Smart Shopping: Interior Paints

Getting Started l Types l Features l Brands

Skip over this content GETTING STARTED

Many aspects of paint performance depend more on the quality of the base than on the color. The tint base largely determines the paint's toughness and resistance to dirt and stains, while the colorant determines how much the paint will fade. But you shouldn't need a chemistry degree or a pro painter's experience to buy interior paint. Here's how to pick the right product for the job:

Buy the top of the line
Over the years, we have found that lower grades -- typically dubbed good, better, or contractor grade -- do not perform as well. If a top-line paint can cover all but the darkest colors in two coats, lower-quality paints might need three or four coats. That makes them a poor value. Avoid blind product loyalty. The Brand X finish you loved the last time you painted is probably not the same as what's on shelves today.

Think carefully about color
Don't rely on instinct alone. A hue that looks great in the store could turn you off once it's on your walls. Take advantage of the store's color-sampling products and computer programs. Most manufacturers sell 2-ounce sample jars of many paint colors so you can test a paint before buying a large quantity. Manufacturers also offer large color chips, which are easier to use than the conventional small swatches.

Try out samples on different walls and at various times of the day. Fluorescent light enhances blues and greens, but it makes warm reds, oranges, and yellows appear dull. Incandescent light works well with warm colors, but it might not do much for cool ones. Even natural sunlight changes from day to day, room to room, and morning to evening. Color intensifies over large areas, so it's better to go too light than too dark in a given shade.

Breathe easier
Manufacturers are reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds -- the noxious chemicals that make paint smell like paint -- in their products, in response to new federal standards. VOCs can cause acute symptoms, including headaches and dizziness, and some might be carcinogens. Some manufacturers make low-VOC paints that comply with the even-tougher standards set by California's regional South Coast Air Quality Management District. The earliest versions lacked the durability and sheen selection of higher-VOC finishes, but companies are now making top-quality low-VOC paint. A handful of paints claim to contain no VOCs at all, but none of the ones we tested scored well. You'll find the VOC level listed on the can.

TYPES

The gloss level affects perception of color. Flat paints (and textured walls) absorb light, so colors seem darker. Glossy paints and smooth surfaces reflect, so colors look brighter. The degree of glossiness may differ from one manufacturer to another. Here are the types of interior paints to consider.

Flat Paint
Flat finishes hide imperfections well. But they're not the most stain resistant, so they're best in a decorative setting such as a formal living room, dining room, or other space that doesn't see heavy use.

Low-luster Paint
Often called eggshell or satin, these finishes have a slight sheen. Use them only on smooth, well-prepared surfaces, since their shine can accentuate imperfections on the wall. Low-luster paints are best for family rooms, kids' rooms, hallways, and the like. Some might change sheen when scrubbed.

Semigloss Paint
Shinier still, these paints are formulated to stand up to water and scrubbing. They're generally the easiest to clean, so they're ideal for kitchen and bathroom walls, windowsills, and other woodwork. Like low-luster paints, semigloss paints require a smooth, well-prepared surface with few imperfections. Some semigloss paints might change sheen when scrubbed.

FEATURES

While most of the paints we tested rated very good or excellent overall, the majority scored poor or fair in at least one category. Check our Ratings (available to subscribers) and decide on the paint performance features most important to your application.

Hiding ability
If you're changing walls from dark to light, you'll need a paint that's good at hiding. Many new paints can cover a contrasting color with a single coat. But for best coverage, we still recommend using two coats, even with a top-rated paint.

Surface smoothness
Paint should dry smooth, without showing brush marks. Scores for low-luster and semigloss paint ranged from excellent to fair. Three flat products scored poor.

Stain resistance
While most low-luster and semigloss paints were very good or excellent at resisting stains, several flat paints managed only a fair or poor score.

Scrubbing resistance
Nearly all the paints of all types scored excellent or very good in our tests.

Change in gloss
The flat paints generally excelled here, while most low-luster and semigloss paints fared poorly.

Sticking
Some paints never seem to dry completely. They can make a window difficult to open, or cause books to stick to a shelf. Most flat paints dried well, while a few semigloss paints were prone to sticking.

Mildew resistance
This is an especially important consideration in a kitchen, bath, or damp basement room. No particular type of paint showed a clear advantage in this test.

Fade resistance
Fading has long been a problem, resulting in walls that become lighter over time as they're exposed to sunlight. But manufacturers appear to be improving the fade resistance of their paints. For a sunny room, resistance to fading may be a prime consideration. Whites and browns tend not to fade; reds and blues fade somewhat; bright greens and yellows tend to fade a lot.

BRANDS

Behr
Behr is a leading brand of interior paints and is available exclusively at The Home Depot. Along with water and oil-based interior paints, Behr offers primers, specialty finishes such as Venetian plaster, masonry waterproofers, wood-flooring coatings, and cleaners. Behr is a part of Masterchem, which also makes the Kilz brand of primers and paints.

Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore is part of the Berkshire Hathaway portfolio of companies owned by Warren E. Buffett. Benjamin Moore has positioned itself as an aspirational paint brand, particularly since breaking through the top tier with the introduction of Aura. Benjamin Moore has a network of 4,000 independent dealers who carry the brand, and has said that training and service are the key reasons why it hasn't entered the home-center channel. Benjamin Moore also operates more than 1,200 Benjamin Moore paint stores across the country.

ICI
ICI Paints is a part of Akzo Nobel, the world's largest coatings manufacturer. The ICI family of brands includes multiple coating names, with Glidden being the most recognized name among U.S. consumers. Glidden has several lines, with Evermore available exclusively at Home Depot, and Endurance and Spred, which are sold through independent paint & hardware dealers.

Olympic
Olympic is a member of PPG's architectural coatings family of brands. Olympic interior paints are sold exclusively through Lowe's, and include paints for the ceiling, kitchen, and bath, and primers.

Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin-Williams is the largest producer of paints in the U.S. and includes Pratt & Lambert and Thompson Minwax among its family of brands. Sherwin-Williams manufactures interior paints and sells them through more than 3,000 company-owned retail stores. In addition to paints, Sherwin-Williams offers primers, faux finishes, interior wood stains, and wallpaper. Its retail stores cater to professionals and consumers, and offer a variety of paint supplies and tools.

Valspar
Valspar originated more than 200 years ago as a varnish dealer. Valspar is a leading brand of interior paint, and its most popular lines -- Ultra Premium and Signature Colors -- are available exclusively at Lowe's. Valspar manufactures a wide variety of coatings under the Valspar brand for Lowe's and for independent paint and hardware dealers, including color-changing ceiling paint, kitchen and bath paints, and decorative textured coatings. The Valspar family of brands also includes Laura Ashley, McCloskey, Guardsman, and Goof Off, and the company recently expanded its presence in exterior stains with the acquisition of Cabot.