How Many Coats Of Paint To Apply?

One of the most important questions homeowners ask themselves as they approach painting their house is how many coats of paint they’ll apply. Well, there are many factors that work to determine the number of coat paints a surface can have. Besides, the behaviour of paint on the surface can sometimes be unpredictable. Here are a couple of tips that will help you when you decide to paint your house.

Painting with the Same Color of Paint
In case the room you want to paint is currently painted with the same color of paint, one coat of paint will suffice. For example, if the walls in the room are presently painted ivory, and you want to paint them with ivory again, a single coat will be enough. But if the new paint has been in storage for a long period, say, 10 to 20 years, or if it has become weathered, then the paint, unfortunately, may not have the same coating power as that of a brand new paint.

Again, the single coat will only be enough if you have cleaned the walls of any dirt and dust beforehand, and you use the right roller techniques and a good paint brush. However, if the walls to be painted are stained or fading, then the single coat may not be enough unless you first apply a primer coat before you introduce the new paint.

Painting a Dark Paint over a Light Paint
It is difficult to estimate the number of coats you will need if you are painting one color on a different one. However, at least theoretically, when you are painting a darker color over a lighter one, you only need a single coat- though that is not always the case.

You ought to note that some paint shades such as pastels and some heavier colors such as deep red, also known as low-hide, do not completely hide the previous paint colors so well as other darker shades do- notwithstanding the fact that previous shades may be of a lighter tint. Therefore, two coats of paint, when using low-hide colors, are necessary. Another fact worth taking into consideration is that low-grade paints and custom-mixed paints do not cover as excellently as their factory-mixed counterparts; the rule holds in spite of the shade of the paint you want to cover.


A Lighter Painter over a Darker One
A single coat is not going to be of so much help if the new paint is a lighter shade than the current paint. If you are painting a creamy yellow, for example, over, say, rich mahogany, the single coat is not going to serve the purpose. In fact, you can even apply four coats and the creamy yellow won’t still look good on the rich mahogany. In such a case the remedy is to save precious time and money by first applying a tinter primer before you apply the new paint.

There are very many kinds of primers in the market today, all of which are designed to neutrally block the current color as well as provide a surface which will permit the new paint to attach and cover well. Before you select a primer, it is important to consult with a professional painter, or, alternatively, a knowledgeable paint store staff.

Painting Exterior Surfaces
As a rule of thumb, when painting exterior surfaces, two coats of paint are ideal because outdoor surfaces are often exposed to the elements and inclement weather. Thus, you should understand that if you fail to appropriately prepare the exterior surfaces by priming or pressure washing, or if you do not apply at least two coats of paint as required, then the paint jobs are likely to peel or fade off with time. It is inevitable. A well-applied paint, even on an exterior surface, can last for a very long time- sometimes as long as ten years. Therefore, do not hesitate to invest in enough paint as it is worth to pay the price for a job excellently done.


Painting Interior Surfaces
Unlike painting exterior surfaces, painting interior surfaces is mostly concerned with how well the new paint covers the previous one. In general, applying two coats is ideal subject to the conditions already mentioned above. Moreover, the thicker coverage offered by two coats makes it easier to scrub or wash the surface as required.

But, even so, and as already indicated, the number of coats varies depending on the quality of paint used. It goes without say that low-quality paint, or paint that has stayed in storage for a long time, or a paint that is custom-mixed, will not perform excellently as factory-mixed paint, or a brand new paint, or high quality paint. High quality paint features better resins, better pigments, better additives, and even more solids. And that means that high quality paint hides better, lasts longer, sticks better, and, lastly, results in a thicker, lustrous coat.

Tips to Remember When Painting With More than One Coat
–Before you begin any exterior paint job, first clean, scrape, and repair the surface. Examine how the paint has weathered and note any surface problems. Also, you should deal with cracking, peeling, blisters, chalking, and stains before you apply a new coat. Unless you discover the cause and correct it, the problem will resurface and ruin the fresh paint job.

–You should beware of intercoat peeling and how to prevent it from occurring. When you add a new coat of paint over another, there is likely to be an intercoat peeling if the surface was not prepared adequately, thus, the dirt underneath will weaken the bond between the coats. Another reason why there might be an intercoat peeling is if the two paint layers are not compatible with each other. For instance, a latex-based paint is usually not compatible with an oil-based paint, therefore, they can peel away from each other.

–The intercoat peeling can also happen if a lot of time lapses between the priming of the wall and the application of the new paint. Therefore, do not take too long to apply the top coat after priming the surface.