Never heard of it here's the thing there's about a dozen paint manufactures in the country they just put different labels on them. As a painting contractor I tend not to buy paint at hardware stores I buy paint at paint stores I go where that's all they do is paint you lower the risk of getting bad paint wrong colors and they will always steer towards what you need.

Yep! I got a free sample, too. It's as thin as water, not good coverage (for me anyway!). I'm glad it was free because I would not pay for it. I ended up using it as primer for the Behr Premium Plus that I love.

Thanks to both of you. I will buy my paint elsewhere. I'll go ahead and try the free stuff on my bathroom, but if it's no good, I won't have paid for it so I'm not out anything but a bit of effort.

I haven't used it but, Consumer Reports rated it best. Everyone on this site seems to love Benjamin Moore (is it a sponsor?). I personally think BM is crazy expensive and have found Valspar Signature at Lowes to be my absolute favorite. Just an opinion.

The thing with consumer ratings is that its all about sales and valspar and Behr are sold across the nation and the world now and most DIYers buy paint from hardware stores that boosts sales for both those paints making consumers ratings high for those paints. As for Benjamin Moore it makes good paint and yes part of the use of it is prestige and marketing all makers of paint have crappy paint. For me as a painter that uses it every day I cannot trust a kid or somebody from a different department from the hardware store to mix or match colors right I've had some many headaches at these stores even mixing there own stock colors.if you do buy from a hardware store buy the most expensive paint because the rest of it sucks.

I've used Sherwin Williams, Valspar, and my kitchen and dining room is painted with paint from Wal-Mart and I love it and had no problem with it. But since I'm covering paneling, even though I'll be priming first, I hate the idea of having to buy more and more to get coverage. So, I guess I'll think about it. I appreciate your help folks.

Well, just like paint, the quality of the 'kid' at the big box store who's mixing paint varies. We happen to have great paint dept people. So I guess, there goes another variable!

I got a free quart to try on a small table. The table is walnut but I've painted this small table 5 times and it's still bleeds through. It looks good for a day or two and then you start seeing the bleed through. At this point, I am not really sure what my next move will be but it won't be purchasing any of this paint.

You would've needed to prime the table with a oil base primer first

Clark & Kensington was rated best paint of 2013 by Consumer Reports but not on all finishes... Some one mentioned consumer reports being based on sakes but it is not, it is based on a series of tests. Happy painting!

I had great luck with this paint in a very large basement bedroom that was previously red, orange & yellow. Used primer of course and only did one coat of light gray. Even painted the previously-unpainted trim which I usually leave for the professionals.

I will definitely switch to this brand since it is soooo much less expensive than Benjamin Moore, Valspar and Sherwin Williams, all of which I have used many times. It is definitely thinner than Benjamin Moore and Valspar, but it went on really nicely.

I say go for it!

I was very skeptical to purchased the paints initially for our new house. But I fell in love with the colours, so decided to pursue nonetheless. I am very very pleased with C&K paints and how it all turned out. I got it professionally painted, 2 coats on wall and ceiling. Will never look back on other paints. :)

lityen, thanks for your follow up. I have some beautiful chips from C + K in front of me and I will give it a try…2 coats as you did.

Having tried this paint on exterior & interior applications I have finally come to the conclusion that it is only good when used on porous surfaces.
While standing at the Ace counter the second time, pounding my head in frustration because the response from two different paint departments replied with "I think it's a great product and have only had good response" and thinking,
"why do I feel crazy?" "I know it went on like water, and realize they are trying to push this paint, but come on!"
Finally, a young physics student who worked part time at Ace and I had a conversation about it, trying to figure it out.
We came to the conclusion that because it is so watery, that it goes on sheet rock nicely, but if you have a non porous surface to paint (such as primed wood) it is going to run.
So, in the end, if you are trying to save money by using this because it is a two in one primer/paint, just be sure you are not using it on anything other than sheetrock.
Otherwise? spend the money on Ben.
By the way, we also came to the conclusion that Ben ultra spec is the best all around paint for any application because it has very good hardening agents.
Of course Regal is the top, but only if you are looking for a very thick app. and don't have alot of area to cover.
The regular Ben is great also, but in the end? the ultra spec is going to get you where you need to be and cover alot of ground with less paint, and because it is typically a contractor product, you are going to save money on buying extra gallons with the regal, yet get the same result.
Just my two cents and I do a lot of painting as a stager & flipper.

