Finding the Right Finish
Some people start their paint projects by choosing the color, but determining the finish is crucial. Sheens (or finishes) can vary, and that can affect your perception of color. It can also be a factor in how often you’ll have to touch up your walls. Higher-gloss paint resists stains best and is easier to clean. Lower-gloss paint will easily hide dings and flaws because it absorbs light rather than reflect it, but it isn’t particularly resistant to scuffs and stains.
Because a brand’s flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss formulations perform similarly, the Overall Score for each paint in our ratings represents the average performance of all three sheen types combined. Below, we discuss the pros and cons of the most common finishes for both interior and exterior paint.
Interior Paint
Our interior paint ratings tell you how well a paint hides what’s underneath it, whether the paint resists stains and scrubbing, and if it’s self-priming. Here’s what works best in each area of your home.
Matte/flat: These finishes hide imperfections well but are the least stain-resistant and are better suited for low-traffic areas.
Eggshell and satin: Use only on fairly smooth, well-prepared surfaces because their shine can accentuate imperfections on the walls. These paints are tough enough to be used in family rooms, kids’ rooms, and hallways. Some might change sheen when scrubbed.
Semi-gloss: Shinier still, these paints are formulated to stand up to stains. They’re generally the easiest to clean, but some tend to become dull when scrubbed. They’re ideal for kitchen and bathroom walls, windowsills, and other woodwork. Semi-gloss paints require a very smooth, well-prepared surface with few imperfections.
Exterior Paint
Our exterior paint ratings indicate which paints are likely to last the longest on your house. We rate how each paint resists cracking, color change, dirt, and mildew. Here are the types to consider:
Flat: This is the dullest finish and the best choice if you need to mask imperfections. Flat finishes look best on exterior walls, especially those that are older and more weather-worn.
Eggshell and satin: These finishes have a slight gloss and can also work well on walls, especially those that are newer and smoother.
Semi-gloss and gloss: These options are most often used for trim because they highlight the details of the woodwork and are easy to clean.
Choosing the Best Paint Color
For interior paint projects: Fun fact—despite all the colors available, whites and off-whites remain the top-selling interior colors. But whether you like neutral colors or vibrant shades, zeroing in on just the right hue can be tricky.
A great place to start is by looking at the biggest paint chips the store offers. A store’s lighting affects your take, so ask to step outside with it to get another look in natural light. Once home, place the chips on the wall, next to the trim, and look at them at different times throughout the day as the natural light changes. Do this over the course of several days, removing colors that aren’t working. Keep in mind that indoors, color tends to intensify over large areas, so it’s generally better to go too light than too dark in a given shade.
Feel like skipping the store altogether? Now you can. An online search can help you narrow the field. Major paint brands offer online “visualizers” that allow you to upload a photo of your room, then apply different colors digitally to get a sense of what will look best.
Once you’ve narrowed your choices, you can buy small containers for testing. Paint sample colors on large sheets of heavy paper so that you can move them from place to place without having to paint the walls. Or, if available, you can try a more convenient alternative: large peel-and-stick paint squares ranging from about 8x8 inches to 9x14 inches. No matter which method you choose, place the color samples at eye level and live with them for at least a few days. Throughout the day, observe the effects of changing light (both natural and artificial) on the color.
For exterior paint projects: Neutral and earthy palettes continue to be widely used because brick, stone, and other fixed elements (such as wood) tend to be warm materials. But as blues and grays remain popular inside the home, they’re popping up on the exteriors of homes, too. If you’re undecided, find inspiration from other houses in your neighborhood, though you probably wouldn’t want to choose a color that’s too similar to that of the homes next door.
Paint sample boards with each color you’re considering, and place them on different corners of your home. Again, observe the color at various times of day as the natural light changes. Once you’ve narrowed your choices, paint a swatch on the front of your house where it’s in full sun, not on the porch or under an overhang, where there are shadows. Look at the color at different times of the day.
