What Is The Best Interior Paint To Buy

• No. But it's highly recommended if you're changing a color from dark to something lighter. The primer adds a solid coat for the new paint application to adhere to and may result in needing fewer coats than painting over a surface without priming it first.Some products we've looked at in this roundup purport to be a combination primer and paint. But even their manufacturers recommend a primer coat in some instances. If you're changing colors from dark to light, we strongly recommend that you apply an actual coat of real primer."}},"@type": "Question","name": "Which interior paint lasts the longest?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": "Generally speaking, the longest-lasting interior paints resist scuffs, scratches, stains, and moisture damage. Many also have antimicrobial finishes, meaning they repel mold and mildew. You can usually expect to pay a higher price per gallon for more durable formulas, but they're often backed by lifetime warranties.","@type": "Question","name": "What paint is the easiest to wipe clean?","acceptedAnswer": "@type": "Answer","text": ""Traditionally, the easiest wall paints to wipe clean have been those with a sheen," says DeCrosta. In other words, something with an eggshell or semi-gloss finish is easier to wash off and scrub than a flat or matte finish."]}]}] .icon-garden-review-1fill:#b1dede.icon-garden-review-2fill:none;stroke:#01727a;stroke-linecap:round;stroke-linejoin:round > buttonbuttonThe Spruce The Spruce's Instagram The Spruce's TikTok The Spruce's Pinterest The Spruce's Facebook NewslettersClose search formOpen search formSearch DecorRoom Design

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Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home.Subscribe The Spruce's Instagram The Spruce's TikTok The Spruce's Pinterest The Spruce's Facebook About UsNewsletterPress and MediaContact UsEditorial GuidelinesWhat to BuyHome Improvement ReviewsPaintThe 10 Best Paints for Interior Walls for 2023Sherwin-Williams Cashmere Interior Acrylic Latex is our top choice

what is the best interior paint to buy

Overall, for most uses, we like Sherwin-Williams Cashmere Interior Acrylic Latex. This interior paint boasts buttery-smooth application, effortlessly hiding existing wall colors and drying perfectly even. If you're on a budget, consider Glidden Essentials Interior Paint. And if you're looking for a single-coat, high-coverage formula, HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Infinity Advanced Performance Paint + Primer is your best bet.

No. But it's highly recommended if you're changing a color from dark to something lighter. The primer adds a solid coat for the new paint application to adhere to and may result in needing fewer coats than painting over a surface without priming it first.

Some products we've looked at in this roundup purport to be a combination primer and paint. But even their manufacturers recommend a primer coat in some instances. If you're changing colors from dark to light, we strongly recommend that you apply an actual coat of real primer.

Generally speaking, the longest-lasting interior paints resist scuffs, scratches, stains, and moisture damage. Many also have antimicrobial finishes, meaning they repel mold and mildew. You can usually expect to pay a higher price per gallon for more durable formulas, but they're often backed by lifetime warranties.

"Traditionally, the easiest wall paints to wipe clean have been those with a sheen," says DeCrosta. In other words, something with an eggshell or semi-gloss finish is easier to wash off and scrub than a flat or matte finish.

Paints are available in five sheens: gloss, semi-gloss, eggshell, satin (velvet), and matte (flat). Matte or flat paints are the less expensive options, but they are harder to keep clean and are less durable. Flat paints are best for ceilings and low-traffic areas. Gloss is the easiest to clean, lasts the longest, and tends to be more expensive. Gloss paints work best on high-touch surfaces such as doors, trim, and cabinetry. Higher-sheen paints also take longer to cure.

A new coat of paint is a simple and affordable way to update the interior of a home. Although the color is crucial to achieving the desired overall effect, choosing the best paint for interior walls is just as essential to ensure pleasing results. Weigh these factors in any paint product to avoid common pitfalls.

Oil-based paints are more durable than water-based (a.k.a. latex or acrylic) paints. Oil-based paints are best for high-traffic areas or exteriors. Manufacturers offer only a few oil-based paints for interior use these days because they typically emit unpleasant, potentially unhealthy fumes. Fortunately, latex paints have become more durable and of higher quality.

Interior paints come in a few varieties: acrylic or latex (water-based), alkyd (oil-based), and newer water-based alkyd varieties that perform like oil paints but emit less harmful fumes. Shoppers will want to choose the type that holds up best on the surface they plan to paint.

Opt for the more consistent finish and fade resistance of latex or acrylic paint for walls, seldom-used furnishings, and cabinetry in dry areas. Consider the more impact- and rot-resistant oil-based or water-based alkyd paint for trim work, kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and everyday furnishings.

Because VOCs can be emitted into the air from the time of paint application up to a few months after the paint cures, choosing a paint that dries and cures quickly can help minimize VOC exposure. Look for water-based paints that dry to the touch in 1 hour and cure within 30 days. Oil-based paints should optimally dry to the touch in a few hours, can be recoated by 4 hours, and fully cure within 7 to 14 days. Most paints require the full 14 days to be cured sufficiently for washing or scrubbing.

We also used a roller to apply the same paints to a larger sheet of drywall to compare rolled-on coverage and to determine how much paint was needed to impart a uniform color on the drywall (no thin spots). With enamel paint, we also brushed it on a wood baseboard, as this formula is typically designed for hard-working trim and cabinets. We applied the number of coats recommended by the manufacturer, and then we examined the painted swatches to see how well the paint covered the drywall and camouflaged discrepancies.

Before making a final selection, the following answers to frequently asked questions may provide additional insight into the optimal procedures for selecting the best type of interior paint for walls.

The best colors for bedrooms are nonvisually stimulating hues such as blues and greens or cool grays and neutral creams. However, the best paint to cover dark walls is often another deep or dark tone.

Want to save money without too much compromise on performance? Go for this Glidden. It costs about a half to a third as much as the majority of our top picks, but it goes on surprisingly smooth, and the built-in primer means you can probably skip that step (though if you're painting new drywall, we still recommend a primer coat).

Spending more on the HGTV Infinity gets you some of the smoothest results of any tested paint, along with a host of other attributes, making it worth the splurge if you're painting a room that you want to show off. Our panel of consumer testers gave the paint high marks for color texture and finish quality.

This Clark+Kensington paint aced most of our tough tests, falling just short of the top spot in terms of overall score. It has superb resistance to staining and scrubbing, delivering stellar performance in any room in the house. Testers found it easy to apply, with a smooth finish.

Though we weren't able to test this specific claim, Sherwin-Williams says its Emerald formulation contains antimicrobial agents that inhibit the growth of mold and mildew on surfaces, another reason to consider it for bathroom paint projects. The consistency of its finish was slightly less than that of other top picks, so we recommend a second coat.

The Behr Marquee is still our top overall pick for best interior paint, but when our experts considered both value and performance, the Behr Premium Plus Paint & Primer emerged as a superb bet. It went on smooth in our tests, with few brushstrokes or roller marks, and its one-coat coverage was among the best.

The Premium Plus, another Home Depot exclusive, comes in even more colors than the Marquee (1,800, to be exact) though it was a tad less stain resistant in our tests, which is something to consider if you're painting a high-traffic area of your home. But for most basic needs, Behr Premium Plus delivers solid results and will save you $10 or more per gallon, which, if you're taking on a whole-house project, will quickly add up. 041b061a72