 When
it comes to interior paint, few things are as important as good
hiding – that is, the ability of the paint to hide or
conceal the surface to which it is applied. Good hiding helps
enhance the final appearance of a paint job. And paints that
hide better can sometimes require one coat less, saving precious
time, extra work and money.
How
do you find a paint with good hiding? Experts recommend that
you choose a top quality paint, rather than an ordinary coating.
Higher quality paints contain many ingredients that improve
hiding. These include:
•
Higher amounts of quality pigments with added hiding power
• Special additives which help create a smooth, uniform
paint film
• A higher percentage of solids in the paint
Making
a paint with these ingredients can be expensive, which helps
explain why quality paints cost more than ordinary paints.
Even so, experts agree that top quality paints clearly offer
the best value for the money, whether you a re a weekend do-it-yourselfer,
or a professional painting contractor.
 Quick
Tips on Hiding
Using
a top quality paint is the most important step you can take
to get good hiding on your painting projects – but other
factors can also come into play. Here are some examples, along
with tips to obtain the best possible hiding from your paint:
• SPREAD
RATE The “spread rate” of the
paint (typically printed on the paint can label in terms of
“square feet per gallon”) is the manufacturer’s
recommendation of the area that the contents of the can should
cover. Don’t exceed the spread rate, or you will apply
a thinner coat than intended, and sacrifice hiding power.
• COLOR
CHOICE Certain colors have a natural tendency
to hide better than others. Earth tones such as browns, rusts
and olives, for example, hide better than organic colors such
as bright reds and yellows.
• COLOR
CONTRAST Good hiding is more difficult to
achieve when applying a light-colored paint to a dark-colored
surface. For better hiding, choose a paint color that is not
totally dissimilar from the color of the surface you are painting.
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