When it comes to home improvement projects, few things make as dramatic a visual impact as a fresh coat of interior or exterior paint. However, not all paints are created equal. Choosing a high-quality, long-lasting paint is essential to achieve beautiful, durable results. Follow this guide to select superior paint for your next painting project.
The first step is examining the surface you intend to paint. Consider the room’s purpose, traffic level, existing paint condition, and underlying material. High-traffic areas like hallways and family rooms need extra-durable paints that can withstand regular cleaning and wear. For surfaces in poor condition, select paint with excellent coverage to conceal flaws with fewer coats.
If painting raw drywall or porous masonry, apply a primer first so the paint can properly adhere. Tinted primers create an extra-smooth canvas for the final paint shade. Quality primer-and-paint systems like BEHR PREMIUM PLUS Interior Paint & Primers provide both products for outstanding results.
Evaluate Durability
Durability is a top priority when choosing interior or exterior paints. More durable paints maintain their color and finish longer between touch-ups. Indicators of durability include washability, scuff resistance, and flexibility to resist cracks.
BEHR PREMIUM PLUS Interior Paint & Primers or Dutch Boy Platinum® Plus and Maxbond® Plus paints offer best-in-class durability. Their advanced formulas provide one-coat coverage plus exceptional resistance to stains, scuffs, and burns while retaining color integrity. Dutch Boy’s Easy Clean paint gives kitchens and bathrooms a beautifully washable satin finish.
Consider Coverage
Insufficient coverage often requires applying extra coats of paint to hide the underlying shade and surface flaws. This drives up paint quantity requirements and labor costs. Instead, use top-tier paints offering complete hide and one-coat coverage, like BEHR PREMIUM PLUS and Dutch Boy Platinum® Plus.
One-coat coverage capability translates to outstanding hide and less rework. Combined with superior durability, these paints deliver more value over time than economy brands. Evaluate the hiding power on samples before committing to gallons of paint.
Compare Color Options
Choosing just the right shade sets the tone for an entire room. Compare in-store color samples in various lighting conditions to visualize the hue in your space. Neutral shades of white, gray, and beige work well as base backdrop colors.
For more vibrancy, browse color palettes coordinated by shade and intensity. Paint brands like BEHR and Dutch Boy curate trending palettes across style categories. Use color wheels and online visualization tools as well during the selection process. The most crucial consideration is choosing a shade you’ll enjoy for years.
Assess Finishes
Paint comes in various finish options from flat to high-gloss. Flat or matte finishes excellently hide surface defects but lack durability and washability. Eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss offer more resilience and easier cleaning for family spaces.
High-gloss enamels create a shiny, polished aesthetic suitable for trim, cabinets, and doors in stylish homes. Compare paint swatches with different lusters side-by-side. Most major brands offer multiple finishes across their product lines. For versatility, choose BEHR PREMIUM PLUS for its exceptional washable, easy-clean finish.
Set a Budget
Quality paint constitutes a bigger upfront investment but rewards homeowners with better coverage, durability, and longevity between repaints. Evaluate both short and long-term cost factors when budgeting your paint project. Purchase enough to complete the project with adequate coatings and touch-ups.
Though premium paints seem expensive initially, greater value emerges from their superior hide and longevity. Budget brands may carry lower sticker prices but end up costing more overall based on extra labor hours, repeated touch-ups, and earlier fade or damage.
Use Proper Painting Tools
Employing the appropriate tools hugely impacts application results. Use high-quality nylon or polyester brushes suited for latex paints as well as mini rollers and painter’s tape for edges. Dutch Boy recommends using Purdy® professional paint applicators to achieve full one-coat coverage.
Prep surfaces thoroughly by patching flaws and holes before priming. Allow adequate dry time between coats. Careful prep work and using premium application tools both minimize rework later.
Calculate Paint Requirements
Determining the right amount of paint for complete coverage prevents having too little or wasted excess paint. Measure room dimensions, including ceilings, trim, doors, and windows. Multiply height times width for each wall space. The average painted room requires approximately 400 sq. ft. of coverage per gallon according to home improvement geek sites.
Tally the totals for each room then divide by 400 to calculate the gallons needed, rounding up to the nearest whole gallon. Apply at least two finish coats for full coverage and durability. Allow 10-15% extra for touch-ups and technique flaws. Measure carefully as custom tinted paint cannot be returned.
Follow these guidelines when selecting paint for outstanding results on every job. Durability, coverage, color, finish, budget, tools, primers, and quantity all factor into the equation. Invest wisely in superior quality paint for a beautifully finished interior or exterior space.
