FWIW...
I dug up this older C2 thread. Good info I feel. I was gettin' curious about Mindstorm's issues she had...

Faron

Here is a link that might be useful: Interesting

Faron,
Yeah, I've described my C2 experiences several times in the past and don't particularly want to restate.

That said, I've tried C2 a second time with the same sort of unfriendly feeling. Spatters a LOT - and by now I've used BM, P&L/DK, F&B and I can say unreservedly that nothing is that ungodly awful as C2 - the shine/appearance of their eggshell I do not care for at all, and lastly it is a VERY runny paint. Ungodly runny.

I also don't care for the colors you get out of it. But that is entirely subjective, I'm sure.

I didn't care of my experience the first time, and I didn't care for it my second time. Fortunately for me, I was more cautious about committing to C2 the second time so when after one wall I decided not to repeat the experience, I just quite and moved on from there.

My own opinion is that there are brands with better colors and brands with FAR better paints (easily. Even BM and P&L are far better). Its better to cough up a bit more and get the DK or the F&B (this is only a little bit more than C2).

Sorry Mindstorm...
Wasn't tryin' to tick you off. It's just so suprising to hear your experience...never ran across that b4. All our clients remark how little/no spatter there is with C2....

Again, apologies.

Faron

Oh gosh! No apologies necessary, Faron! I wasn't ticked off, and I'm sorry if I gave the impression I was. In fact, I was surprised at my experience with C2, too, having read good things about C2 here. Since then, however, I have read on these pages Pirula also say that of the various brands of paints she's used (FPE, which I have too and failed to include up there, DK, F&B, C2 and some other one) that the C2 paint was one she liked the least even compared to DK which comes mixed in a P&L which is merely a good paint - nothing extraordinary. Exactly corroborated my experience since after my C2 mishap I moved onto a DK colour (P&L formulation). She's spoken highly of C2's primer though.

I'm not a pro-grade painter. Not by any stretch and don't pretend to be. I rely on you guys to help me out, set me straight, for guidance, and to help me debug the mistakes I make. BTW, F&B is a VERY thick heavy paint since it is clay based, and I've made some spatters with that too, on a particularly challenging part of a vaulted ceiling/wall when I was getting tired. With the correct form, however, I fixed that immediately. Nary a spray. About 60% of the time I forgot to change into my "painting clothes" when painting with it. With the C2, however, NOTHING I did would help. If I so much as touched the roller to the wall, it would spew paint spray like a Simpson's injury. Same thing with the drip marks, despite that I worked really hard to make sure the roller wasn't overloaded. Why my technique could work on 4 paint brands and not on C2, I can't understand. But frankly, I've given up. C2 beat me and I've moved on.

There is nothing about your remarks about C2 that surprises me really. C2 spatters more than any of the premier lines on the market that I have used, especially their ceiling paint. I remember once I was talked into using it on one job because a customer picked a C2 color and the clerk was too lazy to cross match it or it may have been impossible to cross match it....I don't remember. Anyway, what I usually do when painting ceilings is push all the furniture in the center of the room and then cover it with plastic sheeting. After I was done painting, the plastic was covered with spatter and so was my face, my roller frame, my rolling pole, etc. I had never seen anything like it...usually after I'm done painting a ceiling the plastic has very little spatter on it and I'm able to use the plastic for the next job. This time when I went to pull the plastic off, a bunch of the spatter dislodged itself from the plastic and landed on my customers black leather couches. So, I spent the next hour vacumming and dusting off the couches...what fun! So I say after that experience, never again!

Hmmmmm....
Guess I'd better lick my wounds!
We've just never ran across those issues here.
The earlier Ceiling-paint batches weren't as good...maybe that's what you had?
They re-formulated the CP in Spring '07. I had no probs at all with DD's Bedroom. I took my dropcloth out...didn't need it!

Has anyone else had issues?!?! Lemme know-if you'd like to share...I can check into the batch #'s if you still have cans (#'s on lid).

Faron

Yeah, I dunno....it's hard to get me to go back to using something that screwed me, even if it has been reformulated. Honestly, I'm hoping my paint store will get rid of C2 and start stocking Aura, because I'm not really sure you can have both....I mean why would you sell someone C2 when you have Aura on your shelves?

Good points there Paintguy & Mindstorm...
Don't blame ya one bit in that scenario!

A couple C2-stores that had BM also, were "Talked-to" by BM.
BM didn't want C2 in there. They said "No, you take your BM stock out". I haven't heard the final outcome.

It's SUCH a hefty investment for a store to get into either line. I wish I could send you a couple new gallons to try again though!

Faron

Faron

Faron,
Have you seen Jamesk's kitchen in the kitchen gallery? His kitchen cabinets and the walls are painted in a C2 paint. The colours are utterly lovely and he spoke highly of the paint. Have you seen them? You should. It was his beautiful paint that got me enthused about wanting to use C2. Unfortunately I couldn't quite replicate his happy experience, but if you haven't seen his pictures, you really ought to. Beautiful. Let me know if you can't find it.

Faron,

I am a constant lurker and very occasional poster. I also happen to be a big fan of C2. I've now used it in five rooms and am really happy with it. I found it very easy to paint with. The primer is awesome, and though I am purely an amateur painter, the finish looks terrific. That being said, I haven't used it on ceilings or trim work, just the walls. Maybe I would have some of the same spatter issues with the ceilings but I actually thought C2 spattered less and was easier to work with than BM (which I've used forever) on the walls.

I appreciate all the pros and "practically pros" who post such great info on this site. Not every paint works for everyone. I happen to be really happy with C2. Just like you.
Regards,
Alida

Hi Faron,

I have C2 in my laundry room...two colors. I have used EK, F&B, BM, SW. My only complaint about the C2 was the smell. It surprised me. I really love the colors. It's a great line, but I'd be hard pressed to use such smelly paint again.

My local C2 dealer was one of the BM dealers that got talked to. I don't know exactly what happened...just that the last time I checked, the C2 was gone and he now has the Aura. I have a feeling there is a connection!

Amysrq,
Yeah, there's a connection all right!! (think $$$...BM will do anything...$$$...to NOT have C2 in the same building...)
Smell...Wow! I thought it smelled the LEAST of any brand I've used; about a dozen. Well, everyone's sensitive to different things I guess.

Alida,
Thanks for your kind note!
DOLLAR-wise, the rheology & anti-foaming/spatter ingredients are just about the most expensive part of a gallon. C2 has taken great pain$$ to use top-notch additives like these. THAT'S WHY the spattering comments reallly opened my eye!!

Again, we just haven't heard them at our store.

Mindstorm...I haven't looked yet, but I will!

Faron

You know, it's true that C2 was my least favorite of the paints I tried, but man, it was in tough company. It was also the least expensive of all the paints I used.

There's nothing WRONG with C2, it's good paint, it just wasn't AS good as F&B or the DKC in the P&L base, or certainly FPE. But I don't think it's a fair comparison to compare C2 to these. I can compare it to BM and I can say with all confidence that it is leaps and bounds better than BM. And yes, C2's primer is phenomenal.

It's been almost two years now and I don't see any of the dulling of color I've always experienced with BM. THe C2 color is as rich and lovely as it ever was. It just doesn't go on the same as some of the pricier brands, which I am convinced are worth the price premium. Nor is hte finish anything special (as it is with F&B and FPE). But for the price, C2 is a terrific paint. I'm just spoiled now after F&B and FPE and just can't go back.

Ivette