Benjamin Moore Sand Texture Paint – Update: I have since shared my current thoughts on furniture painting with Benjamin Moore Advances. Please read this post here as a continuation of this post.****
Hey friends! A few months ago I decided to experiment with a new color, Benjamin Moore from Advance. I’ve been using General Finishes paints and coatings for a while now, but since I started spraying furniture with an HVLP sprayer in early 2015, it’s been incredibly difficult to get even coverage when I spray the top coat. The conclusion I came to is that the air coming out of the gun causes the top coat that was just sprayed on the previous shot to immediately start to dry. There won’t be enough more or less “wet edge” for the topcoat to blend for a smooth, even finish, causing streaking on long surfaces (like the top and some parts of the sides). I’ve tried spraying thicker and thinner coats of topcoat to try to combat this problem, but haven’t found anything that works to prevent it. Finally I would smooth the finish with steel wool and then apply a final coat of poly/finish with a quality brush or foam brush. *As an additional note, this issue is more noticeable when using glossy layers such as gloss or satin.*
Benjamin Moore Sand Texture Paint
That led me to find something else. I was looking for a color with a different sheen that wouldn’t require a top coat (and wouldn’t get sticky). Enter Benjamin Moore. BM Advance is a water-based alkyd paint that works and looks like traditional oil-based paint in a water-based formula that cleans up easily with just soap and water. I’ve read of people rolling, rubbing, and spraying this paint and getting great results with a little texture (brush strokes, roller marks, etc.). I’ve used this paint 3 times (I’m currently painting the 3rd part of it) and I only use a gloss finish. I’m also hoping to try a satin or semi-gloss finish, just need to get a few more parts ready to paint. Here you can see a modern sideboard with geometric drawers that I drew using Advance.
Self Priming Paint
Here’s my take on this color, its good things and things I don’t care for. I will say that there is no such thing as a perfect color. Different colors do different things and act in different ways. It all depends on the look you want and what the paint needs to do for you (such as being durable on high traffic surfaces or simply covering old paint).
I want to start a little bit about the price. I find this color to be just as valuable as the other colors I use (eg overall finish). BM Advance water-based alkyd paint will cost about $25 per liter plus tax and $50 per liter plus tax. Obviously, a gallon is more economical and it makes sense for me to buy regular colors that I will use often (like white) in larger quantities. For the colors that I am trying for the first time, or the lighter ones and are not used often, I only buy one liter.
One thing to watch out for with this paint is drying time and coating time. It’s long and it annoys people. If you need a project done quickly, this may not be the paint for that project. The paint takes 4 to 6 hours to dry and 16 hours before the next coat. Temperature and humidity can play a role at these times and increase subsequent drying and coating times. To be safe, I wait at least 24 hours between coats and sometimes even wait 2-3 days if I can. I also use my tool heater (you don’t want to use an air blowing heater as this will cause airborne debris to get on the painted finish) and turn it on about 10 minutes after I finish spraying. My spray booth holds the heat well and I will move it about every 30 minutes to a different part of the spray booth. Just make sure the temperature doesn’t get too high and don’t put it too close to the part.
The great thing about Advance’s extended open time is that it means the paint has more time to set, which can result in a finish with fewer brush, roller or spray marks. I still had problems with the orange peel texture when I sprayed this paint sometimes. The downside of the long drying time is that dust, stains and other debris end up on the finish for a longer time. A perfectly clean space that no one will disturb for hours. A completely controlled spray environment is impossible for me, but I do my best to vacuum my spray booth, put a wet or damp cloth to catch overspray and other airborne particles, and once I’m done spraying, leave the booth like plastic. the sheet disturbs as little as possible and try not to go in again until the paint dries.
Interior Paint Finishes
Another thing I struggled with was putting too much paint on the detailed and modeled parts and then digging. This is partly due to the longer drying time, but this paint is known to be very resistant to drips and drips. Now that this has happened (and I’ve never had spray paint drips before using Advance), I’ve changed the way I paint the model’s doors and drawers. Just be aware that if you’re painting a piece with meshes and patterns, they can be tricky. If you have a spill with this paint, you should let the area cure for a few days (if it cures) and then use high-grit sandpaper (400 or higher) and lightly sand the area to smooth it out. Once you’ve done that, go over it with 000 synthetic steel wool. In my experience, it is almost impossible to perfectly repair a stain without removing all the paint from that area. I used to get drips when I painted this piece.
Between layers, the surface should be dulled. I painted with a high and shiny finish. If you don’t wipe down the surface with coarse sandpaper or synthetic steel wool between coats, you won’t get good adhesion and the paint may peel the next coat you apply. Even when working with other colors, you should smooth the layer between layers to ensure a durable and smooth final finish. I usually don’t do this between each layer with other colors, but it’s necessary with Advance.
In fact, I’ve found that even high-grit sandpaper like 400 grit will leave scratches on the paint (which will be visible if you’re using gloss paint), so I make sure to only use #000 synthetic steel wool. The photo above shows the side of the piece, which I used synthetic steel wool on a matte finish and smoothed. In my experience, real steelwood can be difficult and painful to remove all the particles from a piece. Also, if they get rid of any particles, there is a chance they will rust and bleed through the freshly painted finish. No hardware store within 30 miles of me has synthetic steel wool (that I’ve found), so I order it from Amazon. Norton #000 2 pack is my favorite, but I also buy and use Task’s “Fine” grit. Don’t buy the 3M brand. I tried and it didn’t work, don’t waste your money. The best thing about smoothing the surface between layers of synthetic steel wool is that it doesn’t remove much, if any, paint. When I used sandpaper and a sanding block, it made a mess and rubbed the paint off the edges of the doors and drawers, so I went back to primer. Synthetic steel wool will not work! I always use paint sandpaper only when I have drips. Every tiny particle is removed and smoothed with synthetic steel wool.
One thing I liked is that the Advance comes in several glosses/finishes. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, I’ve only used the gloss finish so far, but the color is also available in satin and semi-gloss. For an oil-free paint, Advance gloss has a very nice sheen. When I spray it on it makes it pretty shiny…and I don’t have to use an oil based product which means horrible clean up and lots of steam. It is an excellent alternative to oil-based products. Although this paint acts like an oil-based paint, it has a low VOC content
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