You can take price into account, but maybe it shouldn’t be at the very top of your decision tree. A gallon of paint will cover as much as 400 square feet. However, as home improvement projects go, painting is one of the cheapest. After all, Behr’s Premium Plus Enamel scores almost as high as its Marquee interior paint, but it costs $12 less per gallon. To choose among the top-rated paints, you could go for the lowest price. Valspar Duramax Exterior ($40 per gallon at Lowe’s) Behr Premium Plus Exterior ($30 per gallon at Home Depot)ĥ. Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior ($80-$84 per gallon atĤ. Clark + Kensington Exterior ($37 per gallon at Ace Hardware stores)ģ. Behr Premium Plus Ultra Exterior ($38 per gallon at Home Depot)Ģ. Benjamin Moore Aura ($70 per gallon at independent dealers)Īnd here are Consumer Reports’ top five exterior paints out of 23 tested.ġ. Behr Premium Plus Ultra ($30-$37 per gallon at Home Depot)ĥ. Valspar Reserve ($44 per gallon at Lowe’s)Ĥ. Behr Premium Plus Enamel ($27 per gallon at Home Depot)ģ. Behr Marquee ($39 per gallon at Home Depot)Ģ. Sherwin-Williams bought Valspar in June, so names and formulas may change.)ġ. (Prices were obtained online and may vary slightly. Here are Consumer Reports’ top five interior paints out of 21 tested. 'But it's probably a good idea to stay away from the most inexpensive brands at most retailers without checking our ratings first.' 'Generally, spending more money does not always equate to a better paint,' said Rico De Paz, paint-testing program leader at Consumer Reports. On the other hand, the very cheapest paints, those that cost between $17 and $27 a gallon, didn't make it into the top five. So, right away, we know you don't have to buy a premium brand to get great paint. In the most recent rounds of testing, a remarkable four out of the top five interior and exterior paints were hardware store brands. Interior paint is evaluated for factors including its ability to cover old colors in a single coat, whether it can withstand scrubbing, and its mildew and fade resistance. Exterior paint is judged on its appearance after tests that simulate multiple years. You may think of Consumer Reports as a resource for buying cars and electronics, but the nonprofit magazine also tests paints, grading them on the traits consumers say are most important. Will paying $100 a gallon get you a better paint than if you pay $30 a gallon? It’s almost as maddening as choosing between Paper White and Whisper White. Choosing paint colors is hard enough, but these days consumers have to decide among dozens of paint brands - plus different quality levels within those brands.

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