Best paint for my shop

[Charlie Watson]

I was thinking high reflective white semi-gloss but my painter says swiss coffee in semi-gloss is better. He said I would never notice the difference and the swiss coffee gets better coverage. I'm not so sure I wouldn't notice the difference. Your thoughts and or experience is appreciated, thanks!

[Mel Fulks]

According to the laws of nature his color will make the shop darker. The color he is suggesting is the signal that its time to buy more white paint. Hmm.

[Michael Heffernan]

I find that bright white shop walls are too hard on the eyes. IMO, swiss coffee or and off white are easier on the eyes and head for long periods in the shop. As long as you have sufficient lighting, a more subtle color will be fine. I painted my walls a mellow champagne yellow, have a lot of 2 bulb 4 foot fluorescent fixtures with 6500K brightness bulbs. Color rendering with these or 'true daylight' bulbs (5500K) are very good and I don't have any issues when it comes to hue reflection. I'd also suggest a Satin or Eggshell finish on the walls. Semi or gloss will cause more reflective issues on your work.

[George Van Aken]

I find that bright white shop walls are too hard on the eyes. IMO, swiss coffee or and off white are easier on the eyes and head for long periods in the shop. As long as you have sufficient lighting, a more subtle color will be fine. I painted my walls a mellow champagne yellow, have a lot of 2 bulb 4 foot fluorescent fixtures with 6500K brightness bulbs. Color rendering with these or 'true daylight' bulbs (5500K) are very good and I don't have any issues when it comes to hue reflection. I'd also suggest a Satin or Eggshell finish on the walls. Semi or gloss will cause more reflective issues on your work.

What he said.
I'd pick satin though, for whipeoffability, (I just invented that word...).

[Mel Fulks]

Lot of difference between the euphemismisticcaly named tan ,and the color yellow.

[Art Mulder]

There is a whole science of colour out there. For instance, I saw a talk once where they told us that you should never paint a northern-facing room blue, since the only light you get through the windows is indirect, the room will always feel colder/dimmer.

But you're also dealing with personal preference.

My shop is in the basement, and has only one window, so I went with a warm sunshiny orangey/yellow sort of thing. I like it. It is an energizing colour.

[phil harold]

More than likely is is just a shade off white that will give more hiding coverage than a pure white

Painters are smart they deal with color everyday

[Phil Thien]

I went with an off-white in satin. Very happy with the combination.

I don't think I'd like real white, I feel it would be too much.

[Charles Wiggins]

Charlie,

I think it all depends on your lighting situation. I have a basement shop with no windows, 5000K fluorescent shop lights, and my walls are rough - cinder block on one side and OSB on the other. A lot of light gets lost in all those nooks and crannies and I knew I didn't want all the glossy highlights reflecting of the high spots. I needed as much clear, reflected light as possible so I went with Valspar Premium Ultra White Interior Flat Enamel and I love it.

If you have a lot of windows especially facing any direction except North you may want to consider something a bit duller like the painter suggests, especially if you get a lot of early morning or late afternoon sunlight and you're in the shop at those times. The stark sunlight on a bright white wall can really hurt the eyes and make it difficult to see to get anything done.

[Jerome Stanek]

When we were painting pharmacys we would have them put a drop of black in the white to cover better.

[Jim Neeley]

I went through a similar quandry in that I'm planning on relighting my shop, going from eight 4' T-12's to 12-14 fixtures, each with four 4' T-8's.

Before creating a lot of trim work, I want to paint he now-exposed ceiling.

While at HD I got to talking with the paint guru who told me he had 1-cup samples for sale for a couple of bucks that they would tint to whatever color and sheen you want.

I had him make up a couple of colors, took them home and rolled them in big splotches on the walls and ceiling. A cup of paint is enough to give you a feel for how it will cover (try a tough spot) and whether it's a color you like.

The first one was too white and didn't color worth a darn. The second was better but too shiny and the third one was just right (remind you of the story of the 3 little bears?).

It's a lot better than getting a half-dozen gallons and then not liking it!!

Jim

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Michael...I find the "ivory" like paint color in the portion of my shop that is painted to be easier on my eyes and it doesn't contribute much to any "darkness" that I've perceived. So I guess I somewhat agree with that painter!

[Charlie Watson]

I am worried about the white on my eyes. The shop is 720 SqFt and it has two nice 6' windows, one facing east the other facing north. I have seen the swiss coffee and it's just an off white color, in fact most of the doors and windows are that color in the house. I am also getting all new lighting with (12) 8' strips with 4 T-8's each. I should have plenty of light between the windows and the strips so maybe the swiss mocha will be easier on the eye's and the better way to go.

[Mel Fulks]

Might be just fine .Much better than the "Dark Asphalt Columbian".

[Jim Andrew]

Would a hard wall paint be good for a shop? I was thinking we used to use this paint called " eggshell" in rentals, because it could be cleaned up easily. Of course it had to go over primer, or a wall paint.