Paint Worth the Price? Valspar, Duron, Behr, and Ralph Lauren Review

I know I’ve mentioned a good experience before with the Valspar paints, but I do have a couple of things to add…We used the Valspar primer over deep, deep red walls. While it wasn’t what I would call “full” coverage– you could still see a little red– it was absolutely enough to knock down the red. We were able to paint a fairly light color (Using Valspar Signature with an Eddie Bauer color) and probably could have gotten away with one coat, had we been a bit more thorough the first go round (using better lighting, and checking more carefully after our ten year old’s work, which was still great!). No red in sight! We went with the Signature paint over their standard or the Olympic (?) on the recommendation of the salesman, a guy I was friends with in high school and who has been working in paint for 8 or 10 years now. I trusted him not to pull a fast one.

They also run a lot of specials with $5 rebates per can. I received my 4 rebates in one check very promptly. I’ve been really happy with the experience overall. Now, Sherwin Williams, on the other hand: thin and overpriced. But they were one of the few places where I could get a low VOC oil-based trim paint.

Guess they’ve all got pros and cons…

Absolutely– my mother helped her sister-in-law paint a door with Valspar and it left drips all over the door…not a great experience! I guess it’s project to project and person to person.

As for the SW paint, we used the “Classic99,” their low-end line, and it was really streaky and thin and cost quite a bit more than the Valspar. I had assumed that the Duron would be better, but it sounds like it has its own problems!

Hi Maya,
Welcome to One Project Closer!
I felt the same about Behr – it worked great so never tried anything else, until my recent experiment. Let me know if you end up trying a new brand. I’ll be interested to see if you found similar results.

No matter what paint I use, I’m stingy with what goes on the brush and roller, so I end up having to put on many coats. But I feel better about not having “wasted” paint and being thorough.

Hey Josh,
Thanks for your feedback. I will post pix next time – just didn’t get my act together fast enough. I believe the home office will be featured as a before/after in the near future, so check back.

That’s interesting that Behr came off the walls, even after months. I will keep an eye out for that.

Please let me know if you try out Ralph Lauren and what your results were. I plan on trying Benjamin Moore for my next project. Is there any specific type of BM paint you recommend?

THANKS!

I used Behr in my kitchen and when I had spatters and scrubbed them, I found the paint came off, but not the grease. It was so terrible, I had to repaint my kitchen. I used Ralph Lauren paint, which went on really well and is very scrubbable. I would never use Behr again on anything.

hey everybody
i have got a question for somebody to answer what would be the best paint to use on a house i am starting to build and i have some up grades and we are going to paint the house some different colors and i know one of the colors is a deep red and most of the others are like a deep brown and some gray this is the first time to really get into this and i need some help finding the right paint for my house im just coming back from iraq and my wife is at home doing the picking and choosing and i really dont want the builder to give her a scam by getting the most expensive kind to not look very well and flake at the end thanks for all the inputs

sam – you’ll find that everyone has a different opinion on paint, so the “right” one can be hard to find. We’ve done numerous paint tests here and have found Ralph Lauren to far outperform any of their competitors for paint. Jocie recently did a comparison of primers and found Behr’s primer to be the best at covering over red paint. That said, it seems like almost everyone has something they really like, or really *don’t* like.

[...] decided to go with  Ralph Lauren brand paint. I read a good comparrison article about 4 paint brands over at One Project Closer. So I headed to Home Depot since Lowes doesn’t carry Ralph Lauren. [...]

Hi Misty,
Thanks for your thoughtful comments!
So, Home Depot will soon offer 8 oz samples (for free or low cost) so you can try out the paint first before buying the full can??? Wow, hat would be great!

I wish someone had told me about tinted primers before I originally painted my red dining room – that would have saved me a lot of hassle. So thanks for the info!

[...] 3. Once the primer has dried, paint each letter. I used Duron, One-coat white because I had some left over from a previous project. Sadly, I needed two coats to provide a more even finish. Make sure the first coat of paint has dried before painting your second coat. For more information on what paint is worth the price, see my paint comparison post. [...]

I need advice on exterior stucco house paint. HD or Lowes?
And which one will be non fading?

I love Behr paint, But the one paintthat I really love is Devine so thick and nice it is like painting with smooth yougrt.

