Last week we saw the Benjamin Moore on Tour pod pay a visit to G C Johnson Harlow. This fantastic event allowed our decorators a chance to try out some of Benjamin Moore’s most popular products – and even better – to indulge in some yummy breakfast while doing so! If I had to say so myself, the Greggs sausage rolls were reason enough to make an appearance, however the paint seemed just as popular.

With the tour set to visit 24 locations nationwide, it may be biased for me to claim we have had the most success, however I will do it anyway! We had a great showing from our customers, all willing to learn more about the Benjamin Moore brand. The team from Benjamin Moore were fantastic, taking the time to answer all our questions & listen to all our feedback. They put on a show our customers are sure not to forget.

I personally found it a great opportunity to get more familiar with Benjamin Moore’s latest products; Ben Interior Matte, and Elementguard. Of course the star of the day was Scuff-X, the revolutionary, single component paint devised to resist the toughest of scuffs.

For those who couldn’t make it, I’ll explain a little about these products & what makes them so special.

ben® Interior Matte

ben® Interior Matte can be considered Benjamin Moore’s alternative to vinyl matt emulsion. It is available in 3.79 litres ( US gallon ) with a sheen level between 3-6%. It’s extended open time makes for flawless application with excellent hide, you can even touch up with ease! To make it even more appealing, it boasts scuff resistant properties to make it easy to maintain & looking like new.

Elementguard

A whole new take on masonry paint, Elementguard performs in any weather. We all know the British weather isn’t the most reliable, so with Elementguard, the stress of checking the forecast every 5 minutes is taken away. It has been specially formulated to tackle one of our most tricky painting environments – high moisture. This new product can be applied up to 60 minutes before rainfall & in temperatures as low as 1.7℃. Excellent adhesion & resistance to cracking and peeling are additional benefits.

It suits those who are after the ever popular flat finish, with a sheen of between 0-3%. Also popular with decorators as it is touch dry after just 1 hour and has a recoat time of 4 hours.

Scuff-X

One of Benjamin Moore’s most renowned products, Scuff-X is well known as being the toughest paint on the market. Originally sold as a paint to resist scuffing in the most demanding high traffic commercial settings, it has taken off in the UK residential market providing more than enough durability for our homes. Quick drying, great touch up ability and all with a low odour only adds to the reasons to give it a go.

Available in four finishes; Matte, Eggshell, Satin & Semi-Gloss, there is something for everyone.

Those who attended the roadshow were lucky enough to leave with a sample of Scuff-X to test out.

It goes without saying this is just a small selection of what Benjamin Moore has to offer. Not only does their product range wow us, their extensive collection of over 3,500 colours is quite impressive. They use their very own Gennex Colour Technology to curate stunning colours that hold their depth & vibrancy whilst maintaining their exceptional performance.

I have been fortunate enough to have spent 35 years in the shop this year. 

During that time I’ve seen enormous changes to the paints we sell, the way they are sold and the headlines behind why we do what we do.

In 1987 we were still selling large quantities of lead based paint. It seems crazy now but for the next 3 years I was selling it more regularly for exterior paint work than anything that Dulux Weathershield or Sandtex ( a Blue Circle product back then! ) had to offer. Our primary lead brand was Magnet Paints. The argument that it outlasted other paints seemed to outweigh the dangers for many decorators.

I remember the ban in 1990, I had been told by many old decorators that it would never happen but here it was! I also remember at the time trying the new water based gloss from Dulux. It felt and looked like silk emulsion! Nonetheless, the eco revolution had begun and we were all going to be part of it. Over the next few years products such as Hammerite were “watered down” and slowly moved aside by more environmentally conscious replacements. At the time many seemed like short term stop gaps but the march went on.  But now, who would consider Hammerite when we have water based products from companies like Bedec, Bradite or Zinsser that perform just as well with none of the stink? We had the VOC legislation debacle in 2012, I’m sure we all remember Dulux Retail paints going yellow and the Watchdog TV grilling they got. However, we adapted and adopted…

So, this year we will see the removal of paints containing MEKO, an anti skinning agent in solvent based paints. However we’ve studied it, and now, less than 1% of what we sell is solvent based! Amazing! But the real revolution is happening as we not only get cleaner paints but paints that help clean the environment as they work. May I introduce Graphenstone to you? This is a fast forward to the future of decorating. Some of it actually absorbs CO2! We now have their new tinting system at our Buckhurst Hill shop and their full range of the most environmentally friendly paints in the world! Dare I say: the greenest white paint in the world! 

(Other colours are available )

Please ask for a colour card or information leaflet or simply go to Graphenstone’s website and join the great clean up of the paint world!

Be well.

Pat.