; they mixed the paint and I trotted home.

The "satin" finish is not satin; it's flatter than flat matte. It looks and feels like chalk; it's dustier than old-fashioned white wash. It is horrible.

The color was mixed exactly like my old color. On the wall it's at least three shades lighter. I was in tears. The contractor had sent me to town to get a second can while he started painting. By the time I got back he had finished the first can and 98% of the room.

Long story longer, I called the store manager, told him I was not told the truth. The paint was totally unacceptable and I wanted my money back.

Surprisingly, he refunded all three gallons, even the one that was already on the wall. I was placated.

I then went to Sherwin Williams and discussed the problems. They offered to color match the Key Lime Pie, but I was afraid to try it. I chose a slightly darker sage green from their line called "Garden Sage;" we'll see how it turns out.

I have to put this paint on myself. I already paid the contractor for the first painting. Thankfully, I am an excellent painter! (Said in the voice of Raymond Babbitt from "Rain Man.")

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