Go green!!! I just used AFM Safecoat & Yolo Colorhouse paints in my home, & they were solid (siongle-coat), completely odorless, & they’re healthy. AFM safecoat can match any color.

Off-gassing should be a major concern for everyone. Formaldehyde (the most common VOC – Volatile Organic Compound), is one of the most common chemicals found in paints, adhesives, & stains, that emits VOCs, which have been proven to cause cancer (yes, those paints are carcinogenic).

Regarding the comments I read about various types of paint, they all reflect the dream that non-painters have; cheap paint that covers in one coat. That is the mythical goal of the general public, coupled with the mindset that any idiot can paint. In fact it is quite simple to apply paint to a surface. Application of material is only one of many steps required to put a good looking and durable finish on a surface. Many of the cons in your article are nothing but situations that the pros deal with day in and day out. When masking tape pulls off your new coat of paint, the fact is that there was never a bond established between your substrate and your finish coat. It could have been due to improper preparation of the substrate, failing to give the new paint the required curing time, incompatibilities between the substrate and finish coat, and numerous other things. Pros recommend using package colors to avoid using deep and ultra-deep tint bases which have little or no pigment and too much colorant, which can cause hiding problems and muddy colors. No knowledgeable painter would ever expect a paint job to be complete with the application of one coat of paint. Surface preparation can include sanding existing surfaces, removing old layers of paint, washing surfaces down with Trisodium Phosphate, applying one or more coats of primer/sealer and so on. Some paints out there probably are a little overpriced, but the old adage- you get what you pay for- is by and large true. More expensive paints have pigments which are ground finer resulting in higher color values, truer hues and consistency of color, tone and hue. Any painting project is 95% preparation and 5% final coat application; proper preparation will always result in a good finish coat appearance.

I use Benjamin Moore and love, love, love the results. I’ve tried all the brands listed in these posts in my previous home, and have had the best results with Benjamin Moore – both interior and exterior. I have a husband, 2 greyhounds, and am a neat-nick, so beauty and durability was a must. I applied 1 coat of kilz primer to all walls in my house (to seal the new drywall which has an orange peel texture). Then I painted the whole interior of the house with several different colors of paint (greens, golds, brown, orange – think Panera Bread) with 2 coats of color in each room. Yes, it was expensive to do the whole house and time consuming to do 2 coats of paint after the 1 coat of primer. However, it has been over 5 years – and lots of scrubbing dog splatter off the walls and cleaning grease off the door to the garage. I don’t have any scuff marks, the paint looks brand new even after all this time, none of the paint peeled off or rubbed off. The exterior paint was put on over an elastomeric primer, and the paint has lasted 7 years in the hot FL sun and hurricanes. I suggest spending the money and taking the extra time to do the job the long way, then sit back and relax for many years to come. Now, if anyone has a remedy for keeping the floors looking nice …

Porter Paint is excellent. They don’t advertise (or I haven’t seen any in our area), but if you go to their website, you can locate a dealer. In larger cities, they have stores like or paint dealers. Our dealer is in a little hardware store. They run $5.00 off specials a lot. Your brush has a lot to do with the paint application. Don’t buy cheap brushes !!! I don’t like to paint all that much and I value my time. If you buy a good brush and ask what you are supposed to clean it with – it will last you probably your life time – unless your a professional painter. If your a professional, you already know this (we have a friend that is and this is information was passed on to me – GREAT ADVICE). I have several rentals, so I am not a professional, but I paint my fair share. Porter is far superior to anything I have purchased from Lowes, HD, Sherwin Williams, or Walmart I have tried them all (NEVER use contractor grade – it is the cheapest and always requires extra coats).

Some of these comments make no sense, the one above who says they cleaned their kitchen walls and the paint came of but the grease didnt…. Wake up lady, if the paint came of the grease surely did too, becuase thats what the grease was stuck to???? this blog is fake or just isnt governed.

