By: Deirdre Mundorf, Mel Childs
Updated on Feb 27, 2024 3:21 AM EST residential epoxy flooring
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Painting can be a time-consuming job, but it can become unnecessarily frustrating when using inferior products instead of finishes from the best paint brands. Paints that don’t provide excellent coverage and hiding capability can leave a clumpy finish, or they may have an overall poor quality that can cost you time and money if you have to do the job over again.
When it comes to painting a home, look for the best interior paints or exterior paints on the market to make the project easier. Read on to discover some of the best paint brands for your next interior or exterior paint project.
Price Range: $$ to $$$ Our Top Picks: Sherwin-Williams Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex Paint for $85.49 per gallon or Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint Interior Acrylic Latex Paint for $75.49 per gallon.
Founded in 1866, this Cleveland, Ohio–based company is viewed by many as the best interior paint brand. Sherwin-Williams offers a wide variety of paints and coatings to individuals and companies all around the globe through its company-operated stores. For over 150 years, this trusted brand has developed a portfolio of quality household name brands, such as Valspar, Minwax, Krylon, and Thompson’s WaterSeal.
According to our experts in our guide to the top interior paints, Sherwin-William is a contender for the best paint brand for interior walls. They especially liked the SuperPaint line, noting that “with just one coat, this high-quality paint easily covered a circle we drew with a thick black marker on our drywall test board. We tested a color called Berry Frappe in a satin finish, and we were impressed with the high amount of pigment in this acrylic paint.”
Some of Sherwin-Williams’ most popular paint colors include Alabaster, Pure White, Agreeable Gray, Sea Salt, and Drift of Mist. Its product lineup includes interior and exterior paints, interior stains and sealers, concrete coatings, primers, and wallpapers. Its Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex Paint doesn’t require a primer before use.
Shop Sherwin-Williams paint at Sherwin-Williams.
Price Range: $$ to $$$ Our Top Picks: Benjamin Moore Regal Select Semi-Gloss Paint for $74.99 per gallon or Benjamin Moore Waterborne Ultra Flat Ceiling Paint for $59.99 per gallon.
Owned by Berkshire Hathaway and based in Montvale, New Jersey, Benjamin Moore has been in business since 1883. Benjamin Moore was the first paint brand to introduce a computerized color-matching system, allowing retailers to closely match any paint sample. The company manufactures its own resins and proprietary Gennex colorants, which supply this paint with superior performance and application.
Some popular paint colors include Revere Pewter, White Dove, Chantilly Lace, Smoke, and Gray Owl. Its Regal Select Semi-Gloss Interior Paint works exceptionally well at covering dark colors with one coat, and its Aura paint is designed for high-humidity environments. Also, oil and water stains don’t penetrate it. A few challenges with this paint are that it can dry too quickly and leave streaks, and it comes with a higher price tag.
Shop Benjamin Moore paint at Ace Hardware or Benjamin Moore.
Price Range: $ to $$ Our Top Picks: Behr Marquee Ultra Pure White Flat Exterior Paint & Primer for $64.98 per gallon or Behr Premium Plus Interior Satin Enamel Paint for $34.98 per gallon.
Founded in 1947, this Santa Ana, California–based paint company supplies architectural paint and exterior wood care products throughout the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Its products also include interior and exterior house paints, primers, stains, and surface preparation products. Behr products are sold exclusively at The Home Depot. It is another contender for the best interior paint brand and offers several different options. In testing different interior paint brands and products, our experts shared that they liked Behr’s Premium Plus Enamel for high-moisture areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens. They noted, “This is a combo paint-plus-primer, and it covers well—we could only see a faint outline of our permanent marker circle on the test board after the first coat of Premium Plus, which was in a satin finish and a mid-purple tone called Unimaginable. After waiting the recommended 2 hours, we added a second coat, and we couldn’t see a trace of the marker.”
Behr paint colors that are popular among buyers include Breezeway, Broadway, Almond Wisp, Kalahari Sunset, Modern Mocha, Smoky White, and Dayflower, to name a few. One top feature of the Marquee Exterior Paint & Primer is its resistance to cracking. This product also repels dirt and mildew and is easy to apply. However, like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams paints, a drawback is the higher cost of the Behr Home Depot paint.
Shop Behr paint at The Home Depot.
Price Range: $ to $$$ Our Top Picks: Kilz Restoration Interior Primer for $44.98 per gallon or Kilz Porch & Patio Latex Floor Paint for $38.37 per gallon.
