# How do you judge high quality paint?



## delicatedelinquent (Sep 16, 2008)

What do you look for in a paint? How does Behr and Glidden compare to Valspar and Benjamin Moore,etc.?


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## DeanV (Apr 18, 2007)

Glidden (from HD)<Behr<Valspar<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<SW,BM,Muralo, etc.


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

Don't know about Glidden, but Behr & Valspar are complete junk. Benjamin Moore is great stuff though. Sherwin Williams & Pittsburgh Paints are good too.


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## Kelly Painting (Apr 17, 2007)

I started with Behr and glidden...won't touch them now....just Ben Moore and Cali.


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## slickshift (Apr 8, 2007)

Well, there's two questions there
The first one is hard to answer, as different technicians will have different answers
Personally I look for a smooth application, good coverage, good color retention, good leveling, a premium look when dry is a subtle but extremely important part...
There's more I'm sure

Your second question might be considered loaded depending on which kinds _you_ carry...lol

But an honest answer would be Behr is absolutely on the bottom of the "national" brands
There may be some regional or no-names down there with it
But it's really pretty poor

The Valspar products I have tried (AmTrad and a few others of that type) have been ever so slightly above Behr

My Glidden experniences I'll grant are limted, but the few times I have used them I'd say they would be a teensy hair above AmTrad, but I still wouldn't use them based on those experiences

...well, usually my standard reply to H/Os that request those is that the price goes up 30-50% and they have to supply the product
As the Premium BM/SW product is included in the bid, so far none have taken me up on it

BM makes cheap stuff too, but their premium products are excellent
And a huge leapfrog over B/V/G
As with most of the etc.s (SW, Pitts, Cali, et. al.)


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## Tonyg (Dec 9, 2007)

Everyone has a line of junk - Behr and Valspar are all junk - but SW, BM, Pitt, etc. will serve the homeowner/apartment painter with cheap and compete for their contractors with higher grades.

Paint must have good coverage, decent spread rate, and level out well. You have also asked a broad question. If it is an exterior coating then I look at mill thickness, mildecide, elasticity, colorfast, etc. and if it is interior I want a predictable sheen, low odor, low voc if possible, somehing that won't burnish, etc.

All in all I want a coating that is workable.


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

valspar Duramax is one of the best exterior paints on the market,,,

i dont use it often, but when i have it has amazed me

im not quick to jump on the "everything at a big box store sucks" bandwagon

valspar Duramax is excellent exterior paint,,,,,,,very similar to duration,


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## George Z (Apr 15, 2007)

> im not quick to jump on the "everything at a big box store sucks" bandwagon


 
I agree,
there are many reasons I don't shop there, but top line ICI paint 
is better than 4th line B. Moore or anybody's.


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## C. VASUDEVAN (Aug 28, 2008)

High quality paint: Interiors: Good sheen, Hiding capacity, More area per liter, Smooth finish ultimately when painted it should be perfect finish.

High quality paint:Exteriors: Water repellent, Dirt pick up resistance, long lasting, color should not fade


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## [email protected] (Feb 24, 2008)

C. VASUDEVAN said:


> High quality paint:Exteriors: Water repellent, Dirt pick up resistance, long lasting, color should not fade


This sounds like the new "Resilience" by Sherwin Williams...


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

johnthepainter said:


> valspar Duramax is one of the best exterior paints on the market,,,
> 
> i dont use it often, but when i have it has amazed me
> 
> ...


Never used the Duramax, so I guess I can't say it _all_ sucks. The stuff I did use though painted fairly nice. Had to use it as we ran out of SuperPaint while out of state, had no SW in the area, and had a deadline that day. Had some ruff handling on the surfaces a few days later along with some rain. Both sections were side by side, identical, and recieved the same exact treatment/weather. The SuperPaint was 98% ok. The Valspar was 75% totaled. I think Promar 200 INTERIOR flat would've held up better.

Not all about the product though. Also about when something bad does happen with your paint. Lowes won't do crap for you. SW will stand behind their products & comp you for your losses. Not only that, I've been in the paint section of Lowes & Home Depot many times getting odds & ends. The people they employ are usually some kids who don't know crap. Or the girl from gardening filling in for the paint section guy who's on vacation for a week. Most of them don't even know 1/8 of the products they are selling you. I'd just love to see them come out to my jobsite to help me out with something too.

In our field it's about products, service, and insurance. Big box stores will offer you products only for the same price the other guy offering you all 3 will give. So I'll be the first to jump on the "anything paint related for my business from a big box store sucks" bandwagon, and I'll ride it all day long. Support those who support you. :thumbup:


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## tsunamicontract (May 3, 2008)

right now I am a big fan of the vinyl brick mold at HD. Never had any problems painting it no prime.


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## vermontpainter (Dec 24, 2007)

delicatedelinquent said:


> What do you look for in a paint?


I look for answers in a can of paint. Also, I look for a latex that is really hard to wash from my brush and hands at the end of the day. You know, like in the good old days. The same way you look for a 2008 Mustang to have some of the same feel as a '71.


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## chrisn (Jul 15, 2007)

The same way you look for a 2008 Mustang to have some of the same feel as a '71.


Good luck with that!


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