Best. Paint. Ever. This is the paint we are looking for.

July 28, 2014 1:32 PM

Hi all! We found a color we like and, I'm assuming, we can get a paint color match (right? at least pretty close?) in any paint brand. So... what's the best satin, low-lustre or eggshell paint brand?

Am I completely wrong in this assumption that we'll be able to match paint relatively well across brands? We currently like a Glidden color but not sure of the quality of the eggshell finish. Can you recommend a great satin, low-lustre or eggshell paint that will last with some wear (our flat cheap paint has not worn well over the years) or confirm the quality of the Glidden eggshell? We're not that hard on our paint, though, so we think we just had exceptionally cheap, flat paint on there originally.

Thanks!

posted by ancient star to Home & Garden (19 answers total)

Best answer: I'm not an expert on paint brands, but a very important thing I learned painting my last apartment is that you are not limited in the least by what any given brand prints on their sample strips.

Home Depot or any decent store should be able to scan any color sample you give them, and then mix up that exact color using the brand of your choice.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:47 PM on July 28, 2014

You can match paints across brands all right, but you have no control whatsoever over the aging pattern of the different brands. Some paint gets yellow, some bleaches out, you name it. I'd stick to one brand.
I have no experience specifically with Glidden eggshell, but in general, cheap flat paint just doesn't hold up well. No cheap paint holds up well, actually, and also, you normally need a ton more coats, so it ain't that cheap in the end anyway.
posted by Namlit at 1:50 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]

You can match paints across brands all right, but you have no control whatsoever over the aging pattern of the different brands. Some paint gets yellow, some bleaches out, you name it. I'd stick to one brand.

Sorry, I wasn't suggesting you use more than one brand. What I was trying (unclearly) to say is that you can choose a brand, and then you are not limited by the colors that brand prints on its sample strips. You can bring them a sample strip from another brand, or pretty much any piece of paper with a color on it, and they can scan it and mix up that color for you.
posted by drjimmy11 at 1:53 PM on July 28, 2014

We use Sico's Chamois line for all our many, many painting needs. I think Sico is called something else in US. (Don't know where you are.) It has lots of pigment in it, so it covers well.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 1:57 PM on July 28, 2014

Best answer: I worked in a Sherwin-Williams for a few years.

I would recommend you go to a Sherwin or Benjamin Moore to get a color matched. I'm sure scanning technology has improved in 5+ years since I worked in the store but I'd trust the SW/BM folks more than your Lowe's or big box store (based on my poor experiences there). There was still a good deal of art to the practice of color matching when I was in the store, but like I said, that may have changed.

So far as quality goes, I bought/still buy Sherwin paint for my house because I'm used to working with it. I'd recommend Sherwin or Ben Moore if you want the top notch stuff. You'll pay more for it but (depending on the situation) it's worth it. Sherwin uses satin finish for the medium luster and I believe Ben Moore is eg-shel.

As Namlit mentioned above there are situations where discoloration can occur but in my experience it is usually environmental and not due to paint additives of any given brand (unless you're painting your exterior in yellow, in which case don't). And yes, cheap flat paints will always perform poorly but so will expensive flat paints because (with some brand-specific exceptions) flat paints offer no protection.
posted by Tevin at 1:57 PM on July 28, 2014 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: I'm saying that the paint on our walls currently, the paint we are painting over, is cheap flat paint. We are not interested in going the "cheap" route here. We are interested in excellent paint recommendations of the eggshell, satin, or low-lustre variety.
posted by ancient star at 1:58 PM on July 28, 2014

Best answer: If you want quality and still want to economize just a bit, keep an eye out for regular Sherwin Williams sales. Paint is discounted by 30-40% several times a year.
posted by maudlin at 1:59 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]

OK, that's what I figured I was just adding that for posterity more than anything!

And second what Muadlin said. Sherwin also alternates their paints they have on sale on a monthly basis. So if the line you want is not on sale in July it probably will be in August or September.

