The Eternal Painting Question: One Coat or Two?

Time and time again, our team of painting professionals is asked a variation of the same old question… People constantly want to know if they need to use one coat of paint or two. They ask about reduced costs of only using one coat, about getting maximum coverage with the least amount of paint, about durability, about the time it takes to apply a second coat…

It takes on many forms, but they are essentially all asking the exact same question.

There are two answers that don’t necessarily go together. Answer number one: always use two coats. Answer number two: it depends.

Okay, let’s take a step back and try to make sense of those conflicting pieces of information…

When we say “it depends,” it truly does depend on a range of factors. First, is the painting project interior or exterior? What kind of paint? What color? What level of sheen? All of these considerations and more must be taken into account when deciding on one coat of paint or two, and in some (relatively rare) circumstances, the right conditions come together – making one coat of paint sufficient for coverage, color saturation, durability, and longevity.

Now, determining if the conditions are right for a single coat isn’t an easy thing to assess. A trained professional may make such a decision based on experiences and in-person observation of the job, but providing such a recommendation without seeing all the factors is difficult. The layperson may think they can save time or money by using just one coat of paint, or that they’ve chosen the thickness or sheen that will perform up to their standards – but it’s quite likely they’ll be disappointed with the long-term results.

So, back to the first answer: always use two coats.

Using two coats of paint is our industry standard. Applying a second coat provides benefits that drastically outweigh the additional material costs (which are usually less than 20% of the total project costs). With two coats of paint, you increase overall durability and color coverage, reduce the possibility that paint underneath will bleed through, and provide greater protection for the painted surface… In short, it will look better and last longer.

When people skimp on a second coat (whether out of misinformation, frugality, or any other reason), they often end up spending more time and money down the road on repainting walls they’re dissatisfied with, repairing exterior damage because paint didn’t properly protect the siding, or dealing with other problems that arise simply because the job wasn’t done right the first time.

While it’s true that not every single project is going to require two (or more) coats of paint, for the purposes of general advice, it’s better to err on the side of caution. Especially when it comes to exterior painting projects, it’s smart to assume that you’ll need two coats of paint, and to prepare your budget and timeline accordingly.

The question will surely come up time and time again, but hopefully this helps guide people in the right direction. When in doubt, go with two coats of paint!

For any questions regarding paint choices, interior and exterior projects, or anything else to do with painting your home, contact CertaPro Painters of Metrowest today at 781-296-6044!

Looking for more Home Exterior tips? Check out our other home improvement articles!