Frequently Asked Questions

Contact Berger Paints directly to request a colour consultation.

Colours opposite each other on the wheel are complementary colours and are a great choice to augment your décor. Such highly contrasting colours works best for your child's bedroom.

Any pastel shade could achieve the same effect in a ceiling. Add a few drops of your wall colour to a pail of white ceiling paint. It might just be enough to add a hint of colour to your ceiling, without making it feel smaller.

You could download the Berger Colour Scheme Pro App on your android device; and this will allow you to take a snapshot of the colour you like and match it to the nearest Berger Spectra colour. If you can bring the colour with you, then go to the nearest Berger dealer and ask them to verify the colour with the Capsure colour tool.

So you’ve planned a nice sit-down dinner, down to the last detail; and you realise that the ambience is uninviting? Warm colours, such as Rosy Coral 8031, stimulate conversation and build a healthy appetite. Cool colours such as blues are generally not ideal in a dining room. For balance, consider a warm accent colour combined with a soft white, in subtle silk sheen. An elegant combination that would definitely add style and pizzazz to your décor.

This could be due to the type of lighting in the room or even the amount of natural light entering the room. Take yellow for example; though it may look great under fluorescent lighting, it will look many shades brighter under yellow or incandescent lighting. So in choosing paint colours, consider the impact that your lighting could have on the colours you choose.

Yes. Even though the colour you used 20 years ago may no longer appear on the latest colour cards, they are still available through the Berger tinting system; and if a colour was made especially for you, its formulation would have been stored in the hardware store’s computer, until whenever you need it again.

Not necessary. In fact many tinted shades are the same price or even cheaper than white; so you can safely choose any colour you want without paying any more than you would for white or even colours on the store shelf.

No. Porous surfaces allow stains to penetrate. Using lower quality paints that are porous in nature or painting un-primed surfaces can both lead to poor stain resistance. Super premium quality acrylic paints such as BERGER Royale are easy to clean, made especially to prevent stains from penetrating the surface and provide ease of stain removal. BERGER Royale is most suitable in homes with children.

Using low-quality, highly pigmented paints or interior paint on exterior surfaces can also lead to premature chalking. To solve this problem, wash the surface with soap and water and let it dry. If there’s no evidence of chalking, priming won’t be necessary, so proceed to paint as normal. If chalking is still present, use BERGER Penetrating Liquid. It’ll bind any loose powder and provide a sound surface for repainting.

Simply soak a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol and run it over the painted surface. If your cotton ball has paint on it, then the surface is water-based. If it doesn’t, then the surface was painted in oil based paint. If it’s oil-based, you might need to prime it with oil-based primer before starting to repaint.

To test for mildew, wash the surface with detergent and water. If the spots remain, chances are, they’re mildew. Mildew is a fungal growth that thrives in cool, moist areas. That’s why it’s so important to keep walls exposed to the sun and away from trees and plants.

Whether flat, silk, low-sheen, semi-gloss or glossy, sheens can dramatically change how a colour looks, especially with glossy finishes. Gloss can add depth to colour, and is also very reflective, which not only changes perception of the colour but will also reveal surface imperfections. The glossier the finish, the more light bounces off the walls. Flat finishes on the other hand reflect the least amount of light, and conceal more, making them the best choice for imperfect walls.

First prime the wall with white water-based primer such as Berger Grip&Seal. Most dark paints will be coated sufficiently in one coat of primer. However, if you are moving between extremes, such as painting a light cream over a dark purple, you may need to prime twice. Water-based primers dry quickly and can be recoated in just one hour. In addition they emit little or no smell and white water-based primers never turn yellow.

Consider painting the end walls two shades darker than the long, narrow walls. The darker colours will recede, creating an illusion of width. To make a small room appear larger, use light-colours on the walls and in the ceiling.

Sure you can. In fact in extreme cases of exposure to the elements, a second coat of primer is absolutely recommended. It will increase the durability of the paint job, and provide an additional wear-layer against the elements like wind, rain and sun; all of which erode paint and create rust. Some primers such as Berger Grip&Seal can be applied to multiple surfaces and it even contain rust inhibitors.

