How Many Coats of Paint Is Necessary For A Good Job?

How many coats of paint is necessary for a really good job?

Side note!  This is a question I received in my comments from a viewer. Please send me your questions so I can answer them.  I do not reveal your name and any question is a good question if you want an answer.

Now to the answer.  Let’s speak to outside of the house.   The frank answer is “Only what is necessary to cover the existing sub-straight and make the house look good”.  That may be only one complete coverage.

If there is a drastic color change you might need two coats.  The first paint coat possibly mixed half and half with an exterior primer.  The primer is constructed to cover better in most cases.

There might be a one coat application method often called “Spray and backroll”.  This is where the painter will mask everything off on the house and spray liberally with the paint and then another painter with a roller will then roll the wet surface out even.  This pushes the paint into the nooks and crannies of sometimes very heavy texture or a not so good surface.

This method is often used to make a very porous surface evener.

Especially exterior paint should not be applied in excess because of the buildup that will make paint eventually peel.

As for applying excessive coats on the interior is not quite as much a problem because there are not the extreme temperatures inside as there are outside.  I still do not believe in applying more than the project requires for good coverage.  The same coverage issues apply inside, if the paint doesn’t look like it has covered in the first coat, another coat will be necessary for a professional look.

There are times that “Spot Priming” is used.  This is where there are parts of the paint areas that needed sanding or patching and these areas just need spot priming to allow the one coat finish application.

I have worked in homes that were more than a hundred years old and I looked at a cut profile of the trim molding and discovered the many layers of paint over the years and I am always amazed the surface is still looking perfect.

PS:  I understand about the old enamel paint may have contained lead.  I will answer that in a later blog to you.

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