NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — If you've got painting on your list of to-do projects around your house, the test teams at Consumer Reports have brushed and rolled on dozens of gallons from the top brands of paint to find the ones that give you the most bang for your buck, and brush.
If you’ve painted anything you know the prep work is often the hardest, and most annoying, part!
The same can be said for Consumer Reports’ paint testing.
“The amount of prep work that goes into it is a lot," said Consumer Reports' Lilly Carrera. "We actually have to prep all the paint boards; we have to cut them to size and then we have to mark them off.”
When the samples are ready, testers run exterior paints through a mildew resistance test. And of course, a weathering test -- to see how well paint stands up to the elements after years of exposure.
These samples are left on Consumer Reports' roof for three years, which simulates nine years on a home. They’re tilted south to amplify the sun’s effects, and every year, inspected for cracking, dirt collecting, and fading.
If you’re planning an outdoor paint project, Consumer Reports recommends Behr’s Ultra Exterior or this Clark and Kensington exterior paint.
For staining, this top-rated Behr resists fading, cracking, dirt, and mildew. Plus, it holds up even after three years in Consumer Reports' weathering tests.
For interior paints, testers look at how well each one can cover and resist oil and water-based stains. And, as any DIY painter knows, covering a darker color can be very difficult, so these tests show how easy or hard that is with any given paint.
“Once it dries, we compare how well it hides the black to the white,” Carrera said.
Pro-tip for all paints and stains: Don’t shop by brand name alone.
“I would say that’s not a good idea because the same brand can have different formulas and they can vary per test on how well they do,” Carrera added.
If you’re looking to freshen up a room inside your home, this Behr Marquee—available at Home Depot—provides excellent coverage and stain resistance.
The same goes for this HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams available at Lowes.
If you’re tackling a bigger job that involves more than three gallons of paint, Consumer Reports says you may want to consider a paint sprayer.
A handheld sprayer can also come in handy for projects with hard-to-reach angles and nooks and crannies like on furniture or staircases.
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-Rebecca Schleicher
