Quality of Behr Pro I 300 paint ?

[Andreas W.]

I used to use Kilz pro X 300 paint bought at HD for walls. Kilz paint is no more, now it is called Behr Pro i300. Does anybody know if Behr just changed the name or is also the quality different? I never had good luck with white trim paint. Any recommendation is highly appreciated. 

[Nathan A. Johnson]

I am actually a paint chemist and can lend you some insight into this. Typically, the higher the gloss, the easier it can be to clean, but a lower sheen can be more durable. It's all about balance. A satin or eggshell finish usually gives the best of both worlds. With paints, you actually get what you pay for. If you want a good hide and easy cleaning, with lasting durability, you are going to pay more, because the quality of the materials used to make the paint can vary.

If you want to save some money, I would recommend skipping the primer, and just getting a self priming white base paint, these will have a high titanium dioxide quantity in the can, comparable to what's in a primer. Why pay for two different types of paint when you only need one. Priming is typically only necessary if you are using a clear base with a deep hue color, these don't provide good hide, so a primed surface is important.

Also, if you want to save money, and you plan on buying a decent amount of paint, you can get discounts for being a "contractor" and setting up an account with a store. I know HomeDepot does this, and so do Sherwin-Williams stores.

As for which is better, that will be up to trial and error. A lot of the paint around a similar price point is going to perform about the same, since all the different companies are competing for the same business. However, if the paint is less expensive, you are probably getting that discount from a lower quality material they used in the formula.

A good quality paint, like around $50 a gallon, will last a long time on walls. Maybe ten plus years with no issues. But if you are planning to repaint year after year on a rental, then a lower grade contractors paint is perfect, and might be $20 a gallon or less. But it won't last more than a year or two, so that adds up over time.

I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any questions, and I will happily answer them.