Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin Williams And Why It Doesn’t Matter
Whichever You Choose To Paint Your Ann Arbor Home With, It All Comes Down To Quality
It’s true. When it comes to Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin Williams there isn’t much of a difference unless you buy based on one thing.
Find out what it is in the post below-
It Never Ends
“It’s the Heinz vs Hunts ketchup argument all over again,” Patty sighs.
Jeff frowns at Tyler. “And just like Heinz is superior, so is Benjamin Moore.” Tyler frowns back twice as hard. “You definitely just meant to say Hunts and Sherwin Williams.”
The two are trying to decide what paint to use for the house interior. They managed to get past agreeing on color but this brand issue could be worse (learn how to make choosing a paint color easier).
“Fine, let’s use Google to settle it. We can look up Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin Williams and see which paint brand is actually better,” Jeff suggests. Tyler takes out his phone and does some searching.
Here is what they find-
Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin Williams: Which Paint Is Best?
The best paint between Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin Williams is either of them. When it comes to the paint they both work very well. There may be slight differences in one product vs another but only a professional painter could tell. Benjamin Moore stores are locally owned while Sherwin Williams stores are corporate-owned.
What it really comes down to is quality. You get what you pay for and if you buy cheap paint you’ll get a cheap paint job. Buy quality paint and you’ll get a quality look.
Todd Tribble’s Professional Opinion
I’ve used both brands and they both work equally well. It’s more about the quality of the paint than it is about the brand. Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams are the best out there and I’d use either. Designers may have a preference though.
- Benjamin Moore’s Aura and Regal Select lines both have great coverage and I love the fact that they both touch up very easily.
- Sherwin Williams Emerald Designer Edition and Emerald paints cover great as well and they both flow easily off your brush and roller.
Both products are consistently good and come with great customer service. Knowing the person selling me the paint will come out to the job site and help solve any problem that might arise is priceless.
Our clients ask for both and come to us with colors from both companies so we are able to use a wide variety of paints. Whether you decide on Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams if you stick with the premium product for your next project you will be well served.
Which To Use As A Pro vs Homeowner
As a pro, the best paint brand:
- Is consistent in how it flows off my brush and roller
- Has a color tinting system that offers great coverage as well as consistent color from gallon to gallon
- Is one where I can count on the support and knowledge of the people selling me the paint
As a homeowner, the best paint brand:
- Is self-priming
- Covers great
- Isn’t too pricey
Buy the brand that has the product that best fits your project and budget. But, it’s better to save up and get better paint than to paint with low-quality paint. Nobody wants to regret the money and time they spend.
Why To Not Buy Any Other Paint Brand
There’s a reason it’s Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin Williams and not anything else.
These two paint companies spend a lot of money on research and development. They have a product for any need and project.
They’re more expensive because they are of higher quality. Lower quality paints need more coats and more labor. They also don’t last as long so you’ll need to repaint sooner.
You May Also Like To Know
Patty pipes up. “I say we look for a color and paint that matches our needs- shiny, water-resistant, and beautiful.” Tyler and Jeff look at her and then each other in surprise. “You nailed it,” they say together. “Let’s see what else we can learn about paint and painting.”
There are actually big differences between the two that’s more than just branding and locally owned verses corporate. For starters, Benjamin Moore makes their own proprietary brand of colorant for their paints called Gennex. Sherwin Williams uses universal glycol based colorant. The difference is glycol has VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) and Gennex does not. This makes a “VOC free” paint no longer VOC free once tinted at Sherwin Williams. But if VOCs aren’t important to you, there’s also the touch up ability. Glycol gets more shiny as it’s becomes layered. Therefore, if you touch up your walls with the original paint you bought from Sherwin Williams, you’ll always see a slightly shinier spot. Gennex tints blend into themselves but also fortify the paint making a stronger more durable surface with less need for touch up in the first place. However, if you find yourself in need of touching up, the tint will blend right in with the original paint without changing the sheen and the spot will be invisible. There are plenty more differences between the brands and their quality. Having been in the paint business for 20 years, I don’t think it’s a simple as you put it.
Thank you for your informative comment, Melanie! You’re right on all points. There are many differences between the two and this article only touches on some very broad differences. If we write a more technical, in-depth post about the differences we’ll be sure to use this information.
Thank you so muh, Melanie. I have asthma and allergies so VOCs make a difference to me!
Melanie, Sherwin-Williams manufacturers it’s own pigments as well (and has for decades) and for the past 7+ years all water-based products have been tinted exclusively with Zero-VOC pigments (that contain no glycol). Your information is a bit outdated. Furthermore, Sherwin-Williams has led innovation in the Green Space and introduced the first Zero-VOC paint (Harmony) to market in 1999. It was then updated to actually reduce VOC’s from other sources in 2014. I hope that helps clear up any confusion. I have worked in the paint industry on both sides of the counter for over 23 years. Cheers!
