Mythic Paint has a large selection of colors, more than I have seen with other low VOC paints like Benjamin Moore’s Harmony or Lowe’s Freshaire. In addition, they can match any color you like. In my case, I had a local Mythic Paint dealer match a Sherman Williams color – Aqua Sphere 7613.

I really like the consistency of the paint. It rolls on nice and thick and the paint self levels very well. For comparison, I’ve used other brands like Behr and Olympic and none of them compared to Mythic. This would take me roughly 3-4 coats in order to get an even finished. With Mythic it only took 2 coats (and I would certainly hope so at $50 per gallon)

The First Coat This is the same wall as shown in the primer review for consistency. At a distance, the color is near even. Up close there are some pinholes of the primer showing through. I was painting in about 4′ x 4′ patches. There was no noticeable building up the paint overlaps. Very amazing results for the first coat.

The Second and Final Coat Following Mythic’s recommendation, I waiting 4 hours before applying the second coat. I put it on nice and heavy. Dripping was never an issue here. Now the color is very even. I’d say we’re done here. Time to take the blue tape off. This performed better than previous paints that I had used as there were only 3-4 spots where the paint peeled along with the tape. Nothing major and should be easily fixed with a painter’s brush.

Conclusion
I’m very happy with the performance of the paint. The only standing negative thing I can say about Mythic is that it is pricey. It’s almost twice as much compared to your big box stores. But I’ll certainly pay the premium if it means non-toxic air for Mary, Jagger, and I to breathe. I give Mythic both thumbs up for the 6 year research they put into the paint. They definitely brought a great product to the market.

Read part 1 for primer application images and thought: Mythic Paint Hands On Testing – Applying Primer

I’ve started painting our basement this weekend using paint from the Mythic, who promote their brand as a non-toxic, ultra low odor paint. I have to admit that they have kept their promise on that end, but how well does its application really perform? Read on as I give my thoughts on the performance of this paint in my two part review.

Mythic’s Interior Drywall Primer can be applied to both bare drywall and painted walls. It is available in 1 or 5 gallon buckets. My basement is approximately 14×40 and I used roughly 4 gallons — 3 coats on the walls and 2 coats on the ceiling.

The First Coat The drywall is clearly visible after the first coat of primer. I was expecting a less opaque layer, but this is my first time ever applying primer to drywall, so I can’t fairly make a comparison to other brands. But at roughly $50 a gallon, multiple coats will get expensive.
The Second Coat The wall appears to be much more even. Up close the drywall is barely visible, if not at all. This is closer to the surface that I want before applying color, But there is still traces of (as the pro’s call it), photographing or joint banding — Meaning that the mud is “showing” through due to the difference in texture between drywall paper and joint compound, as well as the different absorption rates between the two. It’s not as visible head on, but it’s evident at low angles. There are some solutions to this, but at this point I’ll chalk it up as lesson learned.
The Third Coat Not much of a difference from a distance. Here the white color is much more solid than the second coat. There is still some joint banding in some areas, but I suspect that the this is partially caused by the mud being slightly uneven.

Afterthoughts
In hindsight, I think I should have tried skim coating the drywall. This involves covering the entire surface with a thin coat of joint compound, leaving a film thick enough to fill imperfections in the joint work, smooth the paper texture, and provide a uniform surface for decorating. Another option is to use specially formulated paints that act in the same manner as skim coating. But that would defeat the purpose of my no VOC painting.

As an added note to support Mythic’s claim to no odor, my father was over recently and was surprised that I had only painted a few days before and that there was no odor.

Continue with top coat application review: Mythic Paint Hands On Testing – Final Coat

The wife and I have been preparing the nest for our soon to be born baby boy. Me being me, I always like to plan ahead for safety and convenience. So I thought it would also be a good idea to get our family car prepared as well.

	Baby Mirror When Oreo had his surgery, I traveled to the vet almost every week for checkups. With him in the backseat, I always had to keep an eye on him to make sure he was okay. Better to keep my eyes on the road. After seeing this in Prin’s car, I knew this would be perfect for the little piglet and eventually my baby boy. Now I can easily keep an eye on the road and my backseat travelers at the same time. Keep in mind that some mirrors attach to the windshield via suction cups, which could potentially become a flying projectile. So look for something that is light, has rounded edges, and attaches more securely.
	Sun Shade Who wants the sun’s harmful UV radiation beating down on their newborn? Not me! If tinting your car windows isn’t for you, or local/state laws prevent it, this is the next best step.
	Infant Car Seat This should be the most obvious item that’s added to your car. I personally prefer the Graco line as they are compatible with a lot of stroller frames. Plus they have an extensive list of color options per model line.
	Snow Tires Not everybody lives in cold weather climate, but I do. All-season tires is a compromise and will not perform in ice/snow covered roads compared to dedicated snow tires. Although the cost to own a set of wheels/tires dedicated for cold weather seems prohibitive, keep in mind that the tires are only on the road for half a season. So in effect, you double the lifespan of the tires compared to using it all year round. If you ever decide to go down this route, make note that snow tires perfect best in cold weather — In warmer climate, the thread wears much faster.

Credit goes to author Michelle Crouch at MSN Lifestyle. The full article can be read here. Below are some of the situations which I would have reacted incorrectly had I not read this article.

A cup of hot coffee spills on your child’s leg.

Wrong response: Put ice on it.

Smart move: Quickly remove any clothing, run cool water on the burn for 10 minutes, and then cover it loosely with gauze. Ice and even cold water may further damage the skin. “Your child can actually get a frostbite-like injury if you put ice directly on the skin, especially if the skin is already damaged from a burn,” says Bob Waddell, who trains paramedics in pediatric care for the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians. Don’t put butter or antibiotic ointment on the burn either. If the wound blisters, call the doctor, especially if the blisters are larger than a quarter.

Your child gets hit in the head and falls to the ground, unconscious.

Wrong response: Take him to the hospital.

Smart move: Call 911. He could have a spinal or brain injury, and moving him could make the injury worse, says Anne Stack, MD, clinical chief of pediatric emergency medicine at Children’s Hospital Boston. Make sure that your child is breathing and that he has a pulse. If he doesn’t, start CPR immediately. Otherwise, shake him very gently and call his name to see whether he’ll wake up.

Your child gets poked in the eye.

Wrong response: Pry her eye open to look for an injury.

Smart move: Gently cover the area by taping gauze or a clean, dry washcloth to her face, and then head to the ER. Trying to open her eye, putting ice on it, or applying pressure could cause more problems, which can lead to vision loss, says Dr. Stack. Covering her eye will make it harder for your child to rub or touch it — and if the cornea has been scratched, keeping her eye closed will ease the irritation.

The office construction has reached the point where it’s ready to be primed and painted. I was originally going to use the Harmony paint brand from Sherwin Williams, but Mary was concerned about the fumes that could be dangerous to both her, the baby, and Oreo. (Nobody cares if I breathe it in right?)

She suggested looking into Mythic Paint which is branded as a non-toxic, ultra low odor paint that does not have any off-gassing VOC’s and cancer-causing toxins that emit compared to other paints. A trip over to my nearest dealer and $500 later I’m ready to roll some paint. Stay tuned for results.

EDIT: My thoughts on the primer application can be read here.