Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ras9999

Benjamin Moore: Super Select, Natura, Aura - VOC ?

ras9999
13 years ago

Need help.

Builder wants to use SuperSelect contractor paint for my entire house.

Friend told us to use Natura as its a more premium paint and is also VOC-free.

The Aura is the top of the line Benjamin Moore line with low VOC.

Any recommendations?

Builder wants 2K more to do Natura, and 3K more to do Aura. Is this acceptable premiums (just for the paint upgrade) ?

Our house is 2 story, 3800 sqr foot house.

Thanks for the help.

Comments (14)

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    13 years ago

    If you can afford it( after you get a new contractor)and it is properly primed, Aura is arguably the best( affordable) paint out there

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    13 years ago

    SuperSelect Contractor on an all nice and new house? That's harsh. :(

    I do not agree with your friend about Natura.

    If it were my house, it would be Aura in Matte.

    If it were my builder, he'd have some splain' to do as to why in the WORLD Aura is a $3,000 upgrade for a 3,800 sq. ft. house.

    Three grand would buy approximately 60 gallons of Aura - wondering what he's planning to do with that much paint. ;)

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    13 years ago

    Ooops. Super Spec not SuperSelect.

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    13 years ago

    Very true, PG. The contractor probably bid minimum labor and time. Using Aura requires an overall more comprehensive paint job.

  • Faron79
    13 years ago

    The end result would be well worth it though.

    The AURA is 27 times the paint that a low-level cheapo flat is!

    Faron

  • ras9999
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks everyone.
    My builder says that priming is not needed regardless of what paint and regardless of brand only 1 coat is needed.

    He claims he has done this for 30years and recently finished a 4mill dollar house that he used the SuperSelect paint on with no issues (and no priming).

  • paintguy22
    13 years ago

    It must be because of the texture then that he can get away with one coat. There is no way that you could get away with one coat of any washable paint over smooth drywall when you have seams and patchwork absorbing the paint at various rates. It flashes and looks like hell...that's just a fact. Aside from that, washable paint is just simply more washable when you apply two coats. Two coats is the industry standard. One coat is cheating. Don't forget the huge factor is washable...it's possible to spray one coat of flat paint and end up with decent results. If the texture is substantial it will hide everything.

  • Faron79
    13 years ago

    Ras-

    Well, after good advice and track-records here, your builder must know more than 90% of paint-contractors, and experienced professional paint-dealer staff.
    I'm a member of numerous painting/contractor forums, and 90% of them would say your particular builder & painter is flat-out wrong.

    Will he perform the absolute MINIMUM requirements...YES.
    Will your paintjob be washable and durable........HARDLY.

    One coat of Super-Spec?
    I feel for you. I really do.

    Faron

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    13 years ago

    I'm a member of numerous painting/contractor forums, and 90% of them would say your particular builder & painter is flat-out wrong.

    Yep, that's true. Maybe eve more than 90%.

  • ras9999
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Contract agreed to prime and put 2 layers of SuperSelect finally at contract rate (no upcharge).
    He also claims the SuperSelect has low VOC rating (though I was not able to find any VOC #s for that paint).

    Not sure what he means by 2 coats. I have seen some painters just spray it back and forth and call it double layer in the past. I assume double layer means it dries before the 2nd coat goes on ?

    The upgrade to either Natura or Aura is $2,599 from Super Select.

  • Faron79
    13 years ago

    Paintguy & Chrisn will have better input on the actual contract-verbiage, but you'll have to inquire on HOW the coats are actually applied.

    Spraying and having someone backroll EACH COAT is a good way to do it.
    If both coats are only sprayed WITH NO BACKROLLING, the finish never looks quite as good.
    >>> Backrolling the spraycoats evens-out the coats much better, and presses the paint onto the primer better.

    Faron
    Ask EXACTLY how they do it.

  • paintguy22
    13 years ago

    Yea, two coats should mean let the first coat dry and then apply coat number two. Sometimes when we spray, you can lightly fog the paint on as your first coat, wait about 5 minutes and then spray on the heavier coat and backroll it. Technically, that's not really two coats but we may call it that.

  • paintguy1
    13 years ago

    If it were me and I was ready to select colors I could live with for 5 years or more, I would pay the extra amount and get it done right. If you believe you are not at that stage, then using a commercial product makes sense, you just need to be mindful that next time around, you will be paying both the labor and product cost to do it right. You do not mention the product, but if it's 275, their flat, be prepared to live with a finish that will not handle traffic very well. View it as a temporary solution until you pick the colors you really want.

Sponsored
Land & Water Design
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars30 Reviews
VA's Modern & Intentional Outdoor Living Spaces | 16x Best of Houzz