Most of the contractors in my town use Kelly Moore or Sherwin Williams. I have had problems with a Kelly Moore flat a while back it was very thin, required many coats to cover a flat off-white. But recently I used Kelly Moore low sheen in another color to cover Bher low sheen off-white and it worked great.

I did buy two colors of Clark + Kensington to do two walls in my office. Over that green Kelly Moore which is now faded and outdated. I hope I am not sorry.

I bought clark and kensington yesterday just to try it. It is horrible. I bought the one for kitchen and bath, in satin finish and the paint looks flat. Its thinner, the stick moves to the side of can, that is always my way of a test, BM's stick stays in middle when u put stick in middle to stir and let it go. Valspar and Behr would be my next choice with BM being my first. Lowes guarantees their color so if u do not like it, bring can back, they want you to be happy. Not only did I notice the flat finish, but it is watery, washes right off as oppose to BM or Valspar, I need elbow grease to wash off. Def will need 2 coats too

jdreamer2034
So sorry you had this experience.
It is watery & therefore seems to be okay for sheetrock (absorbs the paint) but otherwise
just runs off of surfaces.
I like your idea for testing paint!
However if the stick doesn't move at all the paint might be too thick for a large application such as whole rooms.
The Regal & Aura line tend to be thick like that which is great for painting doors, cabinets etc..
But does not go far on larger areas.
I find that the regular "Ben" line & ultra spec line work really well for a diamond finish that cleans well.
Good luck with your project!

Hi everybody

This is Jason. I wanted to.share these info links below . Best paint ratings for 2013 and 2014. We tried Clark.and.Kensington which won the best semi gloss in 2013. But it was really bad. Did not cover and dis not maintain color uniformly.

Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr seem to.always be top three year after year. And.Behr is most.economical of all three with Sherwin Williams and Ben Moore costing 20% more

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2014-paint-satisfaction-study

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/consumer-reports-picks-for-best-interior-paints-2013-188298

Hi everybody

This is Jason. I wanted to.share these info links below . Best paint ratings for 2013 and 2014. We tried Clark.and.Kensington which won the best semi gloss in 2013. But it was really bad. Did not cover and did not maintain color uniformly.

Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore and Behr seem to.always be top three year after year. And.Behr is most.economical of all three with Sherwin Williams and Ben Moore costing 20% more

Valspar earned good to average ratings but beware... they changed their formula and ratings have dropped significantly

http://www.jdpower.com/press-releases/2014-paint-satisfaction-study

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/consumer-reports-picks-for-best-interior-paints-2013-188298

Two brands worth trying for pros ... In Jason s opinion....

Glidden ultra hide semi gloss (hate the flat) for white areas and trim
Usually glidden is a no go but I like the coverage and.quick.drying time . Novices will have trouble with this paint as it does dry very quickly and may result in drip lines curing if not careful.

Second is kilz pro x semi gloss in white. Amazing.adhesion but has similar problem with quick drying for novices. Also this paint cannot be thinned as a non water solvent is used. If you leave a can uncovered you'll have a goop that adding water unlike with glidden or other water based latex paints will just make a bigger mess. Mixing it with other paint brands will cause a very smelly chemical reaction so use it by itself and only on dry surfaces (you dont want it mixing with wet paint of a different brand). But I love this paint for covering up and sticking well to previously painted surfaces. If you can paint fast... Kilz pro x made by Behr (behr is the parent company) is very good semi gloss white

Both glidden and kilz run about five.dollars less.expensive.than behr ... Seven to.eight less than Ben Moore per gallon
So a.good value also

Jason, thanks for the info and the links. We are getting ready to paint the exterior of our home and was thinking of using Clark & Kensington. Switching to SW or Behr now. Will take my color choices in and have them match them. As for paint mixing, I have found that the paint people at Lowe's are always knowledgeable and the paint always matches perfect. Will have to see how HD does if we go with Behr.

