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October 29, 2008
Aura paint
Has anyone used Aura paint from Benjamin Moore? Is it worth the extra money? And is it true you don't need a primer (in one room I'd be going to a lighter color)? Also, if you have it mixed in a regular BM color, and not one of the Affinity choices, do you lose the full spectrum color advantages. I'm not even sure I'd appreciate full spectrum, but I'm falling for the sales pitch.
Comments
I admit I fell for the marketing. True, no fumes, and didn't seem to need primer. Got a high-gloss for the kitchen which was like painting with mud, but the matte (their fancy word for flat finish) worked great. Nice colors, too, but seriously pricey.
Posted by: lisa at October 29, 2008 10:00 AM
Hi, I used this paint in an apartment for a client because I think many of the colors are more interesting than some of the regular Benjamin Moore paints. I used a fairly deep yellow color and it did need 2 coats over white. I used the matte finish and it is scrubbable and holds up well with repeated cleaning. It is very vibrant and has a feeling of depth, rather than a very flat feeling. I think it was worth the cost. It also was low odor... but since no one was living in the apartment yet, that wasn't really the motivation for using it.
I used it again in hallways of an apartment building in an off white. The color it was being painted over, was a dark gray and it required 2 coats over primer. For this project we had it mixed into the Benjamin Moore regular paint. It looks good... the halls are lit with fluorescent light and no natural light so I can't rally speak to the full spectrum aspect.
We found that many places refused to mix the Infinity colors into the regular Benjamin Moore base. They will do the reverse and mix any of Benjamin Moore colors into the Aura base, however.
Hope this helps.
Posted by: janeinteriorsnyc at October 29, 2008 10:41 AM
I used Aura paint and love it! It didn't require a primer. The Infinity colors are gorgeous (I used an orangey-red and a sea green). And there was virtually no odor. I don't know how it will stand up over time, but I have been very happy with it.
Posted by: Flatbushdemata at October 29, 2008 1:05 PM
Used it in a room that had dark blue on the walls and was going to a lighter gray. No primer but I had to use 2 coats even though the guy said I'd only need one. It also took some getting used to rolling out without going back. Next time I'd just go with regular BM paints and skip the Aura.
Posted by: GeorgeAppo at October 29, 2008 3:10 PM
I used Aura a few weeks back and was very please with the coverage and how quickly it dried (about a half-hour). I think it's definately worth the extra cost. I painted a light green over a purple (a child's room) without a primer, applied two-coats and was really please with the outcome.
Posted by: BobfromBklyn at October 29, 2008 4:31 PM
I love painting with aura paint, but recently when i went to do touch ups on some areas the match was way off. This happened twice with two different colors.!!!!
I think this paint is great when applying super deep colors. only 2 coats required instead of endless coats of red or deep orange. but this new developement of no touching up, (2 or 3 months later) is very disturbing. Since I paint for myself and others I will have to think about using it in the future.
Posted by: tsarina at October 29, 2008 4:35 PM
Thanks everyone, big help. I am planning to paint my bedroom a cream color (BM mayonnaise or seashell, still undecided) over walls that are now taupe. I was leaning toward Aura before I posted, now leaning against, sounds like its not worth the cost for cream and would almost definitely have to do touchups at some point with the light color.
Posted by: westernnygirl at October 29, 2008 7:53 PM
I used Aura in a pea-shoot green and did not care for it. The color looked artificial and the paint was gloppy. (Guess that's because of the coverage.) I prefer the regular BM paint, have used it in three houses now. If you are painting over plaster, particularly in a brownstone type building, I highly recommend Farrow & Ball. It is also non-toxic and natural, has been since it was created. It has a beautiful powdery finish and soft colors that recede instead of hit you over the head. About $50 per can including delivery if you get it wholesale. Not sure about retail prices, but there is a retail store in Soho now.
Posted by: mopar at October 30, 2008 12:30 AM
Althought I didn't fall for the marketing, a friend of mine did and I helped paint a couple of rooms. The paint covered very well, but what I didn't like was you have little time to work it. As soon as you roll it on it begins to dry, so you have to keep moving around the room and come back later to touch up any mistakes.
Posted by: dillon at October 31, 2008 7:11 PM
Hi,
I used the Aura- covered well, but weird to paint with. (I went from white to white dove, so coverage was one coat.)
You could also try to BM super spec - it isn't as fancy as aura, but it is a great paint.
I would not suggest the BM mayonnaise color in any paint type. It does not cover very well. I used Milkly Way this weekend- that was only 2 coats (super spec) over primer on a lavendar wall. And it looks great.
good luck with the painting
Posted by: brooklynjennie at November 3, 2008 12:32 PM
The regular BM paint has awesome coverage already. I have never needed more than one coat. But I have never painted light over dark. I did once paint tomato soup red over white though and that only needed one coat.
Posted by: mopar at November 4, 2008 1:48 PM
We are nearing the end of a major rejuvenation of a 6,000 square foot home. After finding out more about the new Aura paint, we decided to give it a try. While it is significantly more expensive than say the Regal, or other Benjamin Moore lines, all I can say is WOW! Once you try Aura, it is very hard to go back to older paints! If you've ever tried to paint deep red, you'll know how difficult it is to get full coverage. with Aura paints, it goes on and covers with unbeatable ease.
You can see some photos of our redecorating efforts at our Blog: Scotttribe.com - http://www.scotttribe.com
Posted by: morgan4x4 at January 11, 2009 12:30 PM
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