March 2008
Buying interior paints
A stirring at the top sees changes in the best paints
NEW ORDER Paints from Benjamin Moore, Kilz, and Valspar have replaced Behr in the No. 1 spots in our Ratings.
It had been a Behr market since 2003, with the Home Depot brand occupying every top spot but one in our Ratings categories
of interior paints. But in our latest tests, paints from Benjamin Moore, Kilz, and Valspar edged into first place.
Behr hasn't fallen to the bottom of the best interior paints charts—its flat and semigloss paints merit an excellent overall score, and the low-luster a very good. But the passing of the paint stirrer, er, baton is a reminder that paints are in constant flux. Manufacturers tinker with formulas to improve performance, meet environmental regulations, and cut costs.
The recipe revamping can make it difficult to decipher the lingo and claims you'll see on cans at a home center or paint store: Valspar touts its "Advanced Ti3 Technology," Benjamin Moore reveals its "Authentic ColorLock" system, Dutch Boy promises "Single Coat Application," and Ace pledges "25 Years of Durability."
Green is also a marketing tactic, but not in the color sense. Many paints we tested feature a green certification on the label, such as Green Seal. Having a low level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has likewise emerged as a selling point.
You shouldn't need a chemist's knowledge or a pro painter's experience to buy interior paint. In fact, there's only one basic rule for buying the best interior paints for you: Pick the right product for the job. To help you find the best choice, our experts run dozens of paints through a battery of tests to measure hiding power, stain resistance, surface smoothness, and other characteristics. Here's what they found:
Mixed marks for low-VOC finishes. VOCs are solvents in paint that get released into the air as you use the finish. They can cause headaches, dizziness, and other acute symptoms. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs used in paints are known or suspected carcinogens.
To help curb ozone pollution, the federal government caps the VOC content of paint at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat finishes and 380 g/l for others. However, some manufacturers comply with the tougher VOC limits set by California's regional South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The knock against the first low-VOC paints was that they lacked the durability and the sheen selection of higher-VOC finishes. (No zero-VOC paints we tested most recently were highly rated.) But companies now make top-quality lower-VOC paint. High-scoring Benjamin Moore Aura, True Value Easy Care, and Glidden Evermore low-luster products contain less than 50 g/l of VOCs. Look for the VOC level on cans.
Bright spots for fade resistance. Fading has long been a problem, resulting in walls that get lighter over time as they're exposed to sunlight. But manufacturers appear to be improving the fade resistance of their paints. More than half of the products we've tested in our best interior paints review deliver good or better protection.
One-coat options expand. Our testers identified 14 paints that are good or better at covering a contrasting color with one coat, up from nine in our last report. While you'll still need to do the same prep, those finishes can save you a lot of work. (See "Can you get by with only one coat?.)
How to choose
The right paint exists for every kind of project you'll tackle. The trick is finding it, whether you buy at a home center or an independent paint shop.
Avoid blind product loyalty. As our latest tests reveal, always buying the same paint might not be a wise choice. The Brand X finish you loved the last time you painted is probably not the same as what's on shelves today. Check our Ratings (available to subscribers) in this interior paints comparison to make sure your former favorite finish still shines.
Consider the gloss. Flat paints hide imperfections but are not the most stain resistant, so they're best in decorative settings, such as your living room or dining room. High-sheen semigloss paints are easy to clean but their gloss can change, so use them on trim, windows, and doors. Low-luster paints generally combine the best of both categories, resulting in an all-around durable paint that's easy to clean.
Study the color. Don't rely on instinct alone when choosing color. That hue you adore in the store could turn you off once it's on the walls in your house. Take home sample chips and live with them under different light conditions. Also take advantage of 2-ounce sample jars or the color-matching computers common at retailers, but don't expect a perfect match.
Color intensifies over large areas, so it's better to go too light in a given shade than too dark. That's especially true with flat paints, which absorb light and therefore appear darker on the wall.
Spot the weakness. While most of the paints we tested for this interior paints comparison rated very good or excellent overall, the majority also scored poor or fair in at least one category. So weigh the pros and cons of each paint to find one that excels in all the right areas. For example, if you're redoing a bathroom, you want a paint that delivers excellent mildew resistance. If you're changing the walls in the living room from a dark color to a light one, choose a paint that's strong at hiding.
