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A quick coat of paint can take a home, room, or project from stale to stunning. Deciding between paint brands such as Behr vs Benjamin Moore can affect the way a project turns out.
I’ve researched these two brands’ interior paints to clarify the difficult parts and help a consumer make the right decision for whatever their painting needs are.
This guide was created to help consumers find a clear understanding of the differences, features, and alternative options with these two paint brands. I’ll also address frequently asked questions about these paints.
Main Differences Between Behr vs Benjamin Moore Paint
The main differences between Behr and Benjamin Moore paints are:
- Behr has a variety of paints, both oil and water-based, whereas Benjamin Moore Paints are exclusively waterborne paints.
- Behr has low-cost options in their water-based paints, whereas Benjamin Moore has a consistently higher price.
- Behr is available at any Home Depot store around the country, whereas Benjamin Moore only sells their paints at certified retailers.
- The lower-cost Behr paints will take more than one coat, whereas Benjamin Moore will go on with one coat.
- Behr has over 4,000 paint color options, whereas Benjamin Moore has about 3,500.
Even though both brands are very popular and offer great quality, we ultimately chose Benjamin Moore to be the better brand of the two as it features greater durability, fewer coats, and it's generally easier to spread and all that at a better, lower price.
Exploring Features of Behr and Benjamin Moore Paint
Even though both of these paints have many comparable features, they do not perform the same. Here’s an in-depth look into how these two paints compare.
Number of Coats Required
There’s a large variety in the Bher brand within their paint qualities. Water-based paints such as Behr’s Premium Plus paint and primer will take more than one coat to achieve desired results. At the same time, Behr’s Dynasty is a premium one-coat paint that’s also stain-repellent, scuff-resistant, and fast-drying.
The plus side to water-based paints is easy clean-up when painting, whereas oil-based paints will need a paint stripper or special paint cleaning product to fix. This includes washing paintbrushes and rollers.
This is where Benjamin Moore’s paint really shines. With their special waterborne paints, a consumer gets the quality of one coat, oil-based paints with the ease of water-based clean-up. In addition, because the price is consistent with the higher-quality Behr paint, it makes this paint a good choice.
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Expertise
Because Behr paints can be found at any Home Depot, employees are trained for the store chair rather than the paint alone. This can be helpful if a project requires more than painting, but it’s risky if a consumer has questions that an employee at Home Depot may answer incorrectly.
Although the Behr website has a more detailed customer service and expert section, consumers are more likely to ask questions while in the store talking to an employee.
Benjamin Moore only sells their paints at approved stores where the employees have been thoroughly trained in understanding the features of their paints. So it’s clear that when buying this paint, the best direction and help will be given.
The downside is this paint is much harder to access. The good news is, these paints and samples are sold online with the same care and expertise given through their customer service.
Flexibility
Behr carries varying hues in ten color families with four different interior paint-type choices. Once sheen and gloss are factored in, there are over 4,000 choices.
Thankfully, it’s easy to enter any home depot store and glance at the paints offered. In each store, there’s a wall full of paint samples that are free to take home. In the past, I’ve taped these paint samples to my wall to compare and contrast different shades as well as see them in different lighting.
If it’s too much trouble to go into a store, Behr also offers color selection guides on their website. Sometimes these guides are the best place to start as they also provide inspiration for consumer projects.
Benjamin Moore has the most comprehensive color picking guide I’ve seen on any paint website, and I’ve looked at quite a few. With choices to not only look by their twelve color families but also by bestselling, collection, or brochure, it’s taken the guesswork out of picking the correct shade, whether or not a consumer is looking to be on-trend.
Drying Time
Behr claims to be one of the fastest drying paints out there. This is great if one is looking to finish a project in a specific time frame or if it’s a tricky project, such as painting the inside of a kitchen cabinet.
No matter what, it’s going to take eight hours to dry before another coat can be applied thoroughly.
