My favorite saying from Lost is "Don't tell me what I can't do." Those of you who watch the show know these words are said at various times with various inflections by John Locke. I like it because it's defiant and optimistic all at the same time.
Locke's attitude is not one shared by our local Lowe's paint department. Readers of this blog know well the painting trials and tribulations Anita and I (mostly Anita) have endured since Katrina. They continue. Tonight I went to get a gallon of paint for the upstairs bathroom so we could get the second, and hopefully final, coat on the walls tonight. It was not meant to be.
I took my paint card to the paint department and asked for Sandy Shell in Valspar Ultra Premium base. This color is a Valspar Signature color but I did not think this would be a problem since we have had paint mixed this way in the past. I was informed by, let's call her Hilary, that the paint department employees were not allowed to mix Signature colors in anything but a Signature base. This is something that various and sundry paint department employees have told us during the 3 year period that we have been buying Signature colors in something other than a Signature base. I argued of course but I was told that not only were the paint department employees forbidden from mixing Signature colors in a non-Signature base, but if they were found out doing such a thing they would be written up. As well they should be! How dare they fulfill a paying customer's needs. At this point I gave up. Hilary did tell me that if I brought in the top of an old can with the information on it she could mix the paint for me. I suppose then she'd have to write herself up.
I wonder if this is something Valspar has imposed on Lowe's or if some of the employees don't know any better. I am hoping a kind, knowledgeable Valspar employee will run across this post and tell us the answer.
A paint can containing a Signature color mixed with a non-Signature baseAll that was a long-winded way to say that I did not get the paint needed to complete the upstairs bathroom. I was successful in acquiring the baseboard for William's bedroom and a gallon of Valspar Ultra Premium Antique White for painting said baseboard. I now have to go unload the twelve 12 foot long pieces of baseboard and carry them upstairs, make the boys turn the Xbox down so they don't wake up the girls, and start painting the baseboard.
7 comments:
Okay here it is again with my name on it:
Oh boy. We're going to have to start moving stuff around in the storage room and garage again since apparently the 15 cans of Valspar Signature Color paints mixed in American Tradition/Valspar Ultra Premium base are now officially contraband....
I'm adding up the amount of money we've given Valspar and Lowe's in my head right now... (Hey I can add it up for real.. I have all the receipts! Thanks, Katrina) And something I can't quite put my finger on is irking me about this.
For anyone reading who doesn't understand why this base is so important to us -- the Signature base has a slight sheen to it that we do not want. We prefer a true flat finish. Don't get me wrong - the Signature paint is a fantastic easy-clean paint and everything.. but I don't dig shiny paint on the walls... And of course touching up our non-shiny paint with slightly shiny paint does not work... And repainting entire rooms (instead of mild touch up) because Hilary at Lowe's is laying down the law with an iron fist reeeeally makes me yearn to take our business elsewhere.
I wonder why Lowe's has its knickers in a twist about this. Is the Signature base more expensive?
This really makes no sense (but you know that, right :-) since paint places make such a big deal about being able to match colors...
Yeah! Isn't it Lowe's that has the commercial with the woman walking through the store with an enormous stuffed animal to color match?? If they can color match a stuffed animal can't they just color match their own paint chip?
One would think they would (a) be happy for the business, and (b) watch their own commercials!
Dear Valspar customers, my name is Jeff Bartos with Valspar. First off let me apologize for the delay in my response. I was just copied on your blog today. Second, I'd like to thank all of you for being Valspar customers. We truely appreciate your business. Originally when the Valspar Signature line of paints was introduced, we only offered the Signature colors in the signature paints. The signature paints offer a different quality than the Valspar Ultra Premium (VUP)paints as well as a slight variance in tint strength. Because of this, Lowes was only equipped to match signature colors in the signature paints. Same with the VUP. There has been discussion about offering formulas to cross tint these colors/lines, however, there is nothing in place at this time. There is no firm rule in place from Valspar that you can only match signature colors in signature paint, but again, the stores are only equipped with signature colors using signature paints and VUP colors in VUP paint. The last thing we want is for customers to take the color chip and go to a different paint company, so the store should offer to color match the signature colors into the VUP using their color computer to ensure an accurate formula and color match. I hope this information helps explain the reasoning. The bottom line is that we want to ensure the best possible color match we can. If you have any questions, please call me at 888-313-5569 X8603.
Thanks to Mr. Bartos. For followups to this post - please click on the VALSPAR link at the bottom of the current post.
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