Question About Paint and Primers in One

I'm working on a virtual color consultation and one of my clients brought up a point about paints that are paint and primer in one. Here's the email conversation that I would like to share with you.

Hi Donna, 

I've been reading back through your blog posts and saw the one on paint + primer in one. May I ask what your personal preference for Sherwin Williams is? I used SuperPaint flat last year and enjoyed it for the most part but did find that I needed 2 coats if I was going dark over light paint. I had better coverage using lighter over darker paint but honestly it still could use another coat to be perfect. But your post definitely got me thinking does it have to be at the expense of $50 per gallon, when the separate primer and paint would be less but equal or better coverage? I want our new house to be perfect, so any recommendation you have would be much appreciated to best show off the colors you picked (: 

Thanks, Susan

Susan,

Paint/primers get tricky. The only reason I like them separately is because they are designed to do two different jobs. I like to use a tinted primer when using a dark color over white or light hues, red in particular. Then I apply the paint over the primer. Also, when a house is new and you're painting over contractors beige, the first coat of paint soaks right in. Priming a house first is good in the perfect world (but most people don't do that) but the paint they have out now (primer paint) is designed to do just that - so "they" say. You'll have to discuss this with your painter. Sherwin Williams has Emerald and Duration which is very good paint to use. In your case you don't really need a primer unless you have a dark paint color that you're changing to a light color. Check more with your painter or local Sherwin Williams. Here are some links that talk a little more about paint and primers. Keep in mimd you get what you pay for. Higher quality paints will give you better coverage in the long run.

* I also recommend using a just a primer when using light colors over dark hues. One coat of primer is a lot less expensive than using an expensive paint as a prime coat.


You may want to read: 

10 Home Improvement Painting Tips for Spring