Picking a Paint Formula
Even the most beautiful shade will disappoint if the paint formulation is mediocre. That’s why CR testers look at three main criteria when rating paint. The best paints in our ratings:
- Spread smoothly on walls: This should be the case from the first brush stroke to the last.
- Hide a wall’s previous color with just one coat: That coat should provide good coverage even when the original surface is a dark shade. Our tests find that economy grades of interior paint typically don’t perform well overall, and you may need to apply three or four coats to cover dark colors. In contrast, premium paints can cover most colors in one coat.
- Resist fading over time: This includes standing up to general cleaning, such as wiping away stains, which is particularly important in a bathroom or kitchen.
In addition to our ratings, there are a couple of other factors you might consider, each of which will have an impact on your experience in using a particular product:
- Priming ability: Many interior and exterior formulas are self-priming. That means you don’t need to buy a primer to create a neutral surface to paint on. This can save time and money, but make sure to pay attention to the small print on a paint’s label. While a self-priming paint may work well for indoor tasks, outdoor surfaces (which tend to have more variability) may require a coat of primer regardless of a product’s claims. (For expert tips on how to get the best paint job, check out 5 Secrets to Great Paint Preparation.)
- VOC labels and certifications: In response to stricter federal and regional standards, manufacturers have reduced the levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their products. (These include noxious chemicals that make paint smell like paint.) Some paints also boast Greenguard Gold certification, meaning they emit lower levels of VOCs—particularly formaldehyde—than the industry standard. Earlier low-VOC paints lacked the durability of higher-VOC finishes, but now all the paints in our tests claim to have low or no VOCs, and many perform very well. Low- or no-VOC paints are crucial for indoor projects, but they’re also important for outdoor tasks. VOCs contribute to air pollution. And if paint is stored or disposed of improperly, some of those chemicals can seep into the earth as well.
How Much Paint Will You Need?
For interior paint projects: Most brands offer paint by the gallon, which can cover anywhere from 350 to 400 square feet. That means the walls of a small bedroom will typically require one can of paint. A living room with high ceilings will likely need two. To estimate your room’s paint needs, measure the length, width, and height, then plug those numbers into a free online paint calculation tool (nearly every major brand offers one) to see how many cans it suggests. If you need several cans, check to see if the brand offers a five-gallon bucket (often at a discount).
Keep in mind that you’ll probably use a different finish of paint on the trim around windows and doors, so it’s best to calculate the amount needed for those separately. (Most of the calculator tools let you specify the number of doors and windows.) Typically, a 1-quart-sized bucket should be enough for all the trim in a standard 10x10-foot room. The same is true of smaller projects, such as painting a single accent wall or just the ceiling with one coat of paint. For touch-up trim jobs, you may even get away with using an inexpensive 8-ounce sample can of paint (which typically covers up to 16 square feet).
For exterior paint projects: Multiply the perimeter of your house by the height, making sure to subtract doors (if they’re a different color) and windows from your calculation. If your exterior siding is porous (maybe stucco or brick) or has never been painted before, expect to use more paint the first time around. In the event that your exterior refresh includes your garage door(s), expect to use a gallon of paint for a standard two-car garage. The same amount can be used for eight sets of shutters, according to the square footage claims of most paint brands. Remember, if you don’t have storm doors or screens, you’ll need to pick an exterior (not interior) paint for your doors and trims, too.
Here’s an important pro tip, which can help prevent mistakes and wasted paint: Make sure that the outdoor temperature is at least 50° F when applying the paint and that it doesn’t drop below 32° F at night. A dip in temperature can cause dew to form on the paint, making it harder for it to dry the way it should. That could make the paint susceptible to cracking and affect how long it lasts. While you’re painting, it’s also best to make sure there’s little to no wind. Wind may prevent paint from applying and drying evenly, blow debris onto your surface, and cause unsafe conditions if you’re on a ladder.
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