Aura vs Regal Classic: Interior Designer & Contractor at War

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Our contractor (very experienced) is recommending Benjamin Moore Regal Classic because our "walls and bare metal need to be primed so that everything adheres correctly". He feels Aura would not stick right, and doesn't want things to start peeling off down the road.

Our designer is recommending BM Aura because it "looks better", is "low-VOC", and would be more durable long term. I do not know how experienced she is with types of paint, but my guess is not much, and likely repeating what she has been told by BM dealer stores. These are still somewhat valid arguments though.

Who should I listen to? Is Aura really, truly 100% better in every situation, or will Regal Classic (over a coat of primer) provide a better surface and better longevity? Cost is not a huge factor here, and we live in an old NYC apartment where we are covering decades of old paint. There are a few new surfaces to be painted, both bare metal and wood.

Featured Answer

paintguy22

8 years ago

There is no primer in any can of paint. Paints are just self-priming now. It's an improvement in the technology of paint. They aren't actually putting primer in the cans. This all started when Behr first put 'primer in the can' in their marketing and ever since then people think there is actually primer mixed in with the paint. There isn't. What self priming means is that you do not have to use a primer for every surface. Really, self priming paint has been around for decades. It's just the marketing that has changed because manufacturers figured out you could trick people into buying their paint by making them think they are saving a step because you don't need to prime. You didn't need to prime before. We never primed even when using Regal Classic. Primers are still good things though. We still use them on raw wood, new drywall, etc. and they are still useful on surfaces that are slick where we are concerned about adhesion. I would certainly prime bare metal.

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Comments (9)

paintguy22
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Aura is better as far as durability, but I can't imagine anyone could tell in a side by side comparison between Aura and Regal Select (I assume you mean Regal Select since Regal Classic is discontinued). I also can't imagine that the lower quality and cheaper product would perform better than the more expensive product. Some people are afraid of Aura because of the application issues. Perhaps this is just the excuse to not use it.
Taylor
Original Author
8 years ago
I do mean Regal Classic, NOT Regal Select. He is talking about a paint that needs to be primed beforehand, not Paint & Primer mixed
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Sammy
8 years ago
I’d listen to the person guaranteeing the work!
sloyder
8 years ago
If he primes before hand then no reason he can not use Aura.
Taylor
Original Author
8 years ago
His argument is that Aura is primer and paint mixed, where Regal Classic is JUST paint so it will look better because all of what's on the surface is paint. Does the fact it's a newer technology make up for the fact that you're essentially having partial primer covering the walls? Additionally, he's saying if he primes and then uses Aura that there will need to be 3 to 4 coats to make it look right.

I do NOT think he's trying to cheap out or cut corners, but really is recommending what he believes will do the best job. I'm trying to get other painters opinions if he's misinformed about Aura, or just approaching it differently.

For what it's worth, our apartment was previously painted with Aura (before we owned it) and the paint is peeling off the wall while other renovation work is being done and exposing seams, which he's used to justify his opinion.
PRO
Lori A. Sawaya
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
It's not worth making him use a product he doesn't want to use. If anything does go wrong, it's going to be because he had to Aura.

Everybody always thinks "their guy" at the paint store is the one who knows the most. If he's made up his mind that Aura is paint and primer mixed together, it's unlikely anyone is going to convince him otherwise.
paintguy22
8 years ago
Well, the problem is marketing. It's just like when you stick a qtip in your ear every day to clean out the wax. Why do we do that? Marketing. The wax is supposed to be there and it's not supposed to be pushed deep inside your ear, but we do that and we think it's right because of marketing.
PRO
JCB Painting
5 years ago
45 years painting contractor here and used Regal Classic (333) during all this time.

The Regal Classic was the best formulated semi-gloss ever made by any company and Ben Moore replaced it with an inferior product called Regal Select. It costs more too! What I could get done with 1 coat with the Regal Classic now takes 2 coats with the Regal Select. Not a great improvement B. M. Regal Select dries too fast, has no body, (thin) doesn't level out well, and if you can't paint fast you will have problems. (brushmarks)

I have stopped buying Benjamin Moore products.