at home depot, the one crime they commit is that when you ask them for a color, they lazily use the swatch on their display case instead of looking up the color in the computer. This really perturbs me as the color swatch often is printed wrong... just a little off... because of natural variations in color printing... but the computer has the exact index of dyes and tints to use and they should be entering in the formula in that way. as for matching.. i have found home depot can be a little off and you need to ask them to 1) calibrate the sensor, 2) use a hair dryer on the swatch to be matched... dont leave the store till you know its right... or else ... NO REFUNDS. Behr is a great value ... Sherwin... the way to go if money is not tight and you want great results. C&K... free paint to anyone who wants it... i wont use it again. (oh... make sure you buy a little extra and mix all the gallons together before you start the job in a 5 gallon tub... if you run down to about 1/3 of the 5 gallons, then add more gallons and mix in again. you want to make sure you dont have different colors in different cans as this can happen just by chance. mixing them together assures uniformity and adding in after 2/3 is gone also helps to "feather" in any chance color differences. Jason Chu Rainbow Realty San Francisco

Don't be nieve. Sample paints aren't real paint it's just for color. Clark and Kensington has good reviews with CR. Do your research. http://www.consumerreports.org/media-room/press-releases/2013/01/newcomer-outperforms-benjamin-moore-behr-and-other-big-name-brands-plus-three-tips-for-choosing-paint-yonkers-ny-in/

It's wonderful!! No paint odor! Great colors & coverage! Great value!!! Buy it!!

I wonder if perhaps they have improved upon the original formula.

I'm hearing & reading better things about it lately.

I've used Behr Premium, Benjamin Moore, and now Clark and Kensington. I started with two samples and went back for gallons. I absolutely love this paint, it's one coat and done, it's been a nice consistency throughout, it is easy to clean up and I wish I had found out about this sooner. it's all I will use in the future!

Have used Sherwin-Williams recently, Ben Moore in the past (not to mention Glidden and PPG's line at Menards), and Clark & Kensington most recently. I have never had a good outcome with SW paint - it "looks" like it goes on evenly but 3-4 days later it seems to pull away from the wall surface, leaving visible freckles of the color underneath. This is with 2 coats of paint, so I felt like everything was getting covered properly. Others in our area have experienced same problem, so it may just be a localized thing. The Benjamin Moore used in the past was hands-down the best paint I've ever used, as far as ease of application, coverage and durability. Unfortunately, the closest Ben Moore distributor is 45 miles away and store hours aren't compatible with my schedule. The Clark & Kensington recently purchased at our local Ace Hardware most closely rivals the Ben Moore, plus it's considerably less - caught a sale & paid $27+change per gallon. The store clerk who mixes their paint knows her stuff, knows how to help with colors, so right there we're ahead of SW's local distributor. There are different levels of the C&K - we used the green label paint & primer in one "premium" in satin finish and I couldn't be more pleased. Stuff went on "like butter", finish and color are super even and velvety. Even my contractor was impressed (big SW fan, he is). Sorry, SW - I think you've lost me as a customer . . .

I have used BM & SW for my clients and myself and like both. Yes they are more expensive and cover well( always do two coats anyway!!!). But I have used C&K and there is nothing wrong with it! Perfectly fine paint, beautiful colors, covers fine. The paint doesn’t have to be as thick as cement to cover well! Use good tools and do two coats!

It was Sunday and SW was closed. We had enough SW light grey but needed a gallon of light blue which I forgot to get. Went to Ace hardware and purchased Clark-Kensington light blue at less than half the price of SW.. When the job was finished we noticed SW's grey had skippers all over the wall and CK's covered beautifully. Same roller sleeves, same day. We will have to do two coats with SW's but plan to skip the second coat with the CK paint. It covered that good! Ace hardware has a new paint customer.

Used Clark Kensington paint in a bathroom. Purchased light grey to cover off white.

Paint was watery, did not cover, and was very difficult to work with. Learned my lesson and will never use Clark Kensington again---over priced for an inferior product.

I only use Clark and Kensington Paint inside and outside my home. Best paint I've ever come across, hands down. If you check the satin is rated highest over all other brands.

I really like Clark and Kensington paint. My whole hose is done with this paint and I'm a DIYer. I'm about to repaint my living room and dining room (wanted a color change - no issues with the paint) I'm not sure why the samples were as thin as water... maybe that's why they were free???

I went to Ace and asked for paint that didn’t take eight coats to cover. The salesman said Clark Kensington was as good as valspar, he lied. 2 coats of primer, 5 coats of this paint and still doesn’t cover

No paint takes 5 coats either your out right lying or you have done something wrong.