Think quality, not quantity. Always consider top-of-the-line products—you're not redoing a dorm room, right? Factoring in the real cost of painting, which includes materials, labor costs, and life span, a paint that endures for 10 years will set you back less than one that lasts half that time. You won't have to travel far for premium paint. Products sold at Home Depot (Behr), Lowe's (Valspar), and Wal-Mart (Kilz) are among our top performers.
Behr hasn't fallen to the bottom of the best interior paints charts—its flat and semigloss paints merit an excellent overall score, and the low-luster a very good. But the passing of the paint stirrer, er, baton is a reminder that paints are in constant flux. Manufacturers tinker with formulas to improve performance, meet environmental regulations, and cut costs.
The recipe revamping can make it difficult to decipher the lingo and claims you'll see on cans at a home center or paint store: Valspar touts its "Advanced Ti3 Technology," Benjamin Moore reveals its "Authentic ColorLock" system, Dutch Boy promises "Single Coat Application," and Ace pledges "25 Years of Durability."
Green is also a marketing tactic, but not in the color sense. Many paints we tested feature a green certification on the label, such as Green Seal. Having a low level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has likewise emerged as a selling point.
You shouldn't need a chemist's knowledge or a pro painter's experience to buy interior paint. In fact, there's only one basic rule for buying the best interior paints for you: Pick the right product for the job. To help you find the best choice, our experts run dozens of paints through a battery of tests to measure hiding power, stain resistance, surface smoothness, and other characteristics. Here's what they found:
Mixed marks for low-VOC finishes. VOCs are solvents in paint that get released into the air as you use the finish. They can cause headaches, dizziness, and other acute symptoms. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs used in paints are known or suspected carcinogens.
To help curb ozone pollution, the federal government caps the VOC content of paint at 250 grams per liter (g/l) for flat finishes and 380 g/l for others. However, some manufacturers comply with the tougher VOC limits set by California's regional South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The knock against the first low-VOC paints was that they lacked the durability and the sheen selection of higher-VOC finishes. (No zero-VOC paints we tested most recently were highly rated.) But companies now make top-quality lower-VOC paint. High-scoring Benjamin Moore Aura, True Value Easy Care, and Glidden Evermore low-luster products contain less than 50 g/l of VOCs. Look for the VOC level on cans.
Bright spots for fade resistance. Fading has long been a problem, resulting in walls that get lighter over time as they're exposed to sunlight. But manufacturers appear to be improving the fade resistance of their paints. More than half of the products we've tested in our best interior paints review deliver good or better protection.
One-coat options expand. Our testers identified 14 paints that are good or better at covering a contrasting color with one coat, up from nine in our last report. While you'll still need to do the same prep, those finishes can save you a lot of work. (See "Can you get by with only one coat?.)
How to choose
The right paint exists for every kind of project you'll tackle. The trick is finding it, whether you buy at a home center or an independent paint shop.
Avoid blind product loyalty. As our latest tests reveal, always buying the same paint might not be a wise choice. The Brand X finish you loved the last time you painted is probably not the same as what's on shelves today. Check our Ratings (available to subscribers) in this interior paints comparison to make sure your former favorite finish still shines.
Consider the gloss. Flat paints hide imperfections but are not the most stain resistant, so they're best in decorative settings, such as your living room or dining room. High-sheen semigloss paints are easy to clean but their gloss can change, so use them on trim, windows, and doors. Low-luster paints generally combine the best of both categories, resulting in an all-around durable paint that's easy to clean.
Study the color. Don't rely on instinct alone when choosing color. That hue you adore in the store could turn you off once it's on the walls in your house. Take home sample chips and live with them under different light conditions. Also take advantage of 2-ounce sample jars or the color-matching computers common at retailers, but don't expect a perfect match.
Color intensifies over large areas, so it's better to go too light in a given shade than too dark. That's especially true with flat paints, which absorb light and therefore appear darker on the wall.
Spot the weakness. While most of the paints we tested for this interior paints comparison rated very good or excellent overall, the majority also scored poor or fair in at least one category. So weigh the pros and cons of each paint to find one that excels in all the right areas. For example, if you're redoing a bathroom, you want a paint that delivers excellent mildew resistance. If you're changing the walls in the living room from a dark color to a light one, choose a paint that's strong at hiding.
Think quality, not quantity. Always consider top-of-the-line products—you're not redoing a dorm room, right? Factoring in the real cost of painting, which includes materials, labor costs, and life span, a paint that endures for 10 years will set you back less than one that lasts half that time. You won't have to travel far for premium paint. Products sold at Home Depot (Behr), Lowe's (Valspar), and Wal-Mart (Kilz) are among our top performers.
