What is the Best Paint for Your Money?

How do you know which paint is right for your house? Well, that depends on what your project is for. Are you staying or selling? Do you need or want low or no VOC (volatile organic compounds). All paints appear to look the same but can massively differ in price. Although the cheapest option may seem attractive, the more expensive paints are higher quality, come in more brilliant colors, will last longer, and optional one coat/primer applications.

All paint has certain ingredients. The more pigments the more it will retain its true color over time. Binders help hold the paint together and also will resist cracking, peeling and blistering. The more liquids a paint has the more it will evaporate. Cheaper paints contain more liquids. Additives give paint extra durability or resistance to mildew.  Depending on the how much of each ingredient is in it will affect the color as well as the quality.

Some company paint lines offer their own colors, like Devine paint and Benjamin Moore’s Aura series, that can't be duplicated (at least not very well) in other brands' without high-quality materials.” Some brands are better at hiding flaws, some on flow and leveling, and others on adhesion. Each brand has its own unique balance of characteristics. If you want to play it safe, choose the top-quality item from the brand you're interested in.”

If you haven’t bought paint in years you may be sticker shocked. Good quality paints can run an average of $55+ per gallon with a $.75 mandatory recovery fee for EPA disposal.  Keep in mind a high-quality paint coverage will be superior, and typically covers the surface in fewer coats, saving you time too.

Buying a really good paint isn’t the whole solution to getting the best results. It’s all in the preparation, if you don’t prep properly even the best paint won’t last. Make the most of your investment and ask a professional guide you.