Mary I have followed the same advise by brushworks but with a little twist. I cut the wall in with a brush and then use a small 2 or 3 inch roller to provide the 3 inches recommended. That gives me the nice knap texture and I can control the small roller more effectively, never hitting the ceiling. It takes a little longer but it works great. I used to go nuts and try to get as close to the ceiling as possible - scraping it too - but over the years discovered that if I get within a 1/2 to 3/4 inch of the ceiling or so, you cannot see the transition from brush stroke to roller from the floor - especially on high ceilings. Good luck with the painting. Bob

I have a friend who is an interior designer and BM White Dove is her favorite trim color. We're renovating our next house and using White Dove throughout the house on the ceiling, crown molding and the rest of the trim. When she first mentioned it I was afraid that it had a gray tint to it but it doesn't and it looks good with the wall colors that we selected. Years ago another decorator told me that she never paints her ceiling pure white. If the walls are a color then she adds a small amount of the wall color to the ceiling so that there isn't a stark difference.

Actually..... The term "Enamel" is just a marketing "Buzzword"!! Back when Oil/Alkyd Resins were all that was available, it was just a marketing term. The idea being conveyed was "It's as hard as the 'Enamel' on your Teeth! When Waterborne paints arrived, JUST GUESS what marketing term was used....... ;-) So.....the term itself means NOTHING. Never did. Faron

I would go over the contract for the exact wording. Hi-lite anything in question. What did he "tell you" vs. what is in the contract? His cost for Ultra Spec vs. Aura (in my estimation) would be about one third to one half. For example, retail for Aura is about $105, and Ultra Spec is about $55 right now, so for a paint contractor with an account at a Benjmain Moore dealer, about half that. Did he "upcharge" you for the paint? Personally, I don't care for the Ultra Spec. Even the eggshell finish feels flat to me. For ceilings, I really like BM's Muresco. It comes in two whites "01" and "04", but there's no reason it can't be tinted to Simply White. If not, there is also BM Waterborne Ceiling paint. Both of these are flat paints. Any imperfections on the ceiling are easier to see, so the flatter the finish the better. Unless you have paid for a Level 5 drywall finish on your ceiling! As far as Aura on the walls, it is a very nice paint, especially in deep, dark colors. I prefer the Scuff X Matte to Aura, just for durability. (Aura Matte sheen is 3-5 @85°. Scuff X Matte is (8 – 13 @ 85°) (9.5 @ 60°). (Note: Scuff X is in the Ultra Spec line, but there is also a lower end of wall paint simply labeled Ultra Spec.)