Valspar Vs. Sherwin Williams Paint: Which Is Better Exterior Paint?

Not too long ago I decided I wanted to paint the exterior of my house. So I threw on some shoes and headed to my local hardware store. I walked over to the paint section and found myself overwhelmed by the large number of paint selections. Two names I saw were Valspar and Sherwin-Williams. What was the difference between the two? Was one better than the other? These were just some of the questions I set out to answer

Valspar and Sherwin-Williams are both great paint brands, but Valspar is more durable than Sherwin-Williams and easier to maintain, but Sherwin-Williams has better coverage and premium features that will cost you more than Valspar. Valspar requires more coats than Sherwin-Williams but costs less. 

These aren’t the only differences between the two paint brands. There are several key differences that set them apart from one another. Even though Sherwin-Williams acquires Valspar in 2017, they remain different and each has its unique qualities and paint offerings to its customers. 

What Paint Do They Offer?

Valspar and Sherwin-Williams both offer a variety of paints for the interior and exterior. Valspar offers a primer, sealer, exterior, interior, paint + primer, and a variety of premium paints. Sherwin-Williams offers interior, exterior, oil-based, mold-resistant, and other premium paints. Below, I’ll go over each paint separately. 

Valspar

Reserve

Valspar Reserve is their highest-coverage paint. It only takes one coat to give you the desired color and depth you’re seeking. The paint includes primer, so you don’t have to purchase it separately. Additionally, the paint is primer, mildew-and scuff-resistant. 

Signature

The signature paint uses ScuffShield technology and is made of 100% acrylic. It’s one of their best paints for superior blemish coverage and a thick finish.

Ultra

The ultra paint is made to be cleaned easily and is stain-resistant. It’s one of their most durable paints and is Greenguard Gold certified. This certification ensures there’s minimal emission coming from it. 

2000

The Valspar 2000 is 100% acrylic and affordable. It’s a great option for those who want to paint a high-traffic area at an affordable price. It can be used by both private and commercial entities. 

4000

The 4000 is ideal for new construction commercial settings or as touch-up paint. This paint is meant to cover up scuffs and damage. It has a zero VOC rating and you can apply it via spray, brush, or roller. 

ExpressCoat

If you’re looking for something quick-drying, the ExpressCoat paint is what you’ll want. This paint has good coverage and is easy to wash once dried. 

Ultra Ceiling Paint + Primer

The Ultra Ceiling Paint + Primer has a dead-flat finish and it’s splatter-resistant. You can use it easily on horizontal surfaces. Additionally, it’s resistant to mildew and the formula includes primer. 

Signature Ceiling Paint + Primer

Valspar’s Signature Ceiling Paint + Primer is splatter-resistant like the Ultra Ceiling Paint, but not as highly rated. It has a flat-finish formula and only requires one coat for full coverage. It also has many of the same features as the Ultra. 

Color-Changing Ceiling Paint

This innovative paint is in high demand. The paint is purple when applied so you can see exactly what you’ve covered and it dries white. It’s like the Elmer glue sticks that go on purple and dry clear. It’s splatter-resistant with a flat finish. 

Durmax Exterior Paint + Primer

If you have a lot of cracks and flaws on your exterior surfaces, the Durmax Exterior Paint + Primer is what you’ll want. It has year-round crack and peel resistance and works better in low-temperature settings. 

SeasonPLUS Exterior Paint + Primer

If you live in a sunny area, use the SeasonPLUS. It blocks UV rays and won’t fade with the sunlight. It’s praised for its high coverage and durability. 

SeasonFlex Exterior Paint + Primer

The SeasonFlex Paint + Primer has a flexible acrylic formula. It won’t crack or peel and it’s mildew-resistant. 

Storm Coat Exterior Paint

The Storm Coat Exterior paint is ideal for ultra-low temp applications. It’s weather-resistant and extremely durable thanks to its acrylic resin formula. 

Perfect White Exterior Paint

Want to make your home pop with vibrance? The Perfect White Exterior Paint is ultra-white and very durable. It’s perfect for doors, trim, and accents. 

Ultra High-Gloss Paint + Primer

The Ultra-High Gloss Paint + Primer offers a silky surface texture and fade-resistant high-luster gloss. It won’t fade and it can easily be cleaned. 

Oil-Enriched Enamel

If you have outdoor wood surfaces that you need to finish, you can use this paint without having to sand or strip the wood. It’s resistant to discoloration after many cleanings and is flexible. 

4000 Alkyd Enamel

The 4000 Alkyd Enamel is ideal for use on corners, trim, accents, and enamel. The paint will easily cling to the edges and offer a smooth finish. 