Harmony actually has VOCs. If you look on the label it says it. It just passes what the FDA says is the lowest amount of VOCs that a product can have to be advertised as zero VOC. It’s just a sale tactic. It is what folks at S-W are trained to tell people until it comes back on them, and they tell people to read the label.
Hallman Lindsay over both if given the choice.
CCE colorant is what Sherwin Williams uses and it is actually zero VOC. You’re either lying to make Ben Moore sound better or you have been misinformed. Quick google search can prove what I’m saying to be true.
As a 23 year professional painter, I thank you for this article. I KNOW it is super important for the DIY to be very well informed. I have my own preferences per job. I must say, I respect a homeowner who gets involved. If you are selling your home vs. Renting it out vs. Living in, “check out quality’ both stores can match colors!
I’m retired after 43 years in the paint business both working as a painter and for a manufacturer. Anyone that thinks Ben Moore or Sherwin Williams is as good as it gets is dillusional. Both have there strong points, Ben Moore’s enamels are great, S&W’s exterior products are quite good. Neither company’s products touch up consistently especially S&W’s wall paint. It rarely touches up. For the retail DIYr both are extremely overpriced. I always had better luck with regional manufacturers that tested their products where they were applied and didn’t screw you when you paid for it. Shop around, talk to your neighbors, talk to people that make their money painting. Often times they will send you to the local manufacturer not the big name giants.
Just two points I’d like to make,B-M stays on the brush much better than S-W, and the dry film is a lot tougher. Coming from a guy with 50 years at it.
The colors are very important. I have never had a Benjamin Moore color that didn’t look beautiful on the wall. And their eggshell holds up beautifully in high traffic areas and kitchens and baths, but is subtle enough to use to use in any room–you never know when good washability will come in handy. I must add that I have used their products in homes in the Midwest and various parts of CA, including coastal and forested areas that have damp. The paints held up fine despite location and my husband enjoys painting with them–they are not drippy, cover well, and have low VOC.
I think its what quialty of paint u buy from the company i used S W. 200 brand its alright but only about 20 bucks , and u used S W Superpaint way better, one coat will cover but i like two lighter coats myself and around 30 bucks, Contractor price. I never used BM. paint.
I’m currently in the middle of painting project and I’m having the worst luck with covering light color that is a Clark & Kensington with a dark Navy that is Sherwin Williams. I used the super paint not-so-super complained management gave me a hard time at first so I decided to go ahead and buy the Cashmere level as that is the recommended brand for next Hide and stop finish for the 2021 paint and color. And then decided to take my complaint about the super paint to corporate level and Sherwin Williams offered to give me Emerald for free which I took it doesn’t go on any better than the super paint level all in all Sherwin Williams for me is awful!
Harmony actually has VOCs. If you look on the label it says it. It just passes what the FDA says is the lowest amount of VOCs that a product can have to be advertised as zero VOC. It’s just a sale tactic. It is what folks at S-W are trained to tell people until it comes back on them, and they tell people to read the label.
Sherwin Has a nice Decent paints..However there is a certain brush and Roller needed too apply well or they leave brush marks ect…thats the bad thing…so on top of the price being Hi..u gotta spend more
….I love Dun Edwards I never have a problem with it..Nor do i with Ben Moore..D.E IS 0 VOC..MORE SOLIDS AND PIGAMENTS THEN SHERWIN
I just have to say that over half of comments really shouldn’t both BM and S-W have superior paints. Personally for S-W Emerald matte is one of my favorite at 42$ a gal BM Aurora is a favorite but 80$ a gal as most do not give a price break and if they do they do not come close to S-W so as they both cover excellent in one coat the cost go’s to S-W also honesty I think Emerald paint flows on brush and roller better. Emerald urethane trim enamel I think can’t be beat, as a non painter can use and still have no brush marks but everyone has there options I also think Pittsburg and California paints are also great
idk where you live, but in indy emerald is 74/gallon… and has a sheen more like a satin.
He was quoting contractor prices. Homeowners can get close to that if there’s a 40% off sale – which Sherwin-Williams hasn’t really had in 2021, due to demand and difficulties with supply chain.
I did forget to mention that S-W Emerald matte was designed for bathroom and kitchen for the great ability to be washable, as we all know flat is not washable. So if you have ever used the Emerald matte and got it on your hands, then you know how hard it is to wash off .
I’ve always used BM.
However, I like to change it up so I don’t go through life always believing everything I think bc it’s what I’ve always done…
I just finished my kitchen in SW Emerald Matte. Fresh drywall so applied two coats after two coats primer. It’s stunning, crisp and beautiful and not a single drip with 3/8 roller. True test will be after I have to touch up in a few months. I may end up switching back to BM if it’s true that layered SW adds a sheen! That’s discouraging!