I have to say, I’ve always only painted with Behr paint. It’s thin, and when painting really dark colors, or over even light colors, you DO need many coats. I needed to redo my bedroom (after 16 years), and painted my ceiling with Behr. Two coats, but still performed wonderfully. Then, after reading so many professional painter’s blogs about how much better all other paints were, I decided to go for a different paint brand on my bedroom walls. I went with Valspar. At first I was excited at the covereage. Wow! Although I’d need 2 coats, I could already see how different it was. 24 hours later, I began with the second coat (which was still needed even with the Primer included in this particular Valspar paint). Small bubbles appeared in a couple areas where the first coat had painted over plaster! Then they began to pull away from the plaster! Because paint dries from the outside — in, the first coat STILL hadn’t dried all the way, and trapped moisture which caused it not to bond. I had to wait several days to re-patch and paint those areas. I had a lot of plaster under the Behr coats, and no problems! I decided right there and then, I’d never use anything else but Behr paint. I don’t care how many coats it takes, it bonds way better. Those professionals just want the job done quickly. Me…. I want it done right! Go with Behr paint!

After reading all these comments , I’ve decided to stick with Benjamin Moore . It may cost more , but beleive me it’s certainly worth it !

Benjamin Moore is the best paint on the market ! Spend the extra money . It covers in one coat & looks / lasts a long time .

My Daughter (23) had her room painted with Valspar interior acrylic latex
Signature paint and after two weeks the room still smells like paint. She
is allergic to latex paint and cannot sleep in the room until the paint dries
or the smell goes away. I have painted many rooms furniture etc in my
life and never have I had this problem with paint it dries and the smell goes
away. But not this room, it is not even a big room, less that 12 x 12. Is it
just your paint that does this, it was over $28. per can at Lowes and unless
I find a solution soon I can guarantee I will not buy it again. It gives me a
headache to be in the room for ever 5 minutes.

What is the problem?

Kris Wagar

I re-painted my small full bath with Valspar Premium Kitchen/Bath paint. It has been over 2 weeks and the paint is not dry. Lowes sent the Valspar paint rep to my house, and he told me “the paint is not curred yet.” No crap. He offered to refund my cost. In trying to dry the paint, my exhaust fan burnt out, and neither Lowes or Valspar acknowledges this problem. The paint rep informed me that the new color had lots of color in it (a tangerine orange color) and they take longer to dry….2 weeks with the exhaust fanning running non-stop along with a box fan??? Get real. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER OVER PRICED VALSPAR PRODUCT AGAIN. Don’t always believe what you read in Consumer Reports.

ALL dark colored paints need at least 2 coats to look correct. Reds are notorious for being difficult to finally get to the actual color that matches the color sample. It a dark colored paint does not cover in 1 or 2 coats it is not because it’s poor quality; that’s just the way dark colors are. I’ve heard that Behr Paint & Primer has more solids in it and that it has better coverage than many other paints. So many people keep on talking about rubbing paint and how it comes off, but no one mentions sheen. People, flat colors are more difficult to scrub and glossier sheens are much easier to clean and are tougher and can take more abuse. The next time someone complains about how their paint comes off when they rub it ask them what sheen they have.

I chose Valspar to paint a desk and chair for my daughter’s bedroom, because it was the closest color I could find to what I was looking for. I am disappointed with the texture of the paint. It does not dry smoothly ( I am using eggshell, in “Hint of Cherry”), and it still feels sticky after I applied two coats yesterday. It looks like I will have to use three or four coats to cover the wood tint, and I’ll need to cover the desk surface with a primer before applying paint. I’d like to use a different brand, but am already in it so I feel I’d like to finish the job with the Valspar. I don’t think I’ll buy it again,though.

RALPH LAUREN PAINT IS A PAIN IN THE A$$! It drys uneven… Especially with the “draker colors” Using Glidden GRAB primer I have had to use an entire gallon on two walls with the color Club Navy. When Light hits it I see all of the areas where the paint dried and the next section was started overlapping the previous section. I have been painting since 1976 and I would say Use anything but Ralph Lauren paint. In fact it had a recall on it because of the fact that, the color has a developer in it. SO that means when you run over another area already painted it will just get daker and darker. It does not matter what you do you can feather untill the wall turns into a bird. I have never EVER HAD issues with BHER paint honestly I used it many times but I had to go with Ralp Lauren because they were the only company with the color I wanted and it looks like crap. I have to hire a paint professional to spray the wall with a varnish to make it loook more even with light. SO hey paint with RALP LAUREN PAINT, only if you plan to keep the lights off in the room you paint. Forever!!! It sucks! Easy Living is better. I feel like the RALP LAUREN PAINT is just a name with crap in a can. I would also like to add that it smells like a acrylic nail salon. So if you have any asthma or breathing irritations or cant stand the smell off a thousand bottles of nailpolish spilled all over and streaks and sheen and no sheen and flat and no falt makrs all ofer your walls and well if your going for a very haunted look, paint with Ralp Lauren Paint. It gives the effect of a old haunted home where demons love the colors! Ralp Lauren Paint is NOT GOOD DO NOT BUY IT!

