What Makes Paint Good or Bad?
A Professional Guide to Paint Quality

Most homeowners don’t really know what separates a high-quality paint from a lower-quality paint. The truth is, plenty of contractors don’t fully understand the differences either.

Paint quality involves much more than the brand name or price printed on the can. The quality of the resins, pigments, solids, additives, and overall formulation can affect how well a paint covers, how it looks, and how long it protects the surface.

I grew up around the paint industry. My mother worked as an outside sales representative for a paint company for roughly 30 years, so I spent a lot of time in paint stores and became interested in paint, coatings technology, spray equipment, and the science behind these products.

Over the years, we’ve purchased an enormous amount of paint ourselves and have also had opportunities to visit paint manufacturing facilities and see how coatings are actually made.

So, what really makes one paint better than another?

Paint Quality Starts With What Is Left Behind

One of the most important concepts to understand when comparing paint quality is solids content.

When paint is applied to a wall, siding, trim, or another surface, some of the product evaporates during the drying process. What remains on the surface forms the protective paint film.

Those remaining ingredients are generally referred to as the paint’s solids.

Manufacturers commonly provide two measurements:

• Solids by volume
• Solids by weight

Generally, the amount and quality of useful solids help determine how much actual coating remains on the surface once the paint has dried.

However, a higher solids percentage alone does not automatically mean a paint is better. The quality and composition of those solids are equally important.

What Is Paint Made Of?

Although specific formulations vary by manufacturer and product, most architectural paints contain four basic categories of ingredients.

1. Pigments

Pigments provide the paint’s color and contribute to opacity and hiding power. The type, amount, and quality of pigments can significantly influence how well a paint covers the existing surface.

2. Binders and Resins

Binders, also known as resins, help hold the coating together and attach it to the surface.

Resin technology can affect important performance characteristics such as:

• Adhesion
• Durability
• Flexibility
• Weather resistance
• Washability
• Overall film strength

For exterior applications in particular, the quality of the resin can play an important role in how the coating performs over time.

3. Liquids and Carriers

Liquids allow paint to be applied using brushes, rollers, or spray equipment.

As the coating dries, much of the liquid evaporates, leaving behind the pigments, binders, and other solids that form the finished paint film.

4. Additives

Paint manufacturers use additives to modify or improve specific characteristics of a coating.

Depending on the product, additives may help improve:

• Flow and leveling
• Drying characteristics
• Mildew resistance
• Stain resistance
• Application properties
• Surface appearance

The exact combination varies depending on what the coating is designed to accomplish.

What Makes Premium Paint Different From Cheap Paint?

Paint manufacturers often have access to many of the same categories of raw materials. The difference between products frequently comes down to which materials are selected, their quality, how much is used, and how the overall coating is formulated.

There are also proprietary technologies that can distinguish particular products.

For example, Sherwin-Williams Emerald Rain Refresh is designed with specialized technology intended to help exterior surfaces shed dirt when exposed to rain.

For ordinary architectural coatings, however, the overall formulation and the quality of the material remaining after the paint dries can make a major difference in performance.

Cheap Paint vs. Premium Paint: Is Expensive Paint Worth It?

Lower-cost paint generally relies on a more economical formulation. Depending on the product, it may provide less hiding, durability, stain resistance, or long-term protection than a premium coating designed for demanding applications.

Premium paints generally use higher-performing combinations of resins, pigments, additives, and other materials to produce a stronger finished coating.

This is why comparing paint based only on price per gallon can be misleading.

Saving $20 or $30 per gallon may not represent a true savings if the less expensive product:

• Requires additional coats
• Has poor hiding or coverage
• Fades sooner
• Scuffs more easily
• Begins chalking earlier
• Requires repainting sooner

For a professional painting project, paint is only one part of the total cost.

Labor, surface preparation, masking, equipment, access, repairs, application, and cleanup can represent a substantial portion of the investment.

After paying to properly prepare and paint a property, saving a relatively small amount by choosing an inferior coating may not make financial sense.

Why High-Quality Exterior Paint Matters

Exterior paint has one of the toughest jobs of any coating around your property.

Depending on the location and substrate, exterior surfaces can be continuously exposed to:

• UV radiation
• Heat
• Temperature fluctuations
• Moisture
• Wind
• Rain
• Dirt
• Mildew
• Other environmental conditions

A properly selected, high-quality exterior coating will generally be formulated to provide better performance in areas such as:

UV Resistance

Sunlight can gradually degrade exterior coatings. Better formulations are designed to withstand UV exposure and maintain their protective qualities longer.

Color Retention

Premium exterior paints are often formulated to maintain their original color longer under normal weather exposure.

Film Durability

The dried paint film needs to remain strong enough to protect the underlying material.

Adhesion

Good adhesion helps the coating remain properly bonded to a correctly prepared surface.

Flexibility

Exterior materials can expand and contract as temperatures and moisture levels change. A suitable coating needs to accommodate those movements within its intended performance range.