Sanded cabinets down to the wood, took 5 coats to cover Using antique white. try before making accusations, I’ve bought paint from Walmart to use on a doghouse that covers better.

Or maybe you work for them.

it has the consistency of finger paint or runny Jello. does not cover. I painted over eggshell white with deep green and it's taking 3-4 coats. Will not use again

I am painting Victorian with Clark and Kensington... coat usually covers. VERY HAPPY.

I bought the primer and paint gloss white. It will not cover white with out multi coats...it is awful. I will never buy that brand again...im sure there will be ..what prep did you do ...what roller brush....its crap paint

I have been disappointed by many exterior paints. They don't seem to flow well or cover wood evenly. Consumer's report rated Clark and Kensington exterior enamel on par with Behr and it was much cheaper. I tried it first on preprimed 2 x 6 from Lowe's, the same day I got it from the store, and first it has poor hiding power, I needed three coats to hide the wood and second it made thread like rings when painting that were difficult to remove even with additional painting. I was so disappointed. The product was semi-gloss but sure looked flat to me. I tried it on anbare wood railing that was freshly sanded, and Deven here I had the same problem. It doesn't;t adhere smoothly. I used a roller. It is much worse with a brush. I then got Sherwin Williams Emerald exterior enamel paint and it went on so smoothly and two thin coats were more than enough. A class to two above C&K. It also drips a lot less than the C&K paint. I wonder why I never see Sherwin Williams paints rated high at CR but they are sure a hell of a lot better than whatever I pick up from Home Depot or Ace. It is more expensive for sure , even with the 30% sale discounts that run frequently, but it is clear you get what you pay for. I would not use this paint again if they paid me to use it. The Benjamin Moore paint that ace used to carry was much much better but of course a bit more expensive.

Clark And Kensingtonexterior semi gloss exterior review. I own and maintain several properties, Sherwin Williams has been my go to paint although durring the pandemic. Exterior paint has been tough to find. On a whim, I read consumers reports which rated this product very high, so what the heck. I used this today and applied it to a newly oil primed primed siding in white on a 72 degree day. The application process was spraying and back brushing and much to my surprise the coverage with a single coat is completely hiding the primer and the coverage looks great, the paint flowed well with a quality finish. Highly impressive product and net pricing was only $30 per gallon. The true test will be if it's durability is equal to test results from Consumers Digest. I find the coverage superior Sherwin Williams Duration and Valspars Duramax. Have patience, do your homework as ACE sales associates are clueless about paint products and attempted to sell me interior enamel.

As someone who runs a Ben Moore paint department for a local chain of hardware stores, I can tell you that not all independent paint stores are competent. I have tons of local paint contractors who only shop with us. We carry unique inventory at times for contractors who need specific products.

As far as mixing product goes, that's done by a Benjamin Moore program - so hard for a "kid" to mess that up.

The main concern I have is making sure my people have the right product knowledge to know what product to use in any given circumstance. What surface are you painting? What does it look like now? I make sure they are recommending the right primer and paint for each job.

Our paint departments are also much larger than most hardware stores.

As a paint Mixologist (yes that is a real title) I have taken courses to learn more about paint than most pro painters know. Benjamin Moore requires their retailers to have at least one Mixologist on staff. Sample paint is just that, sample paint! It is only used to try out a color! It is NOT meant to represent what you should expect from a gallon of paint. Samples aren't rated with a sheen, they aren't formulated the same way as paint. They aren't meant to be the finished product! If a customer is thinking they are going to save a bundle, by using sample paint, they are only fooling themselves!

Benjamin Moore has been in the paint business a very long time (nearly 100 years) They know how to make very good paint. Ace Hardware has partnered with Benjamin Moore. The Clark + Kensington paint brand that Ace sells is made for Ace by Benjamin Moore.

I just painted a bathroom and bedroom with the Clark+Kensington Paint + Primer in semi gloss. The new color was slightly lighter Cottage White that went over a Pale Mustard color Not a huge difference.

It is a 5 gallon bucket that the client bought. Per my routine, i mixed it by drill mixer for 5 minutes. It seemed to spray fine, but once i took my glasses off, I realized that its coverage was terrible. after a few hours i sprayed again. STILL poor coverage, so it needed a third coat.

I will NEVER use Clark+Kensington brand again. It is absolute garbage. It may save you a few dollars at the paint store, but it will cost you double in labor.