Painting walls dark color?

Question

I am painting one of my living room walls a dark red, I started but I don't like the color so much, it isn't as red as I wanted, looks more pinkish to me. Can I put another redder color on top, and how can I tell the true color it will turn out to be on the wall BEFORE I go so far as to paint it.

Answer 1

When you bought the paint, did you have the mixer put some of the wet paint on a piece of paper to dry it so you could see the finished color? If so, you liked the color then, and there is a different problem.

When I painted a bathroom a very dark magenta over a white wall, it took several coats before it resembled the color I purchased. The reason for that is when you buy a dark color that they mix at the store, they add alot of pigment to the white base color and mix it. Generally, the more pigment a gallon of paint has, the more likely you are to have to paint multiple coats, especially red tones.

Try painting the wall in one coat completely and let it dry, and then second coat it. See if it looks better to you. Even if you decide to buy a different color, you should paint the wall completely with the color you are using now. If you don't, the base colors will show through and it will look bad.

Be sure to mix the paint regularly as you are painting to keep the pigments mixed in, otherwise they tend to sink to the bottom of the can. Give the color you bought a chance. It will probably turn out fine once you give it a good first and second coat. It may even take a third coat. Mine did!

Remember... keep the paint mixed well and don't give up!
Good luck!

Answer 2

Deep colours like red, will require at least 2 coats probably more. It's important to prime the wall first when painting any colour, but especially before a dark colour. An extra coat of the same colour doesn't do the job of a coat of primer. Primer seals the wall and prevents the paint from soaking in or going on unevenly. With dark colours it is also best to ask for a tinted primer to be ahead of the game, ( your paint store will know what to do ).
At this point you can still prime over what you have done, and virtually start over. I had a client who was on her 10th coat of a burgundy colour and it still wasn't covering. She went back to the store, got a tinted primer and applied it over what she had wasted time doing, and then did the job with 2 coats over the tinted primer she should have used in the 1st place!
Also you can ask the paint store to add more of the dark red tint to your paint to deepen the colour. It is not a problem making it darker, whereas trying to lighten a colour with white will change the colour into almost a pastel. Also with dark colours be careful not to apply it too thick. Use thinner, even coats and more coats if neccesary. (3-4)
Good luck. Deep colours look great and when your done you'll see it was worth the effort.

Answer 3

We discovered that when we used a darker paint that it took two coats to get to the color we wanted. In fact after two coats it dried darker than the color we wanted, but it did match the color sample after it was mixed. We never figured out if it was actually the darker paint that required two coats. Or if the paint already on the wall was causing us problems.

We purchased paint at walmart and the colors were mixed with a medium base. It seemed that it took more coats than the paint colors we had with a light base. Of course those were lighter colors.

I know that at Menards, you can get small samples of colors to try out. Then you can paint it on the wall and see if you like it. I'm sure that Home Depot and Lowe's probably do that too.

Otherwise, if you go with a darker color, you should be able to paint over what you already did, but it could influence the color of the paint that you put over it too if it doesn't coat right/well.

Answer 4

I know dark paints are really hot now. But I just always think heaven help u when you want to go back to light colors. I guess you could give it about 10 coats or resurface the walls.

Answer 5

No, you won't cover in one coat no matter what quality paint you use (as stated above). Get real! But, a coat of primer and then paint, or several coats of paint will bring it back. Hint: When going back with white, use an off white. Or get the paint store to squirt a little B12 in your super white. It will cover a lot easier with this shot of black.

Answer 6

When I painted my dining room dark red, we used a grey primer first. It helped keep the color dark, even and didnt need more than 2 coats.

Answer 7

The pinkish tone could be from surrounding items. Maybe you just need to add some of the red on other parts of the room, like trimming etc.

Answer 8

try the color on something smaller that you could just throw away like a scrap piece of wood then see how you like it!!