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zeebee_gw

Poor quality with BM Eco Spec paint line (x-post Home Dec)

zeebee
14 years ago

Am cross-posting this on the Home Decorating forum. This is an update to an earlier thread on this forum asking if anyone else was having problems with Eco Spec paint.

As part of our home renovation, our eco-friendly architect specified Benjamin Moore's Eco Spec line (low VOC, low odors) for all paints. After using both the eggshell and semi-gloss formulas, we noticed extensive streaking on the painted walls and ceilings that looked like the finish was dull in some places and shinier in others. We also had bubbling, some of which showed up immediately as the paint dried, but other bubbles appeared days later.

All the areas painted were skimmed and primed properly, with adequate drying time between coats of paint. Even when the painter tried touch-up coats of paint months later, the problems remained. The paints used were from multiple lots over a six-month time period, so the problem was not one bad lot.

Our architect arranged an on-site inspection with a local BM rep, who admitted that the Eco Spec has gone through several reformulations since its introduction. He said he would not use it in his own house, would not have recommended that we use it in ours, and told us the line is being discontinued shortly.

The strong implication from the rep was that Eco Spec is not a quality product for home use; it's more like a builder's grade paint, something you'd use to paint the inside of your garage or your basement, but nothing more than that.

To BM's credit, they are working with us and giving us free paint to re-finish the areas which were affected, and we are in negotiations to have the painter's costs covered as well.

Just wanted to put this out as a warning for anyone considering Eco Spec. If/when it is discontinued, it might show up in various odd-lot paint places but it is NOT a bargain.

Comments (21)

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    14 years ago

    Good to know, thanks

  • decorativewalls
    14 years ago

    I didn't read anything in your post that indicated there was a "Test" done on the paint to see in fact if it was something in the "can of paint".

    I saw where the paint rep mentioned the paint had been reformulated, which this happens all the time (ongoing process with paint manufacturers) and he mentioned he would not use this paint in his own home. You had mentioned this happened with multiple lots over a period of time.

    Just curious if any of those were sent off to be tested?

    Glad all is going to be worked out.

  • zeebee
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Funcolors: the rep took down the lot numbers from all the cans of paint we still had on site and said he would check to see if there were any other reports from other consumers about problems. He didn't take any of the cans with him, so I'm sure there won't be lab tests.

    I'm glad too that Benjamin Moore is accepting responsibility. It was like pulling teeth to get someone out here, because they tried for weeks to fob off my architect with messages like "we're sure it's the priming or prep or original condition of the walls", but the guy who came out made no excuses.

  • paintguy22
    14 years ago

    That kind of behavior is really uncharacteristic of a rep. He'll probably get fired. It's also very rare for a paint manufacturer to pay a painters labor costs to fix the mess so good luck with that.

  • PRO
    Christopher Nelson Wallcovering and Painting
    14 years ago

    Funcolors: the rep took down the lot numbers from all the cans of paint we still had on site and said he would check to see if there were any other reports from other consumers about problems

    You can bet that there will be no other reports

    That kind of behavior is really uncharacteristic of a rep. He'll probably get fired. It's also very rare for a paint manufacturer to pay a painters labor costs to fix the mess so good luck with that.

    Right,Good luck.

  • zeebee
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Believe it or not, we have a number on the table from BM for painter costs. It's a good starting point.

    Next meeting is senior BM rep for the area, Aggrieved Green Architect (who has BM Eco Spec as the default recommended paint on his jobs) and us, the Aggrieved Homeowner. In the scheme of things, this is pretty small potatoes for BM but I'm sure they're concerned about the architect's reach and my husband's and my negative feedback to the circle of historic-district homeowners in our neighborhood.

    Will post when we have resolution.

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    14 years ago

    I believe it, zee. Restitution happens because wonky paint happens. What's sad is if you didn't have an architect or the equivalent behind you, you probably would have been stuck. Once you get it worked out, don't be surprised if they ask you and all involved to sign something stating that you won't disclose or discuss... not that I would know. I'm just sayin'.

    It's not that wonky paint never happens, it's that in most cases no one talks about it. Every one person is made to think that their situation is special, and *this kind of thing never happens*.

    Problem with that is the year is 2009 and in this age of forums and Twitter and blogs and the www in general is that the pen is mightier than the sword. People can share their stories and their experiences - good and bad - without expending a whole lot of effort. *They* have a very modern problem and old tatics to simply deny in order avoid aren't going to work out so well going forward.

    If manufacturing paint were so easy and such a perfect process that mistakes were never made and losses never had to be eaten, then let's all do it. Sweet deal. To think that any one company could produce any one product in any kind of volume and never have the slightest percentage of misses or failures that leaks out from time to time is not of a mentality that is sound. Odds are odds, common sense is common sense and paint is no different than anything else manufactured, it is not produced by the Gods.

    Not to mention that paint (in most common cases) is only half-cooked when it gets to the challenging to control very humanly staffed store. Without the other half, which is color, it's useless.