Kilz, founded in 1974, is owned by the Masco Corporation. Its parent company manufactures products for the home improvement and new-construction industries. Kilz products include primers, house paints, wood stains, and concrete coatings.
Popular colors include Cameo Coral, Walnut Cream, Blue Lustre, Historic Rose, Khaki Taupe, and Regency White. Kilz Porch & Patio Latex Floor Paint is a stain-resistant paint for high-traffic areas such as porches and decks. It is also easy to apply, inexpensive, and dries in about an hour. The one downside is the approximate 6-hour wait time necessary before applying another coat.
Shop Kilz paint at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Price Range: $ to $$$ Our Top Picks: Rust-Oleum Chalked Ultra Matte Paint for $31.99 per gallon or Rust-Oleum Home Ultra White Interior Floor Base Coating for $26.98.
Rust-Oleum was founded by sea captain Robert Fergusson in 1921. He discovered that a secret ingredient, whale oil, could slow corrosion on rusty metal decks. This ingredient became a significant component of Rust-Oleum’s protective paints and coatings. In more recent years, alkyds, polyurethanes, epoxies, and latex have replaced whale oil.
Located in Vernon Hills, Illinois, this company still specializes in rust-preventive products. Some of its popular paint colors include Flat White, Semi-Gloss White, Eggshell Over the Moon, and Flat Black. It is also known as one of the best spray paint brands, offering a variety of different choices. Other popular Rust-Oleum products include specialty paints and protective sprays for vehicles. Its Chalked Ultra Matte Paint is exceptionally durable, affordable, and doesn’t require a primer before use. However, shoppers who don’t care for vintage styles likely won’t like the look of this paint.
Shop Rust-Oleum paint at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Price Range: $ to $$ Our Top Picks: Valspar Ultra High Gloss Paint + Primer for $41.98 per gallon or Valspar Color-Changing Ceiling Paint + Primer for $36.98 per gallon.
Valspar originated in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1806 as a varnish manufacturer. Now based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Valspar was officially acquired by one of the other top paint companies, Sherwin-Williams, in 2017.
Over the years, Valspar’s portfolio of products has grown to include interior and exterior paints, primers, wood stains, and concrete coatings. Popular colors include Oats and Honey, Deep Pacific, City of Lights, Glen Plaid, Pretty Rascal, and Garden Rain. Its Ultra High Gloss Paint + Primer is stain-resistant, durable, and easy to clean with soap and water. The primary disadvantage is that it is a thin paint that takes several coats for thorough coverage.
Shop Valspar paint at Amazon or Lowe’s.
Price Range: $ to $$ Our Top Picks: Diamond Brite Semi-Gloss Kitchen & Bath Paint for $39.55 per gallon or Diamond Brite High Gloss Oil Base Enamel Paint for $58.97 per gallon.
Diamond Brite is a more recent addition to paint manufacturers in the United States. The company was founded in 1990, and the factory is based in Ohio.
Diamond Brite paints are ISO9002 certified, and the company prides itself on quality formulas, stellar customer service, and affordable prices. Some of its popular colors include Antique White, Off White, and Dove Gray. Diamond Brite Oil Base Enamel Interior/Exterior Paint is less costly than most exterior paints. Our experts recommend oil-based paints, such as this one, for “trim work, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and everyday furnishings” due to its impact- and rot-resistant capabilities. In addition, this Diamond Brite paint is exceptionally durable. The disadvantage is that drying time can take up to 12 hours.
Shop Diamond Brite paint at Amazon or The Home Depot.
Price Range: $ to $$ Our Top Picks: Glidden Essentials Base 1 Semi-Gloss White Exterior Paint for $28.98 per gallon or Glidden Essentials White Flat Interior Paint for $17.98 per gallon.
Initially founded in 1875 in Cleveland, Ohio, by Francis Glidden, this paint company was officially acquired by PPG in 2013. Now headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, its parent company, PPG, has become the second-largest paint company in North America. Glidden originally began as a varnish company for furniture, pianos, and wagons. However, it has grown to include a variety of interior and exterior house paints. The company is a provider of 100 percent acrylic paint that is fade-resistant and durable.
