A good paint job can easily breathe new life into any home, regardless of its architectural style.
Now, there are many paint brands out there that offer high-quality exterior and interior paints, but not many of them have reached the popularity of Sherwin Williams and Behr.
Sherwin Williams and Behr are the two highest-rated paint brands in the USA, with Behr having a Trust Index Quotient Score of 120 points and Sherwin Williams coming in with 119.9 points. Both of these brands have been around for a long time, with Sherwin Williams being in business for a little longer than Behr at 150 years, and they both produce the finest quality paints in the country.
That being said, these two paint brands aren’t all that similar, so if you’re going to choose the right brand of paint for your next major paint job, you will want to know how these two giants in the paint industry stack against each other.
So let’s explore which paint brand, Sherwin Williams vs Behr paints, is right for your house painting needs.
1. Offering
Paint colors are more diverse than you think. There are actually over 150 shades of white paint alone!
Both Behr and Sherwin Williams offer an extensive selection of exterior and interior paint colors with many different finishes. If you’re looking for a paint brand with numerous color options, either one of these brands should be right for you.
However, Sherwin Williams offers more than 1,700 colors while Behr offers over 1,400 colors. Also, Sherwin Williams offers custom paint colors that can allow you to pick a unique hue for your space.
2. Durability
The consensus is that, on the topic of Sherwin Williams vs Behr paints, the former is more durable and long-lasting than the latter. This makes Sherwin Williams paints a good choice for areas in your home that have a lot of traffic or if you have kids and pets.
Duration Paint by Sherwi-Williams has exceptional mildew resistance, cracking, peeling, and fading. This paint also has very good color retention, meaning that you won’t need to worry about the color fading any time soon.
Behr paints aren’t as durable as Sherwin Williams, so it would be better to use Behr paints in low-traffic areas of your home like bedrooms or attics.
3. Adhesion
As far as adhesion goes, both these brands have paints that can adhere well to all kinds of surfaces, such as wood and cement sidings. However, regardless of which brand you used to paint your home, the walls must be prepared carefully to ensure that the paint adheres properly.
Also, the types of tools and the method of application will play a major role in how well paint from either one of these brands will adhere to your walls.
That being said, because of their thickness, Behr paints don’t work well with paint rollers. Paints by Sherwin Williams are easier to apply than Behr paints, making them a good choice if you want to get the job done quickly and efficiently.
4. Availability
Home centers like Home Depot account for 74% of paint sales in the USA; this could be because most people find it more convenient to buy paint from a one-stop-shop location. Behr paint in that regard is very easy to get as it’s sold at Home Depot stores and can also be ordered online at Home Depot’s website.
Sherwin Williams paint can only be bought at their own retail stores. While there are nearly 4,000 of these stores in the country, most people would prefer to shop at places where they can buy paint and other things.
So if you don’t have a Sherwin Williams store in your immediate area or if you don’t want to go to a specific shop just to buy paint, Behr may be more accessible.
However, you can still order Sherwin Williams paints online, but only from their online store.
5. Coverage
Both Behr and Sherwin Williams paints are on the thicker side and because of this, their coverage is more limited in comparison to thinner paints. One can of Sherwin Williams paint can cover about 300 square feet while a can of Behr paint may cover about 250 square feet.
Also, the coverage depends on the painting method you use. If you use a paint sprayer, you may get close to the maximum coverage both of these companies offer, which is about 400 square feet.
Since both these brands offer relatively thick paints with powerful pigments, you may only need one coat of paint to get your paint job done. If you don’t want to waste paint and get the best coverage from either of these paint brands, you might want to call a professional painter for the job.
6. Drying Time
Drying time is how long it would take paint to completely dry, not just to the touch, but all the way through. Usually, thinner paints tend to dry faster than thicker paints.
As mentioned before, both Behr and Sherwood-Williams paints are thick paints, and this could affect their drying times. Both Sherwin Williams and Behr paints can take up to 4 hours before a coat of paint becomes dry to the touch.
However, full dry times may take nearly 1 to 2 days, depending on various factors, such as the weather, the application method, and the number of coatings used.
7. Shelf Life
In terms of shelf life, Sherwin Williams paints have proven to have a longer shelf life than Behr paints. Unopened cans of Behr paint can last 2 years while unopened Sherwin Williams paint has a shelf life of 3 years.
This is an important factor to consider when you’re looking for paints that you can store away for a long time until you want to use them again. On the topic of Sherwin Williams vs Behr paints, Sherwin Williams paints may be a better choice if you want to buy paints and keep them aside to use at a later date.
