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February 8, 2012

Secrets to Best Paints Revealed!


Have you ever wondered what the best interior paint brand are to buy
that will give you the best quality and most value for your money? 
I was really interested in finding out the truth because
I do so much painting with my furniture projects and walls.

You might have asked friends, relatives or the paint counter guy. 
And we all have our opinions and experiences with certain brands, but
 did you know that several major paint brands have been
carefully tested by Consumer Reports and a new review is out! 

And guess who just became a Consumer Reports reading nerd and is about 
to share a few of their surprising results with you?? Me! 
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So, in CR's overview they tell you that
"the best interior paints hide with as little as one coat". 
Here are a few categories that show you the best ratings and their retail value:

"Best for most; less work, low VOC's"

Benjamin Moore $66
Behr, $33

They explain that Benjamin Moore beat Behr "by a nose" but when it comes to value, Behr "remains several lengths ahead". 

So, wouldn't it be worth it to buy a higher quality paint that you
would use less of in the long run because it covers so well? I think so! 

And here are some results in the low-luster paint category:

"Almost as good for less" 

Kilz $27
Glidden, $23
Behr, $25
Royal Interiors, $28

And low-luster for sunny areas:
Benjamin Moore, $50
Valspar, $31
Glidden, $27


So, the only paints I've ever tried on their list are Valspar, Glidden, and Kilz, which all scored well in general and are recommended. Good to know! (I've also used Martha Stewart which I've been happy with, but this brand wasn't tested.)

A few things I was surprised by was that Sherwin Williams paint scored almost last-I know people who swear by their paint (which isn't cheap, if you've noticed). But I wasn't surprised that Wal Mart's brand Color Place scored last. (not my favorite store).

When you are shopping for paint, Consumer Reports gives a helpful tip : "Dont buy strictly by brand. Even within a brand, performance varies widely among finishes and lines." Sound confusing? You can get their full report along with a helpful chart in March's 2012 issue. 

I hope the little tid bits I've shared have been as helpful to you as they've been to me! I'm 
officially addicted to reading this magazine now and want so share some of the helpful 
tips I find as new issues arrive. 



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If you've been following along you might know that I've been trying a few Anthropologie-inspired projects. And I have been having fun with them!
(Have you seen my table in my last post?)
I hope you come back these next few weeks as I reveal more projects!

Thanks for stopping by today!


18 comments:

  1. I always use Behr paint... I like the coverage & in my experience it goes on really smoothly :) Thanks for sharing this information!!

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    1. I haven't used Behr-but I will be now b/c of this great info! Glad you found this info useful!

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  2. This is great I'm just starting to think about bedroom paint. I would love you to add this and any of your other projects to my What We Wore and Made party over at http://raegunwear.blogspot.com/search/label/WWWMW

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  3. I just read this issue this week and I cannot figure out what they have against Sherwin Williams! I love SW and BM... I like Valspar but I have only had bad experiences with Behr. The coverage is terrible and I feel like the finish rarely looks good. I usually really trust Consumer Reports but I just don't see how they came up with this one. I've been a professional painter for 15 years now and my experiences aren't matching up with their claims.

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    1. I'm not really sure either-I've never used their paint but thought it had a good reputation too. I guess if you have great experiences with paint, stick with the ones you love, right?

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  4. Thanks for sharing this is going to be really helpful, I'm getting ready to repaint my entire house soon! Of course this is all opinion and I'm sure it will depend on what your painting over or if you use a primer but I trust consumer reports. Love your blog !

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    1. Thanks, Edith! Glad you found this info useful-thank you for visiting!

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  5. I have done extensive, extensive amounts of painting rooms. I always loved Behr, but last go-round thought I would 'upgrade' and spend more to get Sherwin Williams. I was SO disappointed! Needed two coats on every room with SW. After painting five of the 7 rooms, I went back to Behr. One coat, covering the same paint as the other five rooms which took 2 coats. No comparision - Behr is by far the best.

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    1. So interesting! I will be trying Behr the next time I paint a room. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment!

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  6. I've used Behr and Gliddon, but Benjamin is amazing...I've gotten some Harmony paint from Sherwin Williams and it is wonderful! I always do 2 coats anyway, cuz even with the more expensive paints, I miss spots... If you watch, SW has GREAT sales and you can get their top quality paints for about the same price as Behr.

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  7. This is interesting! We've only used Behr since we got married and have been pretty pleased. We've always painted on textured walls, though, (using satin finish) so I can't speak for how it works on a variety of surfaces

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  8. Can't wait to see the new projects! We are getting ready to paint here. In the past we've used Kilz. It covers very well, and is reasonably priced. The last time we painted, though, we bought our paint at Home Depot..don't remember the brand...but we got the paint and primer in one can and really liked using that. It is a somewhat confusing issue since they say sometimes the same brand doesn't give similar results. I like CR and always check them out for new purchases. We're going to buy a new range so we've been reading up on them. Thanks for the good info!

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    1. For some reason, I thought Kilz was a primer only-I was surprised to know they offer colors, too. I really value knowing about Consumer Reports now!

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  9. After being disappointed with Sherwin Williams (their $55 dollar super coverage took THREE coats), I went back to Behr.

    Julie

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