best paint value?

[Mark Modrall]

Hi...

My wife is anxious to get the house repainted, so lately we've been shopping for paint. As with most things regarding home maintenance, there's a bit of a sticker shock as we've been looking around. There's also a huge range in price, but of course you never know when you're being penny wise and pound foolish.

We've been to the Benjamin Moore store, Lowes, and have looked at Sherman Williams, Home Depot and Sears. We've seen price-per-gallon ranging from $12 to $32. What's the sense out there of the best price to value ratio? What's the best paint for the cheapest price?

My wife's partial to the American Traditions Duramax from Lowes at $30/gallon. Benjamin Moore came in at $32/gallon. Sears exterior latex in the circular was $12, and there's everything in between.

I thought I'd appeal to the general wisdom of the group in trying to choose.

Thanks _mark

[Tony Hwang]

Hi, Soon there will be sale all over the place. Don't pinch pennies with paint. IMO, good ones cost but it's worth it.

[Al Bundy]

Mark Modrall wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Valspar Severe Weather. Lowes has it. Good coverage when put on with a brush. 5 gal of satin for $71. I think it's good bang for the buck.

Used Benjamin Moore on a house that had some nasty winters. Held up great.

[Edwin Pawlowski]

My local dealer carries Pittsburgh Manor Home. I've had very good results with it and it is long lasting. I've not tried the others, but B Moore is rated very good.

[George E. Cawthon]

I think any standard brand in the $18-22 per gallon range will be fine for most people. Good preparation (washing, scraping if needed, caulking and fixing bad spots) and applying two coats is more important that the paint if you use something about $20. BTW Duramax is just Valspar rebranded by Lowes to their American Traditions line. I've used the interior/exterior line from Lowes (Black label) for painting interior doors and it is good.

[m Ransley]

Sherwin Williams makes good paint, Sears is made by Sherwin Williams, Its obviously on sale now so its a good buy.

[hallerb]

Good surface prep is more important than the paint.

things like painting over loose existing paint or moisture troubles from behind the wall kill even the BEST paint:(

[Cheri]

I don't know about exterior American Traditions paint, but I sure don't like it for interior. Personally, I like Sherwin Williams paint, but when we had the house and trim painted about four years ago, the painters used Benjamin Moore, and it has held up very well so far.

Cheri

[Frank Boettcher]

Recent consumer reports issue did exterior paint testing. I can't remember who won, and many people don't think much of Consumer Reports, but it might be worth a trip to your local library to do the research, decide for yourself.

Frank