Premium paint lasts longer

Premium paint holds up. Budget paint doesn't.

Cheap paint fades, chalks, and peels within a few years. Premium paint resists UV damage, moisture, and wear, keeping your walls looking fresh for a decade or more. M.A. Smith Painting uses quality materials that actually protect your home. A homeowner in Granite Bay told us recently that all paint is basically the same — it's just marketing. He wanted to use the cheapest option to save money. We told him we understood, then gently talked him out of it before he made a very expensive mistake. The problem with cheap paint isn't always obvious on day one. It's what happens six months later, or two years later, or when you try to clean a smudge off the wall and half the finish comes with it. Homeowners ask us all the time: Is expensive paint really worth it? Can't I just do more coats of cheap paint? What's the actual difference? Here's the truth. Premium paint has higher-quality resins, better pigments, and more coverage per gallon. That means fewer coats, better hide, more durability, and easier cleaning. Cheap paint is mostly filler. You'll need three or four coats to get the same coverage you'd get with two coats of premium paint, and even then, the finish won't look as good or last as long. We use Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams premium lines for almost all our interior work. Not because we get a kickback — we don't. But because after 15 years of doing this, we know which paints hold up and which ones start looking tired after a year. California also has strict VOC regulations, which is a good thing for indoor air quality. The premium lines we use are low-VOC or zero-VOC, which means you're not breathing in harmful chemicals while the paint cures. Another factor is color accuracy. Cheap paint doesn't hold pigment as well, so the color you see on the chip isn't necessarily the color you'll get on the wall. And it fades faster, especially in rooms with a lot of sunlight — which is most rooms in Sacramento and surrounding areas. If you're doing a rental property or a flip, okay, maybe you can get away with cheaper paint. But if this is your home and you're planning to live in it for more than a few years, premium paint is worth every penny.