Emerald Exterior by Sherwin-Williams Review
Emerald Exterior Paint by Sherwin-Williams Initial Review
Emerald exterior house paint is a new product line introduced by Sherwin-Williams. It is among the few exterior home paints that are zero VOC. However, there are other less mainstream products that are zero VOC as well.
As always stated by us, exterior house painting reparations reflect exterior paint durability the most. So, many questions arise when considering a $70.00 per gallon exterior paint! Is this product worth the money?
There is no doubt that Emerald is a premium exterior house paint. There are several reasons to purchase this house paint. Unlike most exterior products by Sherwin-Williams, Emerald dries hard. It leaves less of a sticky paint film resulting in the collection of less dirt.
It covers nicely and leaves a nice silky finish as well. It levels better than other SW product lines too! But does this warrant the upgrade?
A Few Notable Considerations
Keep in mind that we are not referring to the urethane enamel or Rain Go versions of Emerald. Okay, with that out of the way, we will continue.
The initial introduction of Emerald Exterior was applied slightly thin. SW exterior paints typically apply thick. They have definitely found a much-improved formula with Emerald. It does bridge hairline cracks better than some competitors but doesn’t compare to Duration or Resilience in that department.
So, the real question is, what are your needs?
Overall it is a good product and could be used outside any home. If your focus is quality and durable exterior house painting, Emerald may be worth considering! But the most obvious differences with this product when compared to other SW product lines are mostly aesthetic and oxidation improvements.
The Reformulations & Second Look at Emerald Exterior
Emerald has encountered several reformulations since it was first introduced. Its first change was from a thin consistency to almost an elastomeric coating. But we think the second reformulation was spot-on.
The second formulation had plenty of titanium dioxide and acrylic polymers. That meant covering doors and windows with dark colors without the need for several coats resulting in sticky doors containing pronounced brush strokes. The second formulation also made it worth the additional expense. As a result of its high performance, exterior painting projects required less paint.
Once again, things have changed. Paint manufacturers will definitely keep most painters heads on a swivel. It’s almost like aiming for a moving target. Emerald is back to a thick viscosity, and Emerald now contains a lot less pigment (T02). This means major paint consumption on projects where coverage matters.
Areas where coverage matters are areas such as trim, doors, windows, shutters, and porch railing. This revised review does not directly reflect the product being bad. However, the constant changes are frustrating and unfortunate.
Exterior Paint Prices & Performance
Paint prices are steadily increasing. As leading performers are reformulated, it opens the door for new products that will ultimately cost more but perform similarly to older paint products before reformulation.
Emerald has been on the market for over 10 years now. We wouldn’t be surprised to soon see a new offering that performs similarly to how Emerald did when it was initially introduced.
Conclusion
If you are considering Emeral exterior house paint for your next project, you may want to purchase a single gallon to see how it applies and performs for you before purchasing all your paint materials.
Or, contact us for guaranteed services that will put your mind at ease.
