Will one coat of paint be enough?

The short answer to this question is “No.” If you’d like your walls painted with the same color and type of paint that is already on the walls, then yes, one coat may be fine. But if you are changing the color and/or sheen, then two coats are highly recommended. Even with really fine paint, it’s not until the second coat is applied that the depth of the chosen color is fully revealed. The same holds true for the sheen.

There are paints on the market that guarantee one coat coverage. I’ve had to use some of them, and found the finish less than satisfactory. Also, some paints with a one coat guarantee only offer the guarantee for limited palette of colors. When I recommend two coats of paint, it’s not because I want to do more painting or buy more paint. I recommend two coats because I want my clients’ walls to look wonderful when I’m finished painting them. Adding another coat does require more paint, of course, but it doesn’t add as much as you might think to the labor cost, since a good portion of the labor is preparation work, which only needs to be done once.

There are a few instances when a third coat is actually best. Certain colors, and especially deep shades of some colors, do not cover as well, or are not covered as easily. I’ve worked in quite a few homes where I’ve said (to myself), “If only the previous painter had applied one more coat of paint, these walls would have looked so much better!”