This is meant to be a review on using Natura Paint. Will be waiting to see how it cures longterm, but for now:

Specs: 5x10 bathroom

Benajamin Moore Natura Paint New Hope Gray Semigloss

Room is about 67 degrees; I am in Pacific NW.

I have painted a fair bit since I was a kid, and my dad was a picky taskmaster. Certainly no pro, but not a newbie either. I found the Natura to be much runnier than any other paint I have used, except perhaps the oil paints we used as kids.

I have an interesting comparison in this situation: I first primed this bathroom in Kilz, and then painted it in a Behr light blue. But the color absolutely was wrong. After a lot of shopping, went with Benjamin Moore for the first time.

Note: A full supplier is not near my house, so Miller, Devine, Rodda and HD are usually my first choices in paints. Don't care for Glidden.

The Behr semi-gloss went on far more smoothly, did not drip, and looked nice and even all the way around while wet. The Ben Moore was constantly needing re-touched, and I found lots of surprise drips later. It also dries very quickly and the color changes so it is very stressful to look and your cutting-in marks appear to be fully dry when it's just been a couple of minutes. I had a good stopping point and due to family pressures had to finish the next morning.

The good news is that the part I had painted looked much more even when dry. But, I was surprised to find quite how much the Natura had separated overnight. You would have thought it had been setting for 6 months! Needed a VERY thorough stir.

Recommendations: I wanted to support the eco-movement and therefore bought this paint, but this paint could be frustrating if you are fairly new to painting.

If you really want a zero VOC paint, I would recommend the Devine line of zero VOC paints (for interiors only). I used one last fall on my kitchen and was very happy with it; the difference from the low-VOC paint was inconsequential.

If you have already bought the Natura and want to use it, I would recommend the following:

1. Paint guy recommended 3/8" semi-rough nap for my roller and that was already my plan since I have textured walls. I'd consider a different roller cover or get several and change your roller cover part way through your project. I think the Natura is just so runny it wants to soak up more than you'd like, and I tried to be careful when I realized what I had going.

2. I had a good Purdy cutting brush (angled bristles on the end) and it was definitely essential.

3.Bring in a really bright lamp on an extension cord or powerful flashlight and occasionally check for drips.