Ask The Paint Guru

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|Chaz|

Well-Known Member
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I've been in the paint business for almost three years. I've spent most of it working with latex interior and exterior home paints. I won't say what business I work for, but if you have any questions regarding anything post them up and I'll do the best I can to answer them.

Short list of things in no specific order.

1. We're fucking you as a retail customer on prices, HARD. You will pay double what most contractors pay for their paint (typically, it doesn't apply to big box office places, home depot, lowes, etc.
2. If you ask for a better deal, mention a specific painting contractor company's name, know an employees first and last name (as long as they are from a different location), or if you're a cute chick.
3. We will typically know significantly more about paint than we will let on, because let's face it some of you guys ask some fucking stupid questions and we want to get you in and out the door. You have to keep an open mind and ask the right questions.
4. Most of us hate picking your house colors. No I don't care what color you want to paint your door. You're the one that has to live with it. However if you want to know popular colors or if certain colors go together or compliment each other feel free to ask. I simply can't tell you what you like.
5. No I can't match a tiny ass speck of a sample. Don't ask. Quarter sized and larger only please. If you want it dead on color and sheen, it'd better be a product of mine otherwise the sheen will never be exact.
6. Unless you are nice and specify that you want a touch up quality match we're gonna fudge it. If we blame it on sheen or light or some other bullshit, call us out. We just want you to approve it and leave. Don't leave until you're happy, remember, we're fucking you on the price already.
7. We know who knows how to paint. Fuck angies list and those are other gay review sites. We know who does the best work and treats their customers fairly. They tell us if they're fucking people over.
8. Be patient, you as a retail customer are not as important as bob the painter who spends 50k a year with us. We fuck you, Bob fucks us, hard. He gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, and whereever he wants.

If you have any questions feel free to pm me or post in here. Anything paint related, I'll do my best to answer it. Nothing automotive though.
 
Do you work for a paint supplier ?

Because yeah, my client sold Ben moore (Until the great Ben Moore fucking of 2011 that is) and that shit was retarded. $50 a gallon, or more.

I'll take post apocalyptic, bombed-out Jerusalem walls before I pay $1000 for a fucking coat of paint.
 
Bm has good colors, that's about it. Their product is solid, but it is more than comparable to my products. As long as you shop within the same sort of lines. Top of the line, mid grade, contractor grade etc. But they're $50 interior paint is equivalent to my $30 a gallon paint. If a customer likes a color, get it matched elsewhere unless they specifically want the paint. Remember about asking for that perfect match too btw.
 
I've been spending WAY too much time at the paint supplier lately. I know too much.

But all industries are like that. Shit, ask Airjockie about helicopters some time. That'll blow your fucking mind.
 
Lmao. I wanna know about this helicopter thing. Not sure what there is for my mind to be blown about them.
 
I've been in the paint business for almost three years. I've spent most of it working with latex interior and exterior home paints. I won't say what business I work for, but if you have any questions regarding anything post them up and I'll do the best I can to answer them.

Short list of things in no specific order.

1. We're fucking you as a retail customer on prices, HARD. You will pay double what most contractors pay for their paint (typically, it doesn't apply to big box office places, home depot, lowes, etc.
Depends which manufacture you use but most of the time the contractor gets a better deal as they should since they are buying in volume. IF you buy SW do not buy unless they are having a sale. Specifically wait for their 40% off sale. I do not know if Ben Moore or Glidden have sales like this or not. Most Ben Moore are independently owned so if you don't like one dealer go to another.
2. If you ask for a better deal, mention a specific painting contractor company's name, know an employees first and last name (as long as they are from a different location), or if you're a cute chick.
Sometimes works.
3. We will typically know significantly more about paint than we will let on, because let's face it some of you guys ask some fucking stupid questions and we want to get you in and out the door. You have to keep an open mind and ask the right questions.
:thumbsup:
4. Most of us hate picking your house colors. No I don't care what color you want to paint your door. You're the one that has to live with it. However if you want to know popular colors or if certain colors go together or compliment each other feel free to ask. I simply can't tell you what you like.
5. No I can't match a tiny ass speck of a sample. Don't ask. Quarter sized and larger only please. If you want it dead on color and sheen, it'd better be a product of mine otherwise the sheen will never be exact.
Matching to blades of grass and getting a good match is a challenge but can be done. Touch ups suck, most of the time if you use the same can of paint you used to paint the wall it won't match 100% after a while.
6. Unless you are nice and specify that you want a touch up quality match we're gonna fudge it. If we blame it on sheen or light or some other bullshit, call us out. We just want you to approve it and leave. Don't leave until you're happy, remember, we're fucking you on the price already.
:thumbsup: There are tricks of the trade to help make an ok match look good. I have heard of customers samples being painted completely and then an extra layer added to one side to make the match look perfect.
7. We know who knows how to paint. Fuck angies list and those are other gay review sites. We know who does the best work and treats their customers fairly. They tell us if they're fucking people over.
Always check your contractor out, even with a recommendation.
8. Be patient, you as a retail customer are not as important as bob the painter who spends 50k a year with us. We fuck you, Bob fucks us, hard. He gets whatever he wants, whenever he wants, however he wants, and whereever he wants.
Yes, if you can avoid going to the paint store between their opening time and like 10am let them deal with the contractors.

