Are you planning on painting your home? You may have an idea of what colors you want, but it’s a different story when it comes to brands. Home Depot and Lowe’s carry some of the best-selling paint brands in the US. Which store is a better choice for buying paint?
Home Depot carries Behr’s, PPG, and Glidden paint. Lowe’s carries Sherwin Williams, Rust-Oleum, and Valspar paint. If you are looking for more paint options, you may prefer the options available at Lowe’s. However, if you want premium paint at a more affordable price, you may prefer Home Depot. Both stores sell quality interior and exterior paint.
Choosing the right paint for your home is a big decision. It’s not just the color you need to think about. If you want quality paint, Home Depot and Lowe’s are some of the best stores to check out. Today, we’re going to compare the two so you know which is the right choice for your next project.
A Comparison of Home Depot and Lowe’s Paint
Home Depot and Lowe’s are both reputable retailers. You can find a quality assortment of paint from both stores. Let’s take a look at what you can expect from both stores.
Home Depot Paint Selection
Home Depot is one of the top home improvement stores in North America. This franchise has over 2,000 stores worldwide. Homeowners have trusted this corporation since 1978 for all their home improvement needs.
If you’re in the market for paint, you will find a great selection at Home Depot. The best-selling paint brand at these stores is Behr’s. However, you can also find PPG and Glidden brand paints as well.
You can find exterior and interior paint at Home Depot, as well as everything else you will need for your painting project. Some of the different types of paint they carry are latex, acrylic, oil, and chalk paint.
Home Depot offers a convenient service that allows customers to order paint ahead of time online and pick it up in the store. Many homeowners choose Home Depot over Lowe’s because of its convenience. There are more Home Depot locations across the country, making it easier to find one.
They also offer paint matching. This means that if the paint isn’t the exact match to the color you requested, Home Depot will mix you another can of paint at no extra cost.
The Quality of Home Depot’s Paint
Home Depot is a name that people associate with quality. You can expect nothing less when it comes to the paint sold by this retailer. The most popular paint brand at Home Depot is Behr’s, which is a highly recommended paint by many homeowners.
People prefer Behr’s because it provides excellent one-coat coverage. At first, the paint appears sticky because it’s so thick. However, once you get used to using it, you’ll be left impressed by the results. The viscosity of this paint is why you can get such good quality results from a one-coat paint.
Glidden is another paint brand known for its high quality. This brand is an interior paint that’s best used for trim and furniture. This brand is known for long-lasting paint. It stays looking good throughout the years, even in high-traffic areas.
PPG is a great quality paint to consider for bathrooms and kitchens. This long-lasting paint is resistant to the effects of moisture. If you want to use paint that’s mold-resistant, PPG is an excellent brand to consider.
You will need a specific type of paint depending on what you want to paint. At Home Depot, you can find good-quality paint for all of your projects.
The Pricing of Home Depot’s Paint
The price of paint at Home Depot varies, depending on what you want. If you need a container of paint to repaint your ceiling or a piece of furniture, you can find paint at Home Depot for less than $15 a gallon.
Premium paint will cost more money. If you’re after a premium paint, like Behr’s Marquee, you could be spending over $45 per gallon. One of the great things about Home Depot is that there are paints for all budgets. Let’s take a look at the prices of some of the best-selling paints.
| Paint | Cost (per gallon) | Uses | Why You Should Choose This Paint |
| Glidden Ceiling | $14.98 | Ceilings | Hides all imperfections |
| Glidden Essentials | $17.98 | Living room & bedrooms | Easy to clean |
| Glidden Premium | $25.98 | Kitchen & bathrooms | Doesn’t chip when you scrub it |
| PPG Diamond | $25.98 | Living room & bedrooms | Washable & smooth finish |
| Behr Premium | $33.98 | Kitchen & bathrooms | Paint and primer mix & minimal odor |
| PPG Timeless | $41.98 | Ceilings, walls, & trim | Easy to clean, washable, & stain resistant |
| Behr Ultra | $41.98 | Interior | Easy clean finish & durable |
| Behr Marquee | $45.98 | Interior | Blocks stains & splatter resistance |
Home Depot’s Paint- Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Thousands of color choices | Certain paints are only available in Home Depot stores |
| Easy to order | Behrs has limited premium options |
| Guaranteed paint match | Glidden paint may leave streaks if not used correctly |
| Affordable prices | |
| Doesn’t chip or peel |
Lowe’s Paint Selection
Lowe’s is a popular home improvement retailer that has locations across the US and Canada. This company is committed to introducing customers to the right home improvement products for all of their projects.