  • paintguy1
    14 years ago

    It has been my experience that 99 times out of 100, it is indeed something other than the paint that is responsible for paint failures (poor surface prep is number 1). However, that doesn't excuse how this problem was handled or the poor explanation by the BM rep. ES is indeed a commercial product that is widely used and specified - I would think if it routinely performed as badly as described here, it would have ceased to exist 10 years ago. ES is now available in a waterborne version that remains 0 VOC after tinting, but this had no impact on the other version of the product so a change in formula is likely not the culprit here.

  • decorativewalls
    14 years ago

    This is why I asked, "if any of the paint had been sent off for lab testing" to determine any findings?

    I'm sure BM or any paint manuf. will try and assist when someone has issues with their products. Just makes for a better consumer relation in some small way.

  • digh_juno_com
    13 years ago

    $50.00 a gallon! Wish I had seen this before I decided to use this paint. STREAKING! Rep is coming on Friday. Very disappointed. Trying to do the right thing and.... Will update after rep comes by.

  • jmbrattain
    12 years ago

    I am a builder:

    In June of 2009 we received shipment of interior MDF doors from Holzkraft. The doors arrived pre-primed from the manufacturer. Being a LEED project, zero VOC latex paints were used. The painter lightly sanded the pre-primed doors, used a tack cloth to remove any loose paint and applied a Benjamin Moore paint, Eco Spec. product directly to the door. The paint did not stick to the door and could easily be removed with a light scratch. We called the paint store who lined up an on-site meeting with the Eco Spec. representative who confirmed the techniques being used by the painter were part of the correct process for his product. He suggested we use a primer to go over the manufacturers primer. The painter then primed all the doors before applying the final coat. The finish paint adhered to the new primer.
    Two years later the homeowner has noticed several areas were the paint has been removed with the least amount of effort. The confusing part of the equation is the painter used the same process on the MDF baseboards and casing through out the house and the home owner is seeing no signs of problems.

    I am in the process of hiring a surface engineer who has assured me that his firm will find the problem. I will post the results.

  • jmbrattain
    12 years ago

    I'm a builder :

    In June of 2009 we received shipment of interior MDF doors from Holzkraft. The doors arrived pre-primed from the manufacturer. Being a LEED project, zero VOC latex paints were used. The painter lightly sanded the pre-primed doors, used a tack cloth to remove any loose paint and applied a Benjamin Moore paint, Eco Spec. product directly to the door. The paint did not stick to the door and could easily be removed with a light scratch. We called the paint store who lined up an on-site meeting with the Eco Spec. representative who confirmed the techniques being used by the painter were part of the correct process for his product. He suggested we use a primer to go over the manufacturers primer. The painter then primed all the doors before applying the final coat. The finish paint adhered to the new primer.
    Two years later the homeowner has noticed several areas were the paint has been removed with the least amount of effort. The confusing part of the equation is the painter used the same process on the MDF baseboards and casing through out the house and the home owner is seeing no signs of problems.

    I am in the process of hiring a surface engineer. I will post results in a few weeks.

  • April
    2 years ago

    Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m in the process of buying paint. I was looking at this brand and planning to use it. The outcome is a disappointment. What paint are you guys using?

  • HU-678327511
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    This whole thread was probably "fake news" from a competing business. I've used this paint for years on projects and my own home. 12 years ago the BM "rep" supposedly said it would be discontinued but guess what, they're still making it. A paint company reimbursing the home owner's costs and the painter too just because of some streaks? This story is absurd. There's nothing wrong with Eco Spec paint. It dries quickly with little to no odor and is one of the few zero VOC products on the market.

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    2 years ago

    Most of the comments are at least 10 years old.


    Who's to say if the Eco Spec from ten years ago is the same as today's. Probably have been several reformulations with the goal of improvement each time.

  • HU-678327511
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    That's a good point but as you can see from the comment above mine, people treat info from 12 years ago as gospel because they don't always check the timestamps. I started buying this paint in 2013 and buy a few gallons every other year or so and it's always been the same quality.

  • PRO
    Lori A. Sawaya
    2 years ago

    Random opinions about paint quality have issues in general - 10 years or 10 minutes old, not sure it matters. 🙂


    I learned the hard way that reformulations are rarely announced or publicized.


    I sold custom haint blue colors via peel and stick samples (years before Samplize) in my online store for many years. Toggled between Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams, various products.


    Out of the blue (pun intended) we'd be told that the formula needed to be "updated". So, we'd have to chuck the entire inventory of painted samples and gallons and start over - it's why we discontinued selling the colors.





  • April
    2 years ago

    I take all reviews into consideration from all platforms. I also think someone here works for the company. So I take that into consideration too.

  • April
    2 years ago

    PS with threats of war and the pandemic I can’t believe my thanking a guy or gal for sharing their experience is what ruffled feathers around, here.

  • Dana Jones
    9 months ago

    Ok sorry I'm a little late to the party but this is for the people reading this now, it was a Reno so what happened was ththe drywallers mudded over previously painted walls and when you put primer and paint on top of the mud the moisture has nowhere to go through the back side because it hits the paint through the mud and forces the air forward causing bubbles, the way to fix this is the scrape the bubbles with a putty knife oil Prime the wall fill over the bubble holes with a filler sand and paint and voila bubbles gone this is what 25 years experience does for you. I've been using this product for years never had no streaking issues sorry but I'd have to point the finger at the painter.