If you have any questions feel free to pm me or post in here. Anything paint related, I'll do my best to answer it. Nothing automotive though.

I used to work retail paint and I know the business too.
Cel, when you go to your dealer check out the price of Aura paint. It should be well over $50.
Raw materials for paint are going up so paint isn't as cheap as it used to be. Certain manufactures are raising their prices more than others and actually selling more gallons at a higher price.
 
Also, Paint and Primer in one is a marketing gimmick. Most of the time its a better covering paint. In a lot of cases you still need a primer coat, say for covering stains or adhesion when painting over slick surfaces.
 
If you want a true stain blocking primer shellac based is really the only way to go. XIM makes a good stain blocking primer now too, I haven't used it first had though, just seen the demos of it.
 
If you want a true stain blocking primer shellac based is really the only way to go. XIM makes a good stain blocking primer now too, I haven't used it first had though, just seen the demos of it.

Zinsser.
 
Aura at my client is $52 a gallon. My client is also situated in Westport CT.

I had this argument with my wife, when she wanted to paint the living room. She found paint at Walmart, and was proud to beat my argument : It was only $20 a gallon.

Took 4 gallons to do a single 4x8 wall. I win.

And as far as Helicopters, the costs on these things are just insane. Lets say you wanted a Bell 240. That's alittle over a million dollars. You can rest assured that you're buying a fine quality helicopter, but NOTHING like a Sikorsky helicopter. Sikorsky Helicopters aren't just like "The Lexus of Helicopters".. They are the Bugatti Veyron. And lets say you want the Executive interior - You're talking about $120,000 per seat. This stuff is just so tested that it's nuts.
 
Shit, a new Robinson (The Yugo of helicopters) costs $120k with a piston engine. Also, the Bell (and possibly others) have this part in the tail that requires maintenance every 10,000 or so hours that is actually radioactive. Imagine the cost.

And on top of that, you have to get it serviced where it lands. Even if you can fix it yourself, you still have to have the airport mechanic sign off on it, get the tools somehow and pay ridiculous fees to land and take-off. But that's just part of owning a helicopter. The Sikorsky helicopters are just nuts with the price tags though.
 
Aura at my client is $52 a gallon. My client is also situated in Westport CT.

I had this argument with my wife, when she wanted to paint the living room. She found paint at Walmart, and was proud to beat my argument : It was only $20 a gallon.

Took 4 gallons to do a single 4x8 wall. I win.

And as far as Helicopters, the costs on these things are just insane. Lets say you wanted a Bell 240. That's alittle over a million dollars. You can rest assured that you're buying a fine quality helicopter, but NOTHING like a Sikorsky helicopter. Sikorsky Helicopters aren't just like "The Lexus of Helicopters".. They are the Bugatti Veyron. And lets say you want the Executive interior - You're talking about $120,000 per seat. This stuff is just so tested that it's nuts.


I use the aura as well. Same price as here. My cousin is a manager though so my cost is quite cheaper. :)
 
Shit, a new Robinson (The Yugo of helicopters) costs $120k with a piston engine. Also, the Bell (and possibly others) have this part in the tail that requires maintenance every 10,000 or so hours that is actually radioactive. Imagine the cost.

And on top of that, you have to get it serviced where it lands. Even if you can fix it yourself, you still have to have the airport mechanic sign off on it, get the tools somehow and pay ridiculous fees to land and take-off. But that's just part of owning a helicopter. The Sikorsky helicopters are just nuts with the price tags though.

Your overly simplistic description amuses me :) 10,000 hours is a long ass time in aviation. Most helicopter operators that my shop deals with operate no more than 300 hours a year.

As far as cost, everything in aviation is ridiculous. Part of the reason is simply the liability. The reason rotor wing is so much more maintenance intensive (and cost) is because they have more parts. In fixed wing aircraft i build engines for, they have an engine, and a propeller. Rotor wing aircraft have engine, transmission, drive shaft, swash plate, rotor head, 90* gearbox, 42* gearbox, and a few others i'm sure i'm missing.



anyways, thread jack done.
 
Yea man don't be jackin' muh thread! Jk. I'm always up for derailing a thread, no matter who's it is. That's whats great about this forum.
 
Um.... I thought this was a car site.... I must be wrong..
lotus1B.jpg


Fredhttp://www.easypaintyourcar.com
 
It is a car, site just in the members lounge. IF he was talking auto paint it would be under the body/ exterior/ interior/ cosmetics forum.
 
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