A strong navy or near-black wall rarely goes on in two coats over a pale existing colour, whatever the tin claims. The pigment load that gives dark paint its depth also makes it behave differently at the roller, and planning for that avoids a job that stalls halfway through.
Three finish coats over a suitably tinted undercoat is a realistic starting point, more if the existing wall is pale and the new colour is very saturated.
It can, particularly in gloss or satin finishes, so consistent technique and working a wet edge matter more here than on a pale, forgiving colour.
The material cost and labour time both tend to rise because of the extra coats, so it is worth budgeting for that from the start rather than being surprised mid-job.
Heavily pigmented paints are often thicker and less self-levelling than pale tints, which changes brush and roller technique as much as it changes coat count. Cutting in edges cleanly on a deep colour takes a steadier hand because any thin patch shows as a lighter streak once it dries.
Going from a pale wall straight to a near-black topcoat can take three or four coats if the base stays white. A grey or mid-tone tinted undercoat closes that gap fast, because the final coats are then covering a similar depth of colour rather than fighting bright white showing through.
A dark wall pulls light out of a room, which can mean the ceiling, trim and even the flooring read differently once it is up. It is worth looking at the whole room together before committing, because a colour that looked bold on a sample card can make a small room feel genuinely smaller.
Send us the colour you are considering and we will confirm a realistic coat count before you buy paint.
A dark colour is achievable in most rooms, but it needs an honest coat count and a tinted undercoat to get there cleanly.
Speak to a Hampshire commercial decorating contractor that turns up, communicates clearly and delivers a finish that lasts.