Some of Glidden’s hottest paint colors include Guacamole, Whirlwind, Kangaroo, Bahia Grass, Pebble Gray, and Golden Ecru. Its Base 1 Semi-Gloss Exterior Paint is easy to apply and dries to the touch in just 30 minutes. It also offers good coverage. In our guide to the best interior paints, our experts highlight some of the benefits of self-priming paints, such as this one. They explain that these paints “have a built-in binding agent that improves adhesion to the surface, and no separate primer coat is required.” Some drawbacks of this self-priming paint from Glidden are that the paint is thin and the locking rings are challenging to open.
Shop Glidden paint at Amazon, The Home Depot, or Walmart.
Price Range: $ to $$ Our Top Picks: PPG Metallic Tones Interior Specialty Finish Paint for $25.98 per quart or PPG SpeedHide Zero Interior Paint for $21.98 per gallon.
PPG (Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company) was founded in Creighton, Pennsylvania, in 1883 and is known for making thick plate glass. Over the years, PPG has grown to include paint products and is now the second-largest paint producer after acquiring Glidden in 2013. Now located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the company also sells fiberglass products, interior and exterior paints, and other protective coatings, although glass is still a staple product.
Paint colors popular with shoppers include Delicate White, Admiralty, Mirror Mirror, Chalky Blue, Mesa Beige, Swirling Smoke, and Thin Ice. Its Interior Specialty Finish Paint has a beautiful metallic finish, applies smoothly, and can be cleaned easily.
Shop PPG paint at The Home Depot.
Price Range: $ to $$$ Our Top Picks: Clare Fresh Kicks Eggshell Interior Paint for $74 per gallon or Clare Seize the Gray Eggshell Interior Paint for $74 per gallon.
A newcomer to the paint industry, Clare was launched in 2018 by interior designer Nicole Gibbons. The company is a direct-to-consumer online paint supplier designed to make paint buying easier. Based in New York, Clare paints have zero VOCs and are Greenguard Gold certified.
Popular colors include Fresh Kicks, Timeless, Seize the Gray, Classic, and On Point. Clare’s Perfect Eggshell Finish Wall Paint is odor-free, durable, and dirt- and mildew-resistant. Clare provides peel-and-stick color swatches to help buyers pick out the perfect color. The drawback is that buyers can experience inconsistent matches with the color swatches.
Shop Clare paint at Clare.
Price Range: $$$ to $$$$ Our Top Picks: California Collection Faded Terracotta Estate Emulsion for $120 per gallon or California Collection Hazy Modern Emulsion for $130 per gallon.
Named for the founding team of chemist John Farrow and engineer Richard Ball, this storied paint brand has been known for developing original paint colors from top-quality ingredients since shortly after World War II. During the 1990s, Farrow & Ball placed a lot of its attention on using historically accurate colors to restore historic properties. In 2010, the company went through a huge shift by reformulating all of its oil-based paints to more eco-friendly water-based formulas.
Today, Farrow & Ball remains committed to the original values held by the company when it was founded. However, ascribing to the company’s values and more luxurious paint products will come at a premium. Farrow & Ball’s paint can cost twice as much (or even more) than many other recommended paint brands. Some of the trending colors include Faded Terracotta, Citrona, Tar, and Hazy.
Shop Farrow & Ball paint at Farrow & Ball.
Price Range: $$$ to $$$$ Our Top Picks: Old White Chalk Paint for $45 per liter or Aubusson Blue Wall Paint for $90 per gallon.
Known as one of the best chalk paint brands, Annie Sloan was imagined as a solution for restoring furniture. Frustrated with how different surfaces required different paint types and finishes, the paint’s founder set out to create one product that could do it all—and the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint was born. Chalk Paint is designed for use by furniture restoration experts and DIYers. It is suitable for use on all sorts of surfaces, including wood, melamine, metal, laminate, flooring, and glass, and even for dyeing fabric.
Some of the best-selling Chalk Paint colors include Old White, Paris Grey, Athenian Black, Oxford Navy, Capri Pink, English Yellow, and Antoinette. In addition to its line of Chalk Paint, which is sold in small quantities, Annie Sloan now also offers wall paint and satin paint.
Shop Annie Sloan paint at Annie Sloan.
Price Range: $$$ to $$$$ Our Top Picks: Saged Paint for $75 per gallon or West Coast Ghost Paint for $75 per gallon.
Backdrop was started by entrepreneurs who wanted to simplify the home-painting process and allow customers to express themselves through paint colors. It is the first Climate Neutral Certified paint brand, with each paint Green Wise certified, low odor, and low VOC. In our guide to the best interior paints, our experts say to “seek out paints labeled ‘zero-VOC’ or ‘low-VOC’ to minimize exposure to harmful fumes.” The climate-focused mindset doesn’t stop with the paint inside the cans; each Backdrop paint can is made from recyclable stainless steel.