Mildew and Weather Resistance

Exterior coatings may also contain technologies designed to help the paint withstand moisture, mildew, and changing weather conditions.

Paint Chalking and Fading: Why Quality Matters

Two problems homeowners often notice as exterior paint ages are fading and chalking.

Chalking occurs when a coating gradually breaks down and develops a powdery residue on the surface. UV exposure and weathering can contribute to this deterioration.

Lower-performing or incorrectly selected coatings may begin showing deterioration sooner under demanding conditions.

A high-quality exterior coating applied to a properly prepared surface can potentially provide additional years of useful service compared with a lower-performing system.

When you’re painting an entire house, extending the service life of the coating can be considerably more valuable than saving a few dollars per gallon initially.

Why High-Quality Interior Paint Matters

Interior paint faces a different set of challenges.

Instead of constant exposure to rain and sunlight, interior walls and surfaces must withstand:

• Fingerprints
• Furniture contact
• Children and pets
• Cleaning
• Stains
• Moisture
• Scuffs
• Everyday wear and tear

Higher-quality interior paints are generally formulated to provide better performance in areas such as:

• Washability
• Scuff resistance
• Stain resistance
• Coverage
• Hiding
• Touch-up characteristics
• Finished appearance

Better paint can also improve application efficiency.

A high-quality coating with strong hiding characteristics may achieve the desired appearance with fewer coats than an inexpensive product with poor hiding.

This is another reason why the cheapest gallon of paint isn’t necessarily the least expensive finished paint job.

Does Higher Paint Solids Content Mean Better Paint?

Not necessarily.

This is one of the most important misconceptions about paint quality.

A manufacturer could theoretically formulate a coating with a relatively high percentage of inexpensive fillers and still achieve a high solids measurement.

That’s why you shouldn’t judge paint quality by solids content alone.

You also need to consider:

• Resin quality and technology
• Pigment quality
• Additive package
• Intended substrate
• Application requirements
• Environmental exposure
• Overall formulation

Think of it like food.

Two products can have similar nutritional numbers while being made from completely different ingredients.

Paint works in a similar way.

Solids content tells you something useful about how much material remains on the surface after drying, but what those solids are made from matters just as much.

How Do Professional Painters Choose the Right Paint?

There isn’t necessarily one paint that is best for every project.

Professional coating selection should consider the surface, environment, expected wear, preparation requirements, desired finish, and performance expectations.

For example, the best coating for smooth stucco on a coastal home may be completely different from the product we would select for:

• T1-11 siding in Sonoma County
• Interior cabinetry
• Commercial metal surfaces
• High-traffic interior walls
• An oceanfront property in Hawaii

The most expensive paint isn’t automatically the right paint either.

The goal is to select the correct coating system for the specific surface and environment.

Is Premium Paint Worth the Extra Cost?

In many professional painting projects, investing in a higher-performing coating can make sense because the material cost is only one component of the total project.

If a better coating provides improved coverage, durability, color retention, washability, or a longer useful service life, the additional cost per gallon may be relatively small compared with the cost of repainting prematurely.

However, proper preparation and application remain essential.

Even an excellent paint can perform poorly when applied to an improperly prepared, contaminated, deteriorated, or incompatible surface.

Frequently Asked Questions About Paint Quality

What makes paint high quality?

High-quality paint generally combines appropriate pigments, high-performing resins, useful solids, additives, and a well-designed formulation for its intended application. Quality should be evaluated based on overall performance rather than one specification alone.

Is expensive paint always better?

No. Price alone doesn’t determine whether a paint is appropriate for a project. A more expensive coating may offer better performance, but the correct product depends on the substrate, environment, desired finish, and expected use.

Does high solids content mean better paint?

Not automatically. Solids content indicates how much material remains after drying, but the composition and quality of those solids are also important.

Why does cheap paint sometimes require more coats?

Differences in pigment, resin, hiding ability, and overall formulation can affect coverage. Some lower-cost paints may require additional coats to achieve the desired opacity and appearance.

How long does high-quality exterior paint last?

There is no universal lifespan. Climate, sun exposure, moisture, substrate condition, preparation, coating selection, application thickness, and maintenance can all affect how long an exterior paint system lasts.

What causes exterior paint to chalk?

Chalking is the formation of a powdery residue as a paint film gradually degrades. UV exposure and weathering are common contributors, although coating selection, age, and environmental conditions can also influence the process.

The Bottom Line: Choosing the Right Paint Matters

There is considerably more science behind a gallon of paint than most homeowners realize.

When evaluating a coating, we look beyond the brand name printed on the can. Important considerations include solids content, resin technology, pigments, additives, substrate type, exposure conditions, application characteristics, and expected durability.

That’s why there isn’t one universal “best paint” for every house or every surface.

Good painting isn’t simply about putting color on a wall.

It’s about choosing the correct coating system for the surface and environment, preparing that surface properly, and applying enough quality material to create an attractive and durable finish that can protect the property for years to come.