Paint is one of the many things you can find at Lowe’s. The best-selling paint brand this retailer carries is Sherwin-Williams. This is one of the most popular brands of paint in the country. You can also get trusted Rest-Oleum and Valspar paint at Lowe’s.
You can find one of the best selections of brands at Lowe’s. They feature Magnolia Home, which is all custom mixed paints. You can also find brands like Cabot, Kilz, Purdy, and more.
Lowe’s carries both interior and exterior paints, as well as primers, stains, and everything else you need for your painting project. Customers will be able to compare swatches and choose the right finish for the surface they plan on painting.
One of the great things about choosing Lowe’s for paint is that they have a customer guarantee. If you aren’t 100% satisfied with the paint you received, you have 30 days to exchange it.
The Quality Of Lowe’s Paint
Lowe’s stands by its commitment to quality. When compared to Home Depot, many people prefer Lowe’s because of the quality of Sherwin-Williams paint. People tend to stick to a brand they trust when choosing a type of paint to use on their homes.
Sherwin-Williams has become one of the top paint brands in America because it’s the one contractors prefer. If you were to ask experts which brand of paint is the best quality, they will likely tell you Sherwin-Williams.
So, why is Sherwin-Williams a top choice? People prefer using this brand because it’s thick, allowing them to get the best color and coverage. This paint is able to cover more surface area than the competitors.
Rust-Oleum is a great brand for exterior painting projects. It’s best when used on a metal surface. One of the reasons people prefer the quality of this brand is that it can protect the metal from rust build-up.
The Pricing of Lowe’s Paint
There isn’t a far difference between the price of paint at Lowe’s compared to Home Depot. For smaller projects, you can buy smaller containers of paint. There are Rust-Oleum paints available for as low as $4.98 for a 12 oz container.
When it comes to premium paint, you will likely be looking toward Sherwin-Williams. A premium container of Sherwin-Williams can range as high as $51.98. Let’s take a look at the prices of some of the best-selling Lowe’s paints.
| Paint | Cost | Uses | Why You Should Choose This Paint |
| Rust-Oleum Satin | $4.98 per 12 oz | Metal & wood | Prevents rust build-up on metal |
| Rust-Oleum Metalic Accents | $25.98 per quart | Furniture, trim, ceiling, doors, & walls | Minimal odor |
| Sherwin-Williams Ovation Plus | $29.48 per gallon | Concrete surfaces, doors, & ceilings | Results always look flawless |
| Valspar Ultra | $31.98 per gallon | Basement & concrete surfaces | Easy to wash & resistant to stains |
| Sherwin-Williams Showcase | $39.98 per gallon | Basements & concrete surfaces | Advanced formula that’s resistant to stains |
| Valspar Signature | $41.98 per gallon | Interior | Paint and primer in one & resistant to stains and scuffs |
| Valspar Reserve | $45.98 per gallon | Concrete surfaces | One-coat satin finish |
| Sherwin-Williams Infinity | $51.98 per gallon | Basements & concrete surfaces | Sherwin-Williams offers a guarantee on this one-coat paint |
Lowe’s Paint- Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Wider selection of paints | Higher cost |
| Quality guarantee | Customers have experienced chipping problems with Sherwin-Williams |
| Sherwin-William exterior paint has minimal odors | |
| Best choices for exterior paint, including paints for specific areas |
Conclusion
Both Lowe’s and Home Depot are reputable retailers. When compared side-by-side, they are nearly tied for great quality and incredible value. However, Home Depot just slightly comes out on top.
This is because their best paint, Behr Marquee, has better durability than Sherwin-Williams Infinity. Unfortunately, customers have experienced chipping with this brand. Behr paints are also sold at a lower price than Sherwin-Williams.
Our team includes many home improvement professionals such as painters interior decorators and architects. Collectively, we have over 30 years of experience.