Benjamin Moore paint will have a longer drying time on average. Although the paint is very high quality, because of its unique formula, drying will take longer. For this paint, at least twenty-four hours is needed before a second coat can be applied, especially if it’s a semi-gloss paint.
Longevity
Lower-quality Bher paints will not last as long. Water-based paints, in general, do not stick as well, especially in humid rooms like bathrooms. Living in a humid climate will also keep the paint from sticking as well as it should.
If a consumer tends to change their mind about style a lot, water-based buying paint might not be a bad thing. However, too many coats of paint can damage a home, and removing the previous coat is a good option.
Higher-quality Bher paints will hold if a consumer wants something to really stick to the wall and look smooth.
Benjamin Moore Paints are some of the longest-lasting paints on the market. With these paints, a consumer will only need to paint once, and the walls will stay looking nice for a very long time.
Even though both brands are very popular and offer great quality, we ultimately chose Benjamin Moore to be the better brand of the two as it features greater durability, fewer coats, and it's generally easier to spread and all that at a better, lower price.
Comparing Behr and Benjamin Moore – Pricing
Behr has many low-cost paint options that are of mid-range quality. The higher quality paints Bher offers are reasonable in price compared to other paint brands.
Considering Behr rates better than brands of similar prices, it’s good value.
Benjamin Moore is slightly more expensive than other high-quality paints. Because their waterborne formula is patented and exclusive to the Benjamin Moore brand, it sets it apart from any other paint.
Behr vs. Benjamin Moore – Ease of Use
Behr paint is easily accessible at Home Depot locations scattered throughout the country. All the tools needed for any project can also be found in the same store. This makes using this paint easy.
As long as all the correct tools are used, and the paint roller is not dry or over-filled, this paint will have a great finish as long as the appropriate amount of coats are used. Because some Bher paints need more than one coat, and that makes this paint slightly more difficult.
Benjamin Moore paints might be harder to find in-store, but the ease of use is a huge plus for this brand because it can be cleaned off the brushes and rollers while still holding onto the longevity.
It’s also easier because Benjamin Moore only needs one coat, and therefore will be less work overall.
Pros and Cons of Behr
Pros
- High Variety
- Lower price options
- Easy to find
Cons
- Some paints are lower quality
- Harder to find a field expert
Pros and Cons of Benjamin Moore
Pros
- Unique Waterborne formula
- Excellent color picking guide
- Very high quality
- Only field experts can sell it
Cons
- Harder to find in store
- Longer drying time
Are There Any Alternative Options?
When it comes to painting, there are many choices other than Behr or Benjamin Moore. So it’s good to know what’s on the market to make the correct choice.
Sherwin Williams
Sherwin Williams is a high-quality oil-based paint that only requires one coat. This paint can be found at Sherwin Williams store throughout the country, as well as a spin-off brand called HGTV Home found at Lowes. You can also find competitive pricing for Sherwin Williams at Zoro.
See how Sherwin Williams Compare to Valspar.
Valspar
Valspar is comparable to Behr in many ways but is not as highly rated. The quality of this paint is lower than both Behr and Benjamin Moore but is not the worst option on the market.
Read our full Valspar vs Behr comparison.
Rust preventative. Offers greater gloss retention and superior rust protection as compared to other low VOC competitors. This product is manufactured in the United States.
Colorplace
Colorplace paint can be found at Walmart for an extremely discounted price. Along with the affordability, however, comes a serious downgrade in quality. The paint often goes on patchy and will peel off if placed near a shower or other humid space. As a result, I wouldn’t recommend using this paint.
Glidden
Glidden is another Home Depot brand of paint one step below Behr. I wouldn’t say it’s the worst paint (That honor goes to Colorplace for me), but it’s not the best either. The good thing about having several brands is a variety of choices. Colors not found in Behr can be found with Glidden.
PPG
PPG is also a Home Depot brand. It’s two steps down from Behr in both quality and price but is still a decent paint.
