Benjamin Moore & Sherwin-Williams Price & Performance Comparison
We get it! All you want is a quality interior or exterior paint job, and every painting contractor has a different opinion.
Various opinions from painting companies and articles make it hard to understand the best paint to use. In many cases, Benjamin Moore is more expensive than Sherwin-Williams. But as Sherwin-Williams continues to raise prices, Benjamin Moore’s paints become more compelling.
The fact is, this is a common debate. The two powerhouse paint brands always narrow down to Benjamin Moore vs. Sherwin-Williams. Of these two powerhouse paint companies, it is widely believed that Benjamin Moore makes the best interior paint.
In this guide, we’ll give you everything you need to know to choose the best paint for your home. Read on so you can get the interior look you want!
How to Choose the Best Interior Paint
Before deciding on a brand, it’s helpful to understand the factors that make some paints better than others. It’s not just about picking the color and paint finishes you want. Choosing the best interior paint is a bit more complex than you might think.
Let’s consider some questions you should ask when choosing the best paint for the job.
What’s in Interior Paint?
The paint contains much more than just color. It blends resins and pigments to hold up to years of use. Interior paint is designed not to flake off when you scrub it, and it should resist mildew, stains, and other sources of damage.
Pigmentation and colorants give the paint its color. The solvent keeps the paint liquid until you put it on your wall. Resins called binders are left after it’s applied to the wall.
Finally, additives give the paint extra properties, such as mildew resistance.
The quality and amount of all these ingredients will change the quality of your paint as a whole. Paints with a higher titanium dioxide pigment percentage will give better coverage, for example.
Is Some Paint Safer Than Others?
Paint smells the way it does because of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). While they’re not super-dangerous, breathing them in has unpleasant side effects while you wait for the paint to dry. Look for low- or no-VOC paints.
Is All Paint the Same?
Different paints work best for different purposes. Before you make your choice, it’s a good idea to think about your specific needs.
For example, coverage matters more if you need to paint over a dark room. If you’re planning to paint your damp basement, you’ll want to paint with more mildew resistance. If you don’t feel like adding layers of paint, look for elastomeric paints that are thicker.
The one thing you shouldn’t use to make your choice is color. Choose the brand and type first, and then match the color you want. Color offerings are very similar among major paint brands, so you can easily find your ideal shade.
Benjamin Moore Interior Paints
Ben
The Ben line by Benjamin Moore offers affordable paint that’s easy to use. For example, it’s splatter-resistance, so painting your ceiling won’t be such a struggle.
It comes in semi-gloss, eggshell, and flat sheens. Ben offers a smaller sheen variety than other lines but covers all the basics.
Regal
Go up a price point, and you’ll get Regal from Benjamin Moore. Its great coverage makes it ideal for covering up a previously dark room or working with unusual colors where coverage matters more.
Aura
Finally, Aura is Benjamin Moore’s fanciest line of paint. It has better coverage and durability but comes at a much higher price. It’s a good choice if you need extra durability for a space that you’ll clean often, for example.
Sherwin-Williams Interior Paints
SuperPaint
SuperPaint offers affordability and ease of use with pretty good coverage. You’ll need to apply at least two coats, maybe more, for full coverage, but it depends on the color you’re working with.
Duration
This premium paint has better coverage, so you can use it to paint over more intense colors. It also includes built-in stain blockers and is easy to clean. But you’ll pay more for these features.
Emerald
Emerald offers peak durability and coverage from Sherwin-Williams paint. It’s extra easy to clean and resists fading and stains, even water stains.
It’s actually not that much more expensive than Duration, so many people will find it worthwhile to go up a price point. However, if you’re buying lots of gallons, a difference of a few dollars a gallon adds up fast.
Which One Should You Choose?
As you can see, both brands offer fairly similar choices. Which one is best for your next interior project?
Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to this question. It’s truly a matter of personal preference. Each company offers high-quality products at a variety of price points, but the slight differences between them mean interior paint reviews are split down the middle. But stay in tune for a few of our actual reviews of specific products.
Quality matters more than brand, and each of these two brands offers a variety of quality levels. The minor details, such as paint thickness, just depend on what you’re looking for. However, you can’t go wrong with either brand as long as it’s properly applied. However, when it comes to interior paints, we recommend Benjamin Moore Regal and Sherwin-Williams Duration. Especially for satin and eggshell finishes.
Ready to Redecorate?
When it’s time to choose the best interior paint for your home, use this guide to help you. Then, you’ll either start prepping the walls for paint or find a paint company to revitalize your home for you.
Adding coats of paint is easy, but the vast majority of the work in painting is prep work. These steps make your paint last far longer.
To make sure your paint gets properly prepped and applied, it’s best to work with professionals. You can get a free quote by contacting us today!
