1. Do professional painters typically leave some unpainted spots on the undersides of the siding after just one coat, even a heavy coat? No one can paint in one coat. No one. IMO, there is no acceptable circumstance where one coat of paint is a proper paint job -- especially exterior. And applying it *heavy* is meaningless. There is only so much you can apply on a vertical surface without it dripping and sagging. Then there's the classic debate of what is more efficient, one labor intensive *heavy* coat that pushes suggested application methods, or two comprenhsive full coats at the recommended and appropriate spread rate or thickness. 2. Am I being unreasonable in expecting my painter to touch up all the unpainted spots (there are a lot)? I would say you each share equal blame on this one. You were being unreasonable to expect that exterior areas could be painted with one coat to save on budget. That is not a realistic expectation. He gets an equal amount of accountability 'cuz he told you he could do one coat and he accepted the job under those terms. You expected too much and he promised too much. He tried to make it work within your budget. It just didn't work out due to certain circumstances. He shouldn't have to pony up all of the labor/paint at no cost to you to fix it. To be fair, you'll need to reach a compromise to correct an agreement that never should have been made. 3. Can Duration be easily touched up in spots, or will it have to be completely brushed on again to look good? Maybe. Depends on the sheen and the color and the orientation the spots have to direct light. Depends on the expertise and method used to touch up. My guess is you should be doing a second coat because it sounds like there are so many spots, you're just about to a second coat any way. Besides that, it's the right thing to do for your house. 4. What should I be able to expect from my painter after two coats of paint in terms of COMPLETE coverage when I stand directly up against and under the siding? Depends on the color. Depends on the exposure of light. Depends on the substrate, can depend on lots of things. Two full coats is standard to get to full and even color resolution and coverage - especially with Duration - but the standard isn't a guarantee. Painter should be able to call that one easily. One coat looks like crap, no one should be surpised including him. If he says two coats will do it, he should know what he's talking about, but he also said one coat would work. If he says one more coat will do it, you need to be clear that you aren't paying for the third if necessary and he can't walk away if he's wrong and after two it's still not right. Proceed with extremely clear and precise communication. If he's smart, he'll be after the same clarity of understanding from you for his behalf. 5. My painter says Duration is hard to work with and sets quickly in summer temperatures, which may be why his crew were unable to paint as completely as I would've expected. Do you professional painters feel it is hard to work with, or is my painter just making excuses? Duration is harder to work with than say a Super Paint or a MoorGard. It is physically taxing i.e. the rotator area of the shoulder. You don't paint with Duration you *apply* it. It is different. Weather conditions could very well be adding to the efforts of application. Wouldn't ding him for his comments on working with Duration. Doubt that's an excuse. More like that's his commentary on how Duration fits with the painting skills and conditions he has to work with. There's my third-party input FWIW.

Does anyone know of some great, high quality exterior paint that can be used on exterior glass and plexiglass that can withstand UV Rays and weather conditions, and does not require any primer or top coat? Also, I am hoping to find in this exterior paint the ability to possibly dilute it to give it a translucent quality. I am thanking anyone in advance for this valuable information.

There's a Glidden color called Grey Squirrel 30YY 14/070. You can get a chip/sample from The Home Depot or any Pittsburgh Paints Store - they both have Glidden's Master Palette colors. Gauntlet looks VERY battleship gray (no warmth), Gauntlet Gray has a value of 5, that's about right. Hue is 1.42Y-so it should be a warm gray--tending towards brown? GG has an LRV of 17. And it doesn't have a lot of Chroma (colorfulness) so it quite literally is a near neutral gray. Meaning its proportion of grayness is greater than its proportion of colorfulness. Which is why you're perceiving it as battleship gray, no warmth. In comparison, Grey Squirrel has about the same LRV, 14, but it has more than twice the Chroma. Which means it's farther from a true neutral gray. It has more colorfulness and it's not going to look like battleship gray.

We should have just ordered black doors. I think our project manager was trying to cut costs for us....but we would never had done that if I’d known they’d turn out like this. Per Marvin website, these doors can be painted/stained on site any custom color. Is the leakage potentially a caulking manufacture defect....or just part of the deal with a site finish?