If you want excellent, I can't recommend their Duration line high enough. It's very easy to use, looks fantastic, and washes well. Great stuff.
posted by Tevin at 2:06 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

I repainted my house about two years ago and used Pratt and Lambert; I have been extremely happy with the quality, how it's held up, and the ease of touch-ups. The best part was that I was not required to use a primer first, and the new colors covered the old in one coat. Pricey, but great stuff.
posted by sara is disenchanted at 2:26 PM on July 28, 2014

pepping the wall with primer (or tinted primer if it's a dark color) will go a long way for color fastness. Anytime a color didn't work out to be exactly what I wanted it was because I painted over what I thought to be a light color.

Also use at least 2 coats.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 2:27 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

The house painter we worked with recommended Benjamin Moore Eco Spec as a good quality, low-VOC paint. We used it on our house and have been very happy with it.
posted by medusa at 2:28 PM on July 28, 2014

I love the Behr Premium Plus Ultra (or whatever the fanciest one they have is.) Great coverage. When we had the exterior of our house painted, that's what our painters preferred. (We use it inside and out.)
posted by pyjammy at 2:36 PM on July 28, 2014

I hate to paint so I do it right the first time.

I tint the primer to match. Not everyone does, but I think it saves you the time of a coat of paint. If you're painting a bunch of different colors, then you have a little extra cost in unused primer, but I'm good with that.

Where it's available, I think Dunn-Edwards is the best paint going - great coverage and a lovely finish. Wears like iron too.
posted by 26.2 at 2:44 PM on July 28, 2014

I use Benjamin Moore Regal Satin. $50/gal and great.
posted by rhizome at 2:51 PM on July 28, 2014

I have always had very good results with Pratt and Lambert Accolade, which comes in different sheen levels. My favorite for most rooms is Velvet -- reasonably washable, not hard to touch up, beautiful very low sheen. The finish reminds me of smooth stone. I've used Pratt's Accolade Satin in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Once a month I mop the walls in my bathroom to remove condensation streaks, and they come off easily. The semi-gloss is also has a pretty low sheen, and might be even better for wet areas, though I've only used it for trim.

As with any paint that's not dead flat, touch-ups may show with either of these paints. You can make them less visible by patting the paint on the spots instead of brushing it.

Benjamin Moore used to be a top choice as well. but in recent years they've made some changes in their formulas, and now you can't count on getting a color match to B-M's own paint chips. That said, their paints are of similar quality to Pratt's, though they don't have an equivalent to Accolade Velvet. I've never used B-M Aura, but I've heard painting with it is best done by someone who's used it before.
posted by wryly at 2:51 PM on July 28, 2014

I've used every interior paint in every price range and finish and I have never liked any paint better than the latex interior paint done for Ace Hardware as their house brand. The eggshell finish is a particular favorite. The ease of application, coverage and clean up are all important to me, and it never seems to fail me. Durability is great and tinting is really accurate, even when I've carried in fabric samples to be matched. Price is around 29.00 and even better on sale.

I have no doubt it is produced to spec for them by one of the majors, but whomever specs it knows paint and knows what I like. They've got my money.
posted by halfbuckaroo at 3:29 PM on July 28, 2014 [2 favorites]

We did exactly this, with a Glidden paint chip and Benjamin Moore paint. I think we used eggshell-- is that the one in between gloss and flat? I like it because it is easy to clean, and works well for the living areas of the house.

One warning I will pass on: it was a total PITA to get the correct mix, and it turned out that the three or four gallons we bought only matched the paint chip if they were mixed-- we had a fluorescent yellow kitchen for a few days, because our painters didn't open all of the paint and mix it together before painting. The second try worked just fine, but 9 years later, I'm kicking myself. The rooms we painted from a BM named paint, we could easily repaint or touch up. The space we painted with the perfect custom mixed spring green? Yeah, we don't have any paint left, the color is probably a bit dingy, and it's scuffed up, and I don't think I can duplicate it any more. So have a plan for touch ups and repainting down the road. And/or invent a time machine. (If you do, can I borrow it?)
posted by instamatic at 5:36 PM on July 28, 2014

I go to consumer search.com for questions like this. They collect information from many different review sites (including Consumer Reports) and then summarize what they find. Here is their review on interior paint - Benjamin Moore Aura was their top listed premium paint.
posted by metahawk at 10:11 PM on July 28, 2014 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth Benjamin Moore has an Android app that will take a picture of what's on the wall and match it to Benjamin Moore Paint.
posted by malhaley at 2:33 AM on August 4, 2014