I switched to BM after getting sick of using the big orange box store paint. I can say that there is a big difference, the Behr paint was not have consistency from can to can and would splatter everywhere. After using BM once I decided to never switch back, it is quicker and easier to apply. I have never tried SW, BM is readily available in may area just 5 min down the street from me. I have also found that BM has better coverage then Behr, so taking that into account it is not any more expensive.
Great article and thanks to all who have left informative comments. As a DIY-er who just bought a new house, it’s incredibly useful to learn more about options, VOCs, and in particular, touch up challenges. I have many rooms to paint in the coming months so a great quality, long lasting paint is critical.
Thank you for this article and the ability to hear comments from pros and homeowners about the quality of these two paints.
I am hiring painting of interior of my remodeled home: 1825 sf, ceilings, walls, closets, doors, trim & cabinets. I have a dilemma as I have chosen to use Ben Moore paint & colors and painter uses Sherwin Williams. He gets almost 50% discount on SW paint. After checking with two nearby BM dealers, he says best discount is about 10%. If I insist on BM paint, my cost increases approximately $1500!! Why don’t BM dealers work with contractors??
Because SW rips off anybody that is not a contractor by their overpricing. BM keeps it at more of an even level so everybody is better off.
that’s exactly correct!!! SW has slowly gobbled up every competitor. taken over Lowes paint market (they own valspar) they bought purdy, and no longer sell wooster brushes.. and now, neither does Lowes. They are the Menard paint Conoco, they own Martin Senour and other “regional” players. My beloved ICI forced out of US market, and Benjamin Moore is relegated to selling out of hardware stores because they can not afford to compete with storefront. PPG… just as bad. i will not do business with either SW or PPG
As a DIY-er for 30+ years, I must say that I LOVE BM Advance for trim work, It’s a water-based paint that looks and performs like oil-based.
I appreciate all the information given, I wish someone would have elaborated on the pigment in the colors, I’m not sure if some paint distributors/sales are just better at photography or if there’s something to their paints that make them look richer? I’ve been searching for the perfect white paint, and it appears the only stores that have what I would like aren’t located in Michigan? Farrow & Ball or Dunn Edwards? So what is it creative photography, or are there actually superior paints that are actually of better quality than those that have been discussed above, like SW and BM?
Omg. You literally took all the words out of my mouth and just described my exact predicament 😩…
Down to finding the perfect white color. Uncanny
Ok….this discussion is ridiculous. I’ve been in the home remodel business for 11 years. Many of you that are responding are 50 plus years as a pro painter……we do everything and also paint everything we do wether it’s a bathroom or a kitchen or custom shelves. So when it comes to finishes……I care about the final product and what that means is we’ve tried all know kinds of paints. I don’t want to rely on what people say is their best paint I want to experience it for myself. So white all that said……I actually use different brands for different applications. I believe that there are certain companies that do certain things better than others. When it comes to ceilings.,…I use Behr ultra white….best ceiling paint I’ve ever used. Tried all other companies and they are the best by far.
For walls I use SW Duration for satin or emerald flat for a non bathroom or kitchen.
For trim I use Behr Alkyd. For r primer I use Zinzer 123.
So as you can see I use several different companies for what I believe from my own experience are the best and my go-to products that gives us a great finish.
What I don’t like about BM is that they are not corporate owned so if I’m working at a customers house somewhere and I need paint them I would have to find a “Joe’s Smo” mom and pop store to buy paint. Really odd. You see what’s great about SW is that if I paint a customers house I always put in the customers name as a job name and they could move across the state and go to their SW near them and they will find me in their system and find their name and all the colors we’ve painted their walls with. To me that’s priceless.
The BM paint supply stores near me are just as professional and corporate looking as the SW stores.
I’ve been painting for 80 years and the best paint is Glidden
Like Love both paints and have used them for 40 years. I use Satin Impervo for my trim. My only problem with Sherrington Williams is the last 30 to 40 stores I have visited are all out of paint. I always ask them when they will get more and they look at me like stupid question and say I don’t know! I just do not get how a paint store like Sherwood Williams can be out of paint so often!! Other than that I Love both paint stores!
Ben Moore – great customer service – are you Kidding!. i had a technical question on the use of Ben Moore spec as an overcoat for calcimine. I called their “tech Line” or whatever and got a voice in India – polite yes, but not knowledgeable. He started to read the data available on line. That’s all he knew. I asked point blank if he had ever painted a ceiling in his life and got an honest “no” as the answer. He did not even know what calcimne was or what I was asking. I have no Idea what Sherwin-Williams customer service is like, but I ca tell you from personal experience, that Ben Moore’s is a joke.
80 bucks a gal. And its all crap. We’re is the 1 coat paint we had. I’ll tell you they found out they make a lot more money if they just fu#% you and sell you water down paint. Thats is why they work so hard with this type of ad..THEIR IS ONLY A FUE COMPINEYS THAT MAKE PAINT AND THEIR ALL. ARE IN BED TOGHER