Backdrop’s paints are all sold online, and all orders ship for free to help customers keep costs to a minimum. To help customers ensure they are happy with the colors they select, samples are available to order for just $3 each. Those planning a more involved project who would like the help of a professional can reach out to Backdrop to schedule a color consultation.
Shop Backdrop paint at Amazon, Backdrop, or Urban Outfitters.
Price Range: $$$ to $$$$ Our Top Picks: Diamond Stud Paint for $88.75 per gallon or Cool Sky Paint for $88.75 per gallon.
Ecos Paints was created out of a desire to remove harmful, headache- and nausea-inducing chemicals from paint. The creators strived to formulate a paint that people could use without worrying about its formulation, while also ensuring it was easy to apply, durable, and long lasting. Several years later, after multiple tests in different conditions, the Ecos brand was born. The nontoxic paint is free of the VOCs found in many of its competitors.
The brand offers a wide selection of paint colors available in a range of finishes including matte, eggshell, semi-gloss, gloss, and chalkboard. It also sells durable interior and exterior floor paints, vinyl siding paint, radiator paint, and Feng Shui interior wood paint. Those who want to test the products can order a 2-ounce sample, a wall swatch, or a fan deck, which will ship free of charge.
Shop Ecos Paints paint at Ecos Paints, Green Building Supply, or DwellSmart.
Price Range: $$$ to $$$$ Our Top Picks: Nitty Gritty Roman Clay Paint for $88 per 5 kilograms or Skipping Stone Lime Wash for $79 per gallon.
Portola Paints was founded by two brothers in 1998, and it is one of the top paint brands offering low-odor and VOC-free products. Instead of following the mass-production approach of many other companies, Portola Paints produces its products in small batches, with each color being hand-blended. Additionally, all ingredients are locally sourced and combined in the company’s Los Angeles facility.
In addition to more standard interior and exterior finishes, Portola Paints also offers specialty products to give walls a more textured and unique appearance. Applying one of the Roman Clay colors, for example, can help give walls a marble-, stone-, or stucco-like texture. Another option to try is the lime wash finish, which adds a patina to the surface it’s applied to.
Shop Portola Paints at Portola Paints.
The selection of the best paint brands was chosen based on several criteria, including performance, product range, and product availability. While performance is the most important feature determining a paint brand’s ranking as one of the best paint brands, availability to the paint buyer is essential, too.
We carefully curated the list of best paint brands to include those that deliver paint products at various price points, a range of types of paint products, and include specialty paints. As not every paint job requires the same type of paint, paint brands that offer paints that adhere to challenging surfaces such as brick and stone are important. Plus, those that deliver low or no VOCs and have other eco-friendly features ranked high among the selection of paint brands and their top product picks.
Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams are two of the best-rated paint brands that are trusted by professional painters.
More expensive paints are often a higher-quality product than their inexpensive counterparts. “Expensive” products tend to be thicker, with more binders and pigments than “cheap” products. This means that you’ll get greater coverage from each can, reducing how much paint you’ll need to complete a given project.
When choosing the best paint, our experts recommend weighing a few different factors, including:
When shopping for paint, there are several factors to consider, including the quality of the products, its viscosity, VOCs, and the size and location of the space you need to paint. As you compare different brands, you’ll notice that some are significantly more expensive than others. While more expensive paints often perform better than cheaper options, in our guide to the best interior paints, our experts remind us that “the best type of paint for interior walls need not break the bank.” Balance your priorities with your budget to make the right pick for your home.
There are many good paint brands on the market today. Before making a selection for a given project, consider your budget, color preferences, and other priorities. Choosing a highly rated paint from a reputable company is also a good idea.
Deirdre Mundorf is a former teacher and freelance writer who most enjoys working with topics pertaining to home, family, and pets. She began freelance writing in 2019, after the birth of her first child, and has been contributing to BobVila.com since 2020.
Mel Childs is an author, freelance writer, and screenwriter who owns and operates her own writing company in metro Atlanta. She writes stories for BobVila.com on various topics ranging from chimney cleaning to property management companies. In addition, she has been a freelance writer for 2 years, writing on a variety of topics including history, entrepreneurs, entertainment, the medical industry, and of course, home improvement.
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