Premium acrylic contains more titanium dioxide which gives the paint its hiding power. Latex paint contain less titanium which means you’ll probably need more coats to finish the job. This will increase labour costs and the time needed to finish the job. It may take 3-4 coats of latex paint compared to 1-2 of premium acrylic paint; which makes premium acrylic like Royale & WeatherProof Ultra cost more but are the most cost effective options in the long run.

Concrete is prone to hairline cracks, decay from salt spray, and problems from moisture with daily exposure to the elements. These problems are more widespread in the Caribbean, where many properties are close to the sea. Exterior paints like Berger Weather-Proof Ultra are made especially to resist fungus and algae on exterior surfaces.

High gloss paints such as Berger 404, Royale WB Gloss Enamel and RustPro all provide a bright, polished look that makes them ideal for heavy-use surfaces. Such sheen creates a shiny, glass-like finish that is easy to clean and resists moisture and mildew, making it ideal for doors, furniture, moulding, windows and trim, inside and out. High gloss paint is less forgiving when it comes to surface imperfections and looks best on smooth surfaces.

Semi-gloss paints such as Royale, Weather-proof Ultra and 404 Semi-Gloss offer good stain resistance and are easy to clean. They are excellent in many of the same areas as gloss paints, and are ideal for walls and woodwork that are subject to wear; also on weatherboards and on exterior cementitious surfaces.

Low sheen paints like Berger Everglow are ideal where some sheen, moisture resistance and good cleaning properties are desired, such as living rooms, hallways, bedrooms and playrooms. Low sheens can also highlight surface imperfections and are most commonly used over interior and exterior timber, concrete and plaster finishes.

VOCs or Volatile Organic Compounds are gases that escape into the air from products such as paint, glue and even many common household cleaners. These gases can linger after the paint has dried and are known to cause a variety of health problems such as headaches, dizziness, asthma, and allergies. They are also linked to cancer. Select low VOC paints such as Berger Royale, Everglow, 303 and Weather-proof Ultra which are much safer to use in your living space and they dry faster too.

Concrete plaster should be allowed to cure fully, at least 30 days before painting. This will completely dry the surface and allow the salts in the wall, to rise to the surface. After this, the salt can be easily removed by wire-brushing or power washing. If pressed for time, then use a salt-blocking primer like Berger Luxatex, which is made especially to seal green concrete and block salt from interacting with the paint; a problem which causes blotching.

Yes. Floor paint is designed to provide greater durability than regular wall paint and this why it is also more expensive. Floor paint is made to resist abrasion and the rigours of handle foot traffic. Actually it's a good option for properties close to the busy roadsides; and with accent base now available, it is available in many more dark colours.

This will take time, patience and can be dusty, but it’s sure worth the effort when done. Use Berger joint compound to smoothen the walls. This will however require an experienced professional, to get the desired finish. Once complete, prime with Berger Grip&Seal and topcoat in any premium Berger emulsion in the sheen and colour of your choice.

This all depends on the use of the space. E.g. if the room receives high-traffic and heavy use, then a premium emulsion like Royale would be the best option. If however the walls are poorly plastered, then it would be better to use a flat emulsion like Berger 303 or Royale Silk both of which would minimise minor surface imperfections.

All paint colours fade over time, but premature fading occurs when colours recommended for interior-use, are used on exterior surfaces. The brightest, prettiest colours tend to fade the fastest. This is much less of a challenge if you repaint frequently, but if you’re looking for fade-resistant colours, then ask for Berger lightfast colours. Berger Weather-proof Ultra, 303 and Everglow can all be tinted in lightfast formulations.

Berger Grip&Seal Primer has been specially designed to do exactly this; cover stains and water-marks. Another option is Berger Wood Primer White.

Many persons and even some painters believe that pressure washing will remove fungus and mildew. Whilst doing so will remove most of what the eye can see, it will not kill fungal or algae growth. Pressure washing alone will only slow their growth. To kill fungus and algae, use Berger Sterilizing Solution. It is recommended that walls be painted the same day, once they are thoroughly dry.

Yes. Loose rust should be removed, either with a wire brush or power tools. For corroded but clean metal surfaces, use Berger Zinc Chromate Red Oxide Primer, RustPro both of which are great inside and out. For topcoating interior metal use Berger Royale Water-Based Luxury Gloss Enamel.