Behr Contractor Grade Paint Colors
June 16, 2012|Editors, Consumer Reports, The Hartford Courant
Who has the best exoteric paint? Consumer Reports' new champ amid glassy and semigloss finishes is Sherwin-Williams, and it shares top ceremoniousness with California for collapsed paints. But CR's contempo tests additionally prove that added players do about as able-bodied for far beneath money, and they exhausted the cher cast back it comes to exoteric stains.
CR activated 76 paints and stains beneath arduous alfresco altitude that accent the furnishings of sun, barrage and snow so that one year of acknowledgment equals about three on your house. Paying added than $60 per gallon for Sherwin-Williams' Duration flat, glassy and semigloss paints buys a accomplishment that still looked absorbing afterwards the agnate of nine years, or about how about best homes are painted. All three additionally annihilate the accepted prime coat. But Glidden's Premium collapsed and glassy paints are two of several finishes that did about as able-bodied for as little as $21 per gallon.
Sherwin-Williams additionally fabricated CR's top picks for clear-cut stains, which appearance some copse grain. But Behr exhausted it in that accumulation and won amid solid stains. The catch: As with Sherwin-Williams, the accurate Behr you accept makes a big difference. Here are the details:
-- Same brand, altered results: Amid paints, Sherwin-Williams' Duration band topped CR's Ratings, but its Resilience band accomplished abreast the bottom. And although Valspar Ultra Premium and DuraMax flats are picks, neither Lowe's artefact fabricated the cast amid glassy and semigloss paints.
-- A account of three Behrs: Superior backbone and attrition to cracking, crumbling and bane helped Behr's Premium Semi-Transparent Weatherproofing Copse Stain abode aftermost year's winner, Sikkens, amid the also-rans. Behr's Solid Color Deck, Fence and Balustrade Copse Stain is additionally tops. But this Home Depot brand's pricier Premium solid stain didn't do about as well.
-- Outside finishes accept added VOCs: About all autogenous paints now accommodated alike the toughest bounded California banned of 50 grams per liter for airy amoebic compounds. But beneath exoteric finishes accommodated that absolute for paints or alike the college absolute of 100 grams per liter for stains, abnormally amid clear-cut and bright finishes, area it's added difficult to abate VOCs after accident performance.
For collapsed finishes, CR Best Buys accommodate Glidden Spred Flat, $25; Glidden Premium Collapsed (Home Depot), $21; and Behr Premium Additional Collapsed (Home Depot), $25. For satin, CR Best Buys are Glidden Premium Glassy (Home Depot), $23, and Glidden Spred Satin, $27; for semigloss, which should be acclimated mainly for trim, windows and doors, Behr Premium Additional Semi-Gloss Enamel (Home Depot), $28, and Glidden Spred Semi-Gloss, $28.
For abode and accouter stains, CR Best Buys for solid stains are Behr Solid Color Deck, Fence and Balustrade Copse Stain (Home Depot), $28, and Sears Weatherbeater Deck, Fence and Balustrade Solid, $21. For clear-cut stains, Flood TWF-Semi Semi-Transparent Copse Stain (Wal-Mart), $24, is a CR Best Buy.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Don't buy alone by amount or brand, and accede these suggestions back you boutique for exoteric paints or stains:
-- Accept the appropriate appearance level. Collapsed and glassy finishes are best for balustrade because they adumbrate flaws by abbreviation reflections. Semigloss paints add some flash to doors and trim, accouterment beheld contrast. For stains, bright and clear-cut appearance all or some of the copse grain, admitting you'll accept to reapply them added often.
-- Insist on top finishes. Hiring a pro? Be abiding the arrangement specifies the brand, band and cardinal of coats; for paint, CR about recommends two top coats additional a prime covering over bald surfaces if needed.
-- Look for deals. Holiday weekends, including Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, are accepted times for acrylic promos.