I totally agree with you on the Behr paint. I am painting my kitchen cabinets. Like a fool I took the advice of an inexperienced clerk at Home Depot (I know better but the thought of no priming was to enticing). Basically I was told that I did not have to prime my semi gloss kitchen cabinets before using the Behr premium. Existing cabinets were a light gray…… I have put on 2 coats (and I am not excited at the look) and on the 3rd coat in some areas. Behr per gallon = $33, Primer = $11, I am moving to 1 coat primer, 1 coat Behr Premium. I ended up redoing the doors, by resanding, using TSP again, and priming.

I’ve used Duron, Behr, Restoration Hardware, and Ralph Lauren paint. Hands down, Ralph Lauren paint is the absolute best! I used Tangier Island to cover dark blue paint! It covered perfectly and I only used 1 coat. The colors are beautiful and rich looking. They are extremely easy to apply and don’t drip like other paints (Behr…). Behr is the worst paint I’ve ever used. The paint never matches the chip color and you need to use several coats in order to cover well. Duron is okay. I like that the chips do match the paint once it’s on you wall. I used the highest quality paint they sell — but it was very pricey. I like the quality of Ralph Lauren much better and the cost ($29) is great!!

I learned my paint lessons early on. Ten years ago i tried using paint found at Kmart in Martha Stewart colors. The result? Chalky texture. Colors that just didn’t look as pretty on the wall and felt hollow with bad tints.

I started using Benjamin Moore…I tried the Regal and the more baseline one. EXCELLENT results. Beautiful color, coating and no more chalky look. THEN they came out with Aura. When I panted an office Copper Mine (accented by shakepeare tan) the result was gorgeous.

Oh, and before that I had purchased Ralph Lauren. I did love the color ideas, but it was so hard to paint with! The finish always looked terrible, and in some cases I had to add coat over coat to complete.

I’m a Benjamin Moore Aura loyalist (now preferring eggshell over satin). I’ve also hard rave reviews about Sherwin williams. i might try some day.

I just wanted to clear some things up on this review on Duron products. First of all the the price listed for this comparison is $40.35 a gallon?! One product cost that much and that is the Plastic Kote Semi Gloss. What about Ultra Deluxe or Pro Kote? These products are in the $30’s all day long. To the subject of coverage, there is not one product out there that is made to a dark color that covers over a different color in one coat. Over the same color yes. But none do this in a color change. “One Coat White” is just the name of their color. It is not meant that it covers in one coat. It contains alot of white pigment which helps it cover good over lighter colors or for first time applications. The comment about OCW covering with a brush but not with a roller cover……………………….? This is simply a user error. You are simply overloading your brush and not loading your roller enough or not using the correct size nap for your application. If you paint is tearing off paint on the wall with remover this is not due to the paint. You have either got way to much paint on the tape or you are not usinga good or the right tape for the job. Tape is used to protect other surface incase you happen to get paint on the other surface and to provide straight cut lines, not just paint all over and it just magically removed. It sounds to me like you left your tape on to long and have to much paint on it. In the coments some had put that they scrubed the wall and the color came off with Duron Paint. Well make sure fist of all that it is a scrubable paint. Not all paints are scrubable. It must have be an enamel(enamel as in a paint product with a sheen, NOT OIL BASE, that is not what enamel means) to be able to wash or scrub. Duron is an excellent paint and is used and preffered by contractors all over the east coast. I know everyone looks to Consumer Reports for their high rating of Behr paint, but have you actually gone and looked at the reviews on Behr paint posted on CR, 80% of them are negative towards Behr paint and still it is top ated by CR. Isn’t Consumer Reports collected from the comsumer. I think we all could ge a lttle mor educated in the world of paint before we start proclaiming that products are “not worth the money”. I would have done this comparison in products a little more extensive with alot more then one or two products.

