Farrow and Ball paint - is it normally like this?

[QueenElizardbeth]

Trying to use modern emulsion over previously painted (matt finish) alaglypta wallpaper.

I'm finding it goes off too quickly and when I overlap a little bit, the paint I've just applied sticks to the brush and comes off.

I didn't expect this from F&B.

Emailed them and they suggested I add some water to it well, that isn't something I'm prepared to do as I'll add too much or something and it'll all be wasted. Also I kind of thought it would be ready to use.

Is this a normal problem, is there a reason it's doing it and can I do anything other than mess about with water, to make it stop? I've had it happen with other paints before but only cheap stuff.

sorry anaglypta

also I am using a brand new good quality brush, in case it makes any difference.

Given the cost and the advice you've been given, I'd give adding some water a go. Decent some of the paint into a paint kettle so you can replicate the proportions if you have success adding water. When I used it, it was just like any other paint I'd used and I used a roller.

Decant, not decent

Bloke I use for painting and decorating hates F&B for this reason..nightmare to paint with. I prefer Little Green ..but thats no good to you now ..sorry

I would add teeny bit of water and try it again.

The painter I use also hates it. Calls it Farrow and Sh**e.

I was just coming on the say if you're going to ask if it's shit then the answer is YES

It is worth paying extra and buying quality trade paint. It is designed to be watered down.
Don't be fooled by cheapo trait paint from DIY stores.
I hate Farrow and Ball matt/chalky shit because the colours are so depressing ( pretentious).
I sent a fortune doing up my front room in the stuff ( at DM's recommendation) I lived with it for 6 months before walloping over with trendy Crown stuff.

We bought F&B elephants breath (eb) and oval room blue (orb). They both went on badly, needed 3 coats of eb 4 coats of orb. They aren't hard wearing and within a couple of months are showing each and every mark. I won't buy them ever again. The colours are beautiful so next time I'm buying a sample pot and asking B&Q to try and colour match with a better paint.

I think the quality used to be much better. It is wickedly expensive too; aimed at the socially aspiring. I'll stick with Crown or Dulux from now on.

I agree...don't usually buy into (pretnetious) labels etc but liked the colour on a room set I saw in magazine and used it in sitting room Since used it in bedroom (this last week) and even bought the F&B undercoat cos last time we used it didn't go on as well as we thought it would...DH decided was cos we didn't use the undercoat...on the wall. Despite my misgivings (expensive and not worth it) we used it again (as do like the colour) but never again...one of the worst paints to apply and needs at least two coats (not including the undercoat) and seems to "go off" quickly when you're painting with it.
Still like the fact it alters with the light though..and no other paint I have used does this.

I have used F&B colours are amazing but you need to follow the professional advice. First coat watered down 20% second 10% then it goes on like a dream. It also has to be applied with a brush a roller doesn't work properly with F&B in my opinion a brush finish is quicker and nicer. We have loads of paint left over using this method and only two coats covered new plaster (after a cheap wash coat). it does show marks really badly but I love the way the colour changes depending on the light. I have Dimpse in my hallway this morning it looks almost silver in the evening it's a gorgeous bluesy grey. Dayroom yellow is making the garden room glow in the Spring sunshine but I keep having to touch up the marks. Dh says he wouldn't use it again but I would in a heartbeat.

I buy Johnson ' s scrubbable paint with F&B pigment mixed in. It's indistinguishable from "proper" F&B, bit I always feel a bit furtive buying it.

Plum where do you get that?

Yes it's shit. 'Like painting with milk. Shit milk' is how our decorator described it.

Almost my entire house is painted in F&B colours. I get them matched in B&Q Valspar Premium. It's totally matt like F&B, but is scrubbable and goes on in one coat onto a white base. Genuinely. It's amazing stuff.

They also do an eggshell for skirtings which is an identical finish to F&B. I've got James White on the woodwork.

If you take a tester card in they can match anything off it, or I have the formulas for most colours as I've got testers in them and would be happy to share

But I was really sceptical about colour matching it but it really is nice.

Wally, we have a local shop (Midlands) which sells F&B, Little Green and other premium brands. They have a far less chichi sister shop which sells mainly to trade; that's where I go for the scrubbable stuff. They mix it to order. I expect they don't advertise that they do it as it would "dilute" the brand image.

WellErrr - you don't happen to have the formula for F&B Dix blue, do you?