Backdrop
The backdrop is a high-quality paint comparable in both price and coverage to Sherwin-Williams. This paint can only be purchased online and comes with free shipping. Backdrop also features low-priced paint samples that adhere to walls in sticker form.
The sticker paint samples can come in handy for seeing how a color looks in the lighting of your home. Sherwin Williams and Valspar also offer this service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Why is Benjamin Moore Paint So Expensive?
Answer: This is a great question—one I personally have wondered about myself. The makeup of paint is something not always considered when looking at paint brands. The patented waterborne paint formula is the only one of its kind in the industry.
Because this formula is harder to make and develop, the cost of this paint will be higher.
Factoring in the way it’s sold also adds some conditional price changes. It’s not cheap to truly train employees to understand this paint, but Benjamin Moore is meticulous in this area. The cost is going to be higher because it comes tied together with expert advice. In a way, that makes this paint worth the value.
Question: Why is Behr’s Paint So Thick?
Answer: Thicker paints are actually better quality for painting. If doing exterior paint and using a sprayer, this paint can be diluted with water. Keep in mind that doing so will affect the overall quality and longevity of the paint.
Rolling and brushing are better options for using this paint. Sprayers might not get the desired appearance in the end, either. Sticking with rollers and brushes might take longer, but the lasting results are worth it.
Question: Does Behr or Benjamin Moore Have a Higher Rating?
Answer: Benjamin Moore paint is more highly rated overall for its quality. It consistently rates in the higher star range than other paints. Behr doesn’t have a horrible star rating, although it is less than Benjamin Moore. When put head to head—and without factoring in cost—Benjamin Moore will perform better and have longer-lasting durability than Behr.
Question: Will Behr Paint Peel?
Answer: If buying water-based paint, Behr paint will peel over time in more humid areas. Although it’s more money, buying paint that isn’t just water-based is the best choice for longevity. Thankfully Behr does carry higher-quality paints that won’t peel.
When picking out a Behr paint, make sure to read the labels carefully to pick the right paint for the project.
Question: Can You Retint Benjamin Moore?
Answer: The short answer is yes. If a consumer isn’t happy with the paint color once taken home, a simple trip back to the store will allow the employees to change the tint of the color chosen.
This is where having many stores that carry the brand comes in handy. Unless they sell Benjamin Moore nearby, this is a difficult thing to do. The plus side, however, is that a consumer can have confidence in the retint knowing the Benjamin Moore employee is fully trained.
Question: How Do I KnowWhich Paint Color is Right?
Answer: Both Benjamin Moore and Behr have so many paint color options picking the right color can be a very difficult choice. Of course, the biggest factor is a personal preference.
It can be easy to pick a trend color that will look unflattering in a decade. Therefore, it’s important to make sure the color is something classy enough to be enjoyed for a long time to come.
Homes with neutral paint colors tend to sell better as it appeals to a larger homeownership base. It also allows the buyer to picture how they want the home to look in the future.
Question: How Many Gallons of Paint Should I Buy?
Answer: Two gallons of paint can cover up to 800 square feet. Buying lower quality paint will lead to higher costs as more paint is needed for more coats. Buying five-gallon paint buckets is a great option for saving money and covering more space.
If a consumer is unsure about paint color choice, it’s possible to buy sample paint buckets to place on a wall and get a better idea of what will look great.
Verdict – Behr is Better Bang for Your Buck
I’ve been very impressed with what Benjamin Moore has to offer, but ultimately those things don’t matter to me as much as accessibility and variety. Behr is also slightly cheaper but still offers high-quality paint.
I personally would choose their Dynasty line as it has many features I look for in my home. As a dad of two children and a dog, the stain-resistant durable paint for a value cost is what ultimately led me to choose this paint over Benjamin Moore.
Whatever your project, I hope this article has brought clarity to painting issues one might face.