I am planning to stain my deck which was built almost year and half ago with pressure treated wood . This is the first time I am going to stain this deck and I would like to get your suggestions on which company stain I should use.

Thanks

Well, after reading all the posts, I’m still undecided as to which paint to use! But I can add something else for you to think about. I was looking for a durable paint and realized one of the reasons my paints fail is what I use to scrub the walls with. One of my favorite cleaners is Simple Clean—but if not reduced enough, it acts like a paint remover. By the way, in full strength, it makes an excellent brush cleaner! I’ve read somewhere that the “washable” gloss paints will indeed loose their luster after repeated washings, so I put two and two together.

I’m in the auto body biz, so I know the importance of primer. It’s the same thing with house paints. I think it makes a difference in the performance of any brand of paint. I’ve learned by my experience in the home, tinting primer to a slightly lighter color was a big help going from white to a medium blue. There are certain colors, such as reds and greens that may be a little transparent, and multiple coats will be necessary. If you can see the wood grain or store name on the stick when you stir, get ready to be disappointed. I was told by a pro that many times he will tint the primer gray to help with these problem colors. We did that on cars with different shades of gray primers many years ago, so it may be a good idea. Something else to think about.

Just as important is preparation. It’s the lousy part of the job that everyone seems to want to avoid. I wish I had an easier way, too. This work is tedious, and it’s back, neck, shoulder, elbow, hand, wrist and fingers breaking work, but the preparation also makes a big difference on paint performance and the appearance of the job.

I usually end up Behr, Valspar and recently Olympic (hated it–bugged by weird tiny bubbles in it while I painted) for most of the house. I’ve spent hours looking into “best paints”, so I guess I’m not that happy with them. I’ve used Zinsser Perma-White (it’s tintable) in my kitchen and bathroom for many years. It’s a no primer, no sanding needed (I usually can’t help myself and do a little scuffing on glossy surfaces anyways) paint that’s never let me down. It has never peeled, washable and very mildew resistant. I think the jury is still out on the newer primer-paint in one, so I think I will pass on those for now. The “real” painters I know like “Benny” Moore and Porter, but I would hate to spend quite a bit more for the same DIY results.

If the temperature if cooler, I think you may have more runs. Always remember to look back over your work periodically no matter what the weather is. If caught EARLY enough, you can take care of those runs! Don’t even bother painting in extreme heat. I just sprayed my kitchen cabinet doors and it got to 95 degrees in our shop. I had searched “how to help latex paint flow better” and learned about Floetrol. I depended too much on my web education and didn’t bother reading the warning that it may dull the paint. There’s no may about it. So, lesson here is to read ALL the directions.

Live and Learn.

RE: Frank’s comment from April 29 2009:

Listen to Frank he knows what he’s talking about. I’m in the paint business, and I can tell you most of the major brands all have quality product of some sort. You do get what you pay with most brands, for and even with the higher end product mileage may vary because everyone’s project, surface, preparation, application methods, time betwen applications, and so on will be different. Basically what I’m saying is word of mouth and reviews are a great tool, but the best tools are preparation, patience, and not skimping where it counts (don’t buy cheap/crappy product unless you want cheap/crappy results).

No matter what brand you get, don’t buy low VOC paint if you can help it. Unless you have asthma or are really sensitive to fumes, IT IS NOT worth the cost. Painting stinks. Get over it. I work with contractors and painters every day and hear the same thing: low VOC is crap. The “volatile organic chemicals” that were removed help the paint bond to the pigment and vice versa, so with low-voc you end up painting with something like soybean yogurt infused with colorful crushed beetle shelves (lol). The coverage is extremely uneven, it takes at least 3 coats to get uniformity, and the color fades VERY quickly.

A lot of companies are jumping on the “green” bandwagon b/c it’s popular and that sells. Lots of people will pay more for something they think is better for them and the environment, and corporations capitalize on that. So what you end up with is a hip, trendy, feel good feeling followed by buyer’s remorse and an empty wallet. And in this case, a room you’ll have to repaint in one year. But hey, at least the house doesn’t stink. And who knows, maybe you saved an otter somewhere.