A Cover-Up Job: The Unconventional Truth about Choosing Paint

Seeking out one of the most highly-rated professionals in the business, I already knew when I talked to Todd Lempe of Project Paint that there was a world of difference between how the average homeowner and professional painters approached choosing paint for their respective projects. What I didn't know was the legitimate reasons behind these differences. Here's what I learned and what homeowners should know about the Dutch Boys of the world before they buy their paint, whether it's a DIY project or a hired job.

Accept the Fact that You are Not a Professional Painter, much less Monet
Contrary to many truisms, you shouldn't look at the pros when deciding what paint to use for your home. Sherwin Williams' top paint, SuperPaint, is generally loved by homeowners for its thick consistency and easy application. Professional painters tend to loath it, however. In the painting world, with experience comes finesse, and professionals tend to prefer a thinner paint that has more "feel" to it.

To illustrate this point, suppose you want to paint a picture of your home for your pen pal halfway across the world. Would you attempt, without any specific experience, to render an impressionistic rendering of the house, just because that's the way Monet would have done it? If so, you certainly wouldn't be able to expect similar results from your painting. Moreover, the painting might not even resemble your house, the way it would with a more straightforward approach.

This skill, of course, also explains why the professionals are so good at what they do. While they may not be Rembrandts, either, the pros offer more in terms of quality than simply being able to edge well and protect your floors. The overall quality in terms of even application or, if desired, decorative effects is something most homeowners simply aren't capable of.

Understanding Price in Terms of Paint Products
When homeowners go shopping for paint, they often look at the price of the paint as an indication of its quality. Often, they end up making a wise decision for the wrong reasons. They see paint priced at $13/gallon and paint priced for $26/gallon and think the latter must be far superior. Todd explains this wisdom is true only in a very limited sense. "Price does have an affect on quality, but not as much as most people think." Of course, he goes on to explain that, in one sense at least, splurging on higher quality paint is common sense. "It's silly to consider buying cheap materials when you're painting your home or anything architectural. For the change it produces, the investment should be made." For the typical homeowner, this may mean more than just the paint itself. Higher-end rollers, brushes, and any other necessary supplies should not be the Achilles heel of your paint, your home, or its decorating scheme.

Tough Choices for "Green" Painting
Many times, "green" or eco-friendly home improvement choices are presented as no-brainers. Why not save the environment when it costs nothing to choose an eco-friendly alternative? The same can not be said about paint. Although many paints contain what are known as Volatile Organic Compounds (V.O.C.s), which are harmful to the environment when released into the atmosphere, the alternative is something left to be desired. Not only is the price of these zero V.O.C. paints higher, but the quality of these paints suffer as well. Speaking to performance, Todd estimates that you lose about 20-25% of the paint's quality by choosing the zero V.O.C. Indicating the consistency of this paint, he says, "When you're talking about zero VOC, you could drink that stuff," although he concedes the quality of zero V.O.C. paint has gotten better since its inception. Needless to say, this is less than ideal for long-lasting, vibrant coverage of your residential walls.

The bigger issue, Todd points out, is the paint's base. Latex paints aren't particularly harmful in terms of V.O.C.s, whereas solvent-based paints are the worst. Buy a solvent-based paint, and "relatively low" V.O.C.s may still be a problem. By making a wise decision in the type of paint you choose, on the other hand, you can buy the original stuff without resorting to self-flagellation.

Trusted Brand Names Can't Compete with Niche Manufacturers
Here's another way in which paint differs from much of the home improvement industry and the conventional wisdom surrounding it. There's nothing wrong with trusted and nationwide paint manufacturers. They offer quality paint for reasonable prices (some slightly better paint, some slightly lower prices). There is no paint, however, that will perform the same in Phoenix, AZ as it does in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Although Todd is happy to work with any paint or product a homeowner wishes, when the homeowner asks what paint products he recommends, often he suggests Kwal or Frazee. Why? While it always depends on the situation, but these paint manufacturers produce paints specifically designed and tested for his region—central Colorado and the Mountain West.

At the same time, know that niche doesn't have to mean small or unknown. A paint manufacturer, such as Dunn-Edwards, that manufacturers paint for the American Southwest that generated $300 million in revenue last year, may not be what many laypersons consider a "niche" company. Still, the same benefits apply. These obvious benefits of buying paint that is specifically tailored for your local climate can be as big as they are easy to achieve.

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