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sandy808

Richard's Paint

sandy808
10 years ago

I'm getting ready to paint a large area with fresh sheetrock and have always been a Benjamin Moore fan (after using so many awful paints in the past). Our local paint store is a Benjamin Moore retailer but they also carry Richard's paint, which is manufactured in Florida.

The store is becoming disenchanted with Benjamin Moore since BM is going to require each store in the near future to purchase over $30,000 in new equipment in order to mix their colors. This change sounds like a reformulation of their paints....and I'm not sure why they would change something that has always been excellent. It also sounds like it has something to do with being locked into having to purchase certain ingredients from BM only, but I didn't totally understand all of this. Many of the small retailers have already stopped carrying Benjamin Moore paint as a result. At any rate, my concern is that BM is going to go the way of a lot of companies, and not necessarily with good results.

My paint store has been very pleased so far with Richard's paint and primers. I like that Richard's is still a family owned company. The colors look as nice as the Benjamin Moore colors...at least on the color swatches.

If anyone has used Richard's paint I would really appreciate hearing your experience with it. I have had a lifetime of horrific experiences with so called "good" paints. Benjamin Moore as of 5 years ago was always excellent paint, but that could have changed by now. For what it's worth the paint store does say Benjamin Moore paint is still very good, but they feel Richard's is excellent as well.

The Richard's paint has mildew resistance in it, which may indicate higher end materials? Also, their top of the line paint is suitable for both interior or exterior applications.

I don't care if buying high quality paint costs more. I will pay for it. I don't spend money unnecessarily, but I do believe in buying quality. My time is worth more than a few bucks a gallon difference. How nicely the paint rolls and brushes on is extremely important to me as well.

Comments (2)

  • paintguy22
    10 years ago

    It's not a reformulation. Benjamin Moore has too many lines of paint. They are slowly phasing out the old lines which use the UTC's to tint and introducing new lines that will all be tinted with the Gennex tints which are acrylic (green, safer for the environment, etc). All manufacturers are doing this. I don't know that Benjamin Moore requires their suppliers to get the new machines, but it would be pretty silly for a store to not make this transition because at some point, none of the old lines will be around. They need the new machines to tint the paint or they may as well just not carry Benjamin Moore paints at all. The mildew resistance adds some value to paint, but you can buy mildewcide and put it in any paint yourself for about 5 bucks a gallon.

    In my opinion, the new gennex tinted paints like Aura, Regal Select and Ultra Spec have their good and bad points. They all dry fast. You need to be quick when you apply them. But, they generally cover better and the finished paint film is more durable.

  • sandy808
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    This afternoon I traveled over 40 miles to another Benjamin Moore dealer and they were wonderful in explaining the differences in the paint. Not sure what is going on with the BM dealer closest to me, but after waiting a week they still did not have the BM primer I ordered and hedged when I asked when they were expecting it. It was supposed to have been in last Thursday. I had purchased a quart of both the Richard's primer and the Fresh Start to make a comparison. Both were good but the Fresh start was definitely much nicer.

    I ended up buying the Fresh Start primer (new drywall), the Muresco ceiling paint, (not sure if I spelled that correctly) and good old Regal Classic. I did seriously consider the new Aura paint but I know the Regal is good paint because I've used it before. My decision was not based on the difference in price...to me the difference was peanuts in the whole scheme of things. I decided that at this moment in time I was going to go with something I was already familiar with. If and when I ever need to repaint I will consider a different formula such as Aura, and perhaps by then will have no other choice anyway.

    Though my guess is Richard's paint is a good product, I didn't want to chance it. I already knew BM is a great paint.

    It does sound as though BM is trying to work with the dealers in making the transition in the coloration system. For a small business it's a hefty chunk of change. It was also explained to me that new equipment is necessary due to the new chemistry in the paint, and not because BM wants to gouge the dealers, as had been insinuated to me.

    The dealer I went to today has not gotten the new system yet, but has plans on doing so. They were kind enough to tell me where another dealer was that carried the Aura if I wanted that instead today. Nice people. I'm happy with my choice at this time and have no qualms about using the Regal Classic.

    Thanks for responding paintguy.

    Sandy

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