8. Price
Sherwin Williams vs Behr paints, Sherwin Williams paints are more expensive. Some Sherwin Williams paints may be at least $10 more expensive per gallon than Behr paints.
So in this case, for large paint jobs, like painting an entire home, Sherwin Williams paints may be too expensive.
If you’re on a tight budget, however, you might want to consider Behr paints. They offer good quality for an affordable price. Behr paints are still on the expensive side, but their prices don’t usually go as high as Sherwin Williams paints.
9. VOC Content
Volatile Organic Compounds, also called VOCs for short, are harmful compounds that are found in most paints. After the paint dries, these compounds can become airborne and pollute your indoor air.
What’s worse is that VOCs can cause allergic reactions, irritate eyes, and cause nausea in sensitive people with medical conditions like asthma. High VOC paints will not be safe to use for indoor painting, especially when you have kids, elders, and pets living with you.
Both Sherwin Williams and Behr paints have relatively low VOC levels in their paints, but Behr paints have a higher VOC than Sherwin Williams paints. Sherwin Williams even has some zero VOC paints in its offerings.
The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that paints with VOC levels in paints should be under 6.67632 oz/gal. Both Sherwin Williams and Behr paints have 0.667632 oz of VOCs per gallon, making both brands a good choice if you’re worried about VOC levels.
10. Vibrancy and Accuracy
Simply choosing a color for your next home painting project won’t be enough—you need to observe how accurate and vibrant the colors are. Not only are vibrant and accurate paint colors pleasant to the eyes, but they can also boost your home’s curb appeal, which can be helpful when you’re planning on putting your home on the market.
Both Sherwin Williams and Behr have paint formulas that put vibrancy and color accuracy first for interior painting.
Behr also has online tools that help customers get accurate color reproduction and compare colors under different lighting conditions. Sherwin Williams also offers a similar tool called the ColorSnap® system, which can help customers get vibrant and accurate results when choosing colors.
11. Cleaning
If you have small children, there’s always a chance that your little ones might draw something on your painted walls. Crayons and even erasable marker ink can be a chore to take off your walls and will require some thorough cleaning.
Unfortunately, not all interior paints are resistant to frequent cleaning. However, Sherwin Williams paints are considered to be much easier to clean than Behr paints thanks to their exceptional durability.
Behr paints aren’t as hardy as Sherwin Williams paints and they don’t withstand scrubbing very well.
Sherwin Williams vs Behr paint: What should you choose?
Judging by everything we’ve covered, Sherwin Williams wins out regarding durability, color options, VOC levels and cleaning. However, depending on your needs, Behr paints might be better suited for you.
Here are a few factors to consider when choosing the right paint brand:
1. Cost-Effectiveness
When it comes to choosing paint brands, quality should always be your priority. Both Sherwin Williams and Behr produce high-quality paints, but Sherwin Williams is the more expensive of the two.
If you want a paint job that will stand the test of time, you may want to go for the brand that produces more durable and longer-lasting paints, even if it’s expensive. When paints are durable, you won’t have to worry about spending money on repainting for a long time.
If you’re on a tight budget and you have a relatively large home to paint, however, you may want to go for a cheaper brand to save money. Also, going for a cheaper brand might be a good idea if you don’t plan on sticking with the same paint color for too long.
2. Accessibility
As we’ve mentioned earlier, Behr paints can be bought at Home Depot outlets, which may be more convenient for most people.
Sherwin Williams paints can only be bought from their own stores and if you don’t have a Sherwin Williams store nearby, you will have to order it online.
Also, if you’re not confident in making online purchases, you may want to choose a paint brand that you can readily buy from a common physical store like Home Depot or a similar home center.
3. Eco-Friendliness
In addition to affecting our health, VOCs can potentially affect the environment as well. VOCs can contribute to air pollution and smog. Also, if they get into the water, they could affect marine life and cause damage to underwater ecosystems.
According to a recent survey, 75% of Americans try to live an eco-conscious lifestyle. If you’re part of this percentage, you can contribute towards protecting the environment, and using low-VOC paints is a good start.
4. Anti-Bacterial Capabilities
Fungi, mold, and bacteria can grow on walls that are exposed to moisture. Mold and fungi can release millions of spores into the air and this can affect your indoor air quality and be harmful to you and your family.
Most high-quality paints come with anti-bacterial capabilities that help keep these unwanted growths off your walls. Many Sherwin Williams paints come with antibacterial ingredients, which is something Behr doesn’t offer at the moment.
What not to do when choosing paints for your home
Choosing paint for your home can be tricky, regardless of which brand you choose. Here are a few things that you should not do when you shop for house paints:
1. Don’t rely too much on small color swatches
While small color swatches may be an easy and convenient way to compare colors and see how the color will look on your wall, they’re not very accurate.
