How many coats of paint do I need?
Painting can seem like one of those things you should just know how to do; although it’s not as difficult as it seems, there are some things that can make you feel like you’ve come unstuck.
One of those might be whether you should paint a wall two or three times for an even coverage. Well, hopefully I can help with that – I’ve painted a lot of walls in my time.
Craig & Rose wedgwood lilac – Homebase £33.60
can you paint a wall three times?
The short answer is yes, you can paint a wall three times.
There is no reason why you can’t paint a wall three times, as long as you’ve prepped the wall properly and followed the paint brand’s manufacturing instructions (i.e. suggested drying times between coats) then you can keep on painting until your satisfied.
What is the purpose of three coats of paint?
Three coats of paint will ensure you have an even coverage of paint, especially when you’re covering a very dark or saturated colour.
Tip: make sure the space is well lit when you’re painting to avoid missing bits; that way you you won’t have to paint more coats than is nesaccary and save yourself some elbow grease.
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Harris 4 medium pile roller set – Homebase £14.50
can I use three coats of paint instead of a primer?
You don’t always have to use a primer when you’re painting, lots of good quality paint won’t suggest you need to, however, using a primer can be more cost effective and it can help to cover very dark paint.
Ultimately, it’s up to you on this one, decide what works best for you with the tools and products you have available.
Tip: sanding the wall before you start painting will make your paint stick to the surface better and give you an even coverage.
Harris 5 brush pack – Homebase £8
Do I need 2 coats if i use a primer?
To achieve your desired coverage and get an even colour, two coats of paint is usually best, however, this is subjective – if you’re painting white on white, for example, then you could get away with one coat.
High quality paint should give you the best coverage, therefore, you’ll need to apply less coats.
Dulux stabilising primer – Homebase £25
read more: how to store paint in between coats
Do professional painters use 2 coats of paint?
Yes, professional painters will use a minimum of two coats of paint. If this has got you tired just thinking about it then don’t worry, as each layer of paint goes on, it gets easier to apply the next coat – I promise!
Farrow and Ball Hague Blue – Homebase £43.20
how long does it take paint to cure?
Depending on the weather conditions, it can take one to two weeks for paint to cure properly.
If you can leave an indent on the coating with something like your fingernail, a knife or credit card, then it means the paint hasn’t cured yet.
Can a wall have too many coats of paint on it?
It’s unlikely a wall will have too many coats of paint on it, but if you’re painting a wall which has been painted many times before then preparation will be very important, like sanding and washing it.
Most paint manufacturers will suggest that two coats of paint is enough for an even coverage, but this isn’t always the case – the quality of paint you’re using, whether or not you used a primer, the texture of the surface, as well as the colour your painting over will all come into play.
Rocket sanding sponge – Homebase £8
Bartoline Sugar Soap – Homebase £7
How much can I paint in a day?
Most paint will require 2-4 hours of drying time in between coats so as long as you take this into consideration, the rest depends on how quickly you work, how big the area is your painting and how early you want to start and finish. Basically, how long is a piece of string.
will paint get darker with more coats?
Applying more layers of paint won’t make the paint colour darker, but it will make it more vibrant as it will cover up any patches or places where the paint was applied thinly. The pigment in the paint remains the same, regardless of how many coats of paint you apply, therefore, it won’t make it darker.
Farrow and Ball setting plaster – Homebase £43.20
Is 4 coats of paint too much?
If you’ve allowed the paint a sufficient amount of time to dry in between coats and you’re painting in a well lit space, but the paint still looks patchy then you can paint a fourth coat of paint.
There is nothing wrong with applying more coats of paint, it just depends on your time and money.
Ronseal one coat all surface primer – Homebase £17