Poor hiding power means inability for paint to cover substrate for certain paint film thickness.

Due to:

1. Low quality paint being used.
   
   
2. Low quality tools/ wrong roller (to choose a right tool, see “tools for painting”).
   
   
3. Higher spread rate than recommended during paint application (too much dilution or too thin coating).
   
   
4. Paint used which is very much lighter in colour than the substrate.
   
   
5. Colour by nature. For example, bright organic pigment will giver lower hiding than the inorganic pigment (oxide).

Recommendation:

1. If substrate is significantly darker and bright colour top coats must be used, prime the substrate before application of top coats.
   
   
2. Use a better quality paints for hiding and flow.
   
   
3. Tint the primer with a little bit of top coat to help in masking/hiding the colour unevenness of the substrate.
   
   
4. The use of correct tool.