Colors may look different on larger surfaces. For instance, some colors may appear darker or more saturated when applied to an entire room as compared to how they look on a small swatch.
Consider using online tools, like those offered by Sherwin Williams and Behr to get a better idea of how the paint will look when covering a full wall. Alternatively, you could speak to a professional painting company to help you choose the perfect color for your home based on its architecture and your preferences.
2. Don’t ignore the power of lighting
Different paint colors and even brands of paint can look different depending on lighting conditions. Always make sure to test how the paint will look under different lighting conditions before making your choice.
Sometimes, you may need to use different colors and hues for your home’s interiors depending on how much light each room receives.
3. Don’t ignore paint trends
Even if you have a specific paint color in mind, you should ignore the current paint trends. Making your home look unique by giving it a paint job that matches your personality is fun and creative, but might not always work out from an aesthetic perspective.
Also, choosing an exterior paint color that goes against current trends may negatively affect your home’s curb appeal and value—this could turn away potential buyers.
Another thing to consider is that some colors and color schemes might not be accepted by your neighborhood authorities, so make sure to speak to them about which colors are allowed before you go ahead with the paint job.
Sherwin Williams vs Behr paint: Who is the winner?
Both Sherwin Williams and Behr paints are made according to the highest industry standards, making them the top 2 paint manufacturers in the country. Both brands of paint have their upsides and downsides so you need to weigh the benefits of both before choosing which brand of paint is the best for your home.
So when it comes to Sherwin Williams vs Behr paint, Behr paint is undoubtedly the more affordable of the two and Behr paints are widely available at home centers like Home Depot. However, you’ll need to make some compromises when using Behr paint. Unlike their counterpart, Behr paints aren’t as durable and they don’t have exceptional vibrancy and color accuracy.
Also, Behr paints don’t have antibacterial capabilities, making them a poor choice for homes in areas where rain is frequent, unlike Sherwin Williams paints.
On the contrary, Sherwin Williams paint is more expensive, making it less accessible for homeowners who are on a tight budget. If you want paint that has good quality but won’t put a dent in your wallet, Behr paint might be the more reasonable choice.
Either way, when choosing the right brand of paint for your home, you should consider weighing the benefits. If you’re looking for high-quality and impressive durability, Sherwin Williams may be the right choice for you. However, if you prioritize affordability and convenience, Behr paints may work better for you.
Speak with a professional painting company
If you’re having trouble choosing between Sherwin Williams vs Behr paints, a professional painting company may be able to help you. Here’s how they may help you decide:
1. Painting Project Assessments
A good painting company will look into a variety of factors regarding your painting project to help you decide which paint brand is right for you. These can include what kind of material was used in the construction of your home, the condition of your walls, and what kinds of finishes are best suited for your home.
2. Brand Partnerships
Oftentimes, well-known painting companies collaborate with popular painting brands. They will be able to offer you competitive prices for paints to use on your next paint jobs and even recommend which types of paint made by the brand they’ve partnered with will be right for you.
3. Color Consultation
Both Sherwin Williams and Behr offer a large number of colors options, but some colors offered by one may not be offered by the other. Also, deciding on which color you want for your home can be a challenge if you aren’t very color savvy.
Professional painting companies can help you decide which colors are the best for your home; based on your preferences, your home’s architectural style, and also your neighborhood’s aesthetics. They may also recommend paint brands that produce the kinds of colors that work for you.
4. Product Knowledge
Painting companies who have been in the business may have knowledge about certain paint brands that most people don’t. They may know about particular strengths and weaknesses paints from certain brands that they’ve discovered after working with them for so long.
In this case, professional painters may give you their unbiased opinions about different paint brands to help you choose which one works best for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
See below for some commonly asked questions:
1. What type of paint finish is best for kitchens and bathrooms?
Semi-gloss works best for these parts of the house because it can repel the mixture and is easy to clean.
2. Should I consider getting a primer too when shopping for paints?
Yes, you should. Primer helps cover up imperfections in your walls and it can also help the paint stick better.
3. Is it okay to mix two different brands of paints?
No, two paints from different brands may not have the same quality and properties. It’s best to stick with just one brand of paint for mixing.
Sherwin Williams vs Bher paints: Choose carefully
When it comes to paint brands, your beautiful home deserves only the very best. These painting brands have been in the business for many decades and they’ve provided high-quality paints for homeowners all over the country—you can’t go wrong with either of them.
So if you’re on the hunt for the best brand of paint for your home, make sure to choose carefully and maybe ask a company that provides interior and exterior painting services in San Diego to help you out.
