Paint Value

Paint value is easy to determine. Many customers ask me if the more expensive paints are worth the money. I previously talked about how to determine the quality of paint back in May of this year. Quality paints costs more because they have more of the ingredients that make for good coatings plus the quality standards of those ingredients are much higher.

For example, Fine Paints of Europe are ultra high quality paints typically running in the $100.00 a gallon range. The solids are so high and they pack so much pigment into a gallon that a gallon feels like picking up a concrete block.

Is it worth it? It depends on the application. When you hire a paint contractor, the biggest expense is labor. The labor is generally the same using $20 a gallon paint versus a $50 a gallon product. There are some exceptions but for the most part the labor is the same. For example a much more expensive paint may allow for good coverage with one coat instead of having to use two so there would be a savings in labor and in theory material. At The Painting Company we always do a minimum of two coats however. Trust me, It’s better that way.

The biggest argument FOR spending more is durability. Durability gets tested the most with exterior applications. I always encourage people to spend as much as they can afford on exterior paint. It is money well spent. The key to a great paint job is proper prep and after all that prep it makes no sense to scrimp on the paint.

Interior trim, cabinets, doors are also areas where you want the good stuff! Areas where you can get away with spending a little less is perhaps on interior walls. However I would not suggest going below a mid grade product. You can get a very good interior paint in the $20 a gallon range. You could easily spend $60 a gallon depending on where you go but if you are on a budget this may be the area to cut back a little.

When you hire The Painting Company we don’t up-charge on materials. What we pay for paint is what we pass on the the customer and we get a significant break on the cost of paint. We pass that savings to the customer so you can get a $30 a gallon product for much less.