Sherwin Williams paint vs others?

[Andrea Tapp]

Can anyone speak for the difference in paint quality and coverage between Sherwin Williams and Lowes or Home Depot paint? This is for a rental.

[Joe Splitrock]

@Andrea Tapp it partly depends on which Sherwin Williams paint versus which consumer paint you get from a local home improvement store. I use Sherwin Williams ProMar 200 Zero VOC. I do my own painting and I have tried probably 15 different paints over the years. Sherwin Williams paint I use is more expensive, but here are the advantages for me:

- The ProMar 200 is really thick paint. That means it goes on in one coat so I spend less time painting. I cannot expense my time, but I can expense paint. Thicker paint also means less drips.

- Sherwin Williams set me up with a contractor discount so I don't need to shop around for the sale price of the week. I always get the same discount.

- I have an account setup with Sherwin Williams so they can bill me for paint. More importantly they track paint colors by house. They keep it in their computer.

- I can easily call ahead and have paint waiting for me to pickup. Since they keep my colors in the computer, I can just give them my business name, property name and gallons I need. Saves me time. They will also deliver to the job site, but I usually pickup because they are close.

- The Zero VOC paint has very little odor and no toxic fumes. I just see no reason to subject myself to dangerous fumes, even if I can save a few dollars.

- I have a paint wheel with every color on it that they gave me, so I can easily select colors. I can select the color, call in the order and pickup.

- Good paint is more durable. I used to think I had to repaint every few years, but I learned that good paint can be cleaned and touched up. Touch up matches better with good paint. Buy cheap paint and you are painting more often.

At the end of the day, time is money and I learned that chasing the best deal on paint was costing me more in the long run. Whatever you choose, my best recommendation is selecting one paint and sticking with it.