Why can’t I use ordinary flat wall paint as a basecoat?
BLENDS basecoat has some features that most wall paint doesn’t have. Most notably BLENDS is formulated to be applied thickly (10 mil is about 4 times as thick as most wall paints) and to stay “open” long enough for you to be able to apply flakes. How can I get a smoother finish with BLENDS? You can do any or all of the following: 1) SCRAPE THE FLAKES WITH A JOINT KNIFE. After the basecoat/flake matrix is dry, use a joint knife to smooth the surface out before brushing and topcoating. 1) SAND THE FLAKES. Use a pole sander and medium grit production sandpaper to lightly sand the surface. Vacuum or brush off the sanding grit and apply the BLENDS topcoat. 2) APPLY A SECOND COAT OF TOPCOAT. A second full coat will give more build and will flatten the surface profile.