Exterior Primer/Sealer

The Exterior Primer/Sealer is a tintable, quick-dry paint that’s perfect for prep and touch-up applications. It’s quickly resistant to cold, rain, and various other weather conditions. 

Stain Blocking Bonding Primer/Sealer

If you have a tough surface that seems to stain, use this stain-blocking paint. It’s ideal for use on surfaces such as metal, drywall, or masonry. It dries quickly and can be sanded. 

Barn & Fence Paint

Valspar offers a variety of barn and fence paint. They’re designed to be used on barn wood, metal, or masonry. It’s extremely weather-resistant as well. 

Sherwin-Williams

A-100

The A-100 paint is a budget-friendly exterior paint. It offers strong adhesion and reliability. It’s great for routine jobs and color changes. 

Resilience

The Resilience line is best when used on aluminum and vinyl siding, wood singing, shakes, plywood, masonry, metal, clapboard, and shingles. It’s moisture-resistant and durable.

Duration

Duration is a line of paint known for its durability. It’s best used for areas exposed to harsh climates. You only need one or two coats of paint to complete the job. 

Latitude

Latitude is a weather-resistant paint and can be used in even extreme temperatures. It’s both moisture-proof and durable. After just one hour, it’s ready for the bad weather. 

SuperPaint

The SuperPaint is fade-and peel-resistant. It can be applied in both high and low temperatures without fading. It’s also resistant to dirt and moisture. 

Emerald

Emerald is a line of paint that is eco-friendly and has low-VOC emissions. It doesn’t peel or blister over long periods as other paint may. It’s also resistant to dirt, mildew, and stains.

FlexTemp

Flextemp paint is highly temperature-resistant and flake-resistant. It won’t peel or blister and you can tint it. 

Enamels

The Enamels collection offers paint in oil-latex or acrylic formulas. They also have various finishes and strengths. 

Rejuvenate

This paint is ideal for weathered siding and similar surfaces. You’ll see a uniform finish and you can tint it if you want to add some pastel coloring through the mid-tone range. 

Duration Interior Acrylic Latex

This paint is ideal for use in high-traffic areas such as children’s bedrooms, hallways, and living rooms. It offers a washable finish and is microbe-resistant. 

Cashmere Interior Acrylic Latex

This is one of the most luxurious paints that Sherwin-Williams offers. It has a lustrous, reflective finish and is durable enough to be scrubbed if required. Additionally, it goes on thick and is easy to apply in just one coat. 

Captive Interior Latex

Need paint and primer in one? The Captive series by Sherwin-Williams is budget-friendly and is a paint and primer combined. 

Harmony

If you’re concerned with VOCs and other harmful airborne chemicals, consider Harmony. This paint is UL Greenguard Indoor Air Quality certified and UL Greenguard Gold certified. It’s an air-purifying, odor-eliminating paint with no VOC emissions. 

ProClassic

This is a durable paint that’s available in multiple formulas. It goes on smoothly and requires less coats for hiding and coverage than Valspar. 

Eminence

The Eminence paint line is for ceilings. It dries flat white and only requires one coat. It also has stain-resistant properties. 

Krylon

This is a specialty paint line available in matte or semi-matte finishes. It’s great for giving furniture a distressed look. You can even purchase a chalkboard paint version taht turns any flat surface into a usable chalkboard. 

Where Are They Sold?

Both Sherwin-Williams and Valspar are difficult to get ahold of if you aren’t near a Lowe’s or don’t want to order it online. Sherwin-Williams and Valspar paints are sold exclusively at Lowe’s, Lowe’s online, and Sherwin-Williams stores. If you don’t live near a Sherwin-Williams store, you will have to look at Lowe’s. 

Valspar

Valspar paints are widely available at Lowe’s and Lowes.com. You may also be able to find certain Valspar paints at Ace Hardware, Walmart, and Amazon. This could make getting the paint more difficult than Sherwin-Williams, especially if you don’t live near a Lowe’s or Walmart and you want to look at the paint colors and options firsthand. 

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams paint is just as difficult to get ahold of as Valspar is. However, there are stores just for Sherwin-Williams paints across the United States. There are three of them within 20 miles of my home, but that may not be the same for you. If you can’t find a Sherwin-Williams store near you, you can get their paint from Lowe’s and Lowe’s.com. If you’re lucky, you may be able to find some on Amazon. 

Colors

Valspar and Sherwin-Williams offer a huge lineup of colors and finishes. Since Sherwin-Williams owns Valspar, you may find that they have some of the same colors. Both websites also offer some type of paint visualization tool. Valspar has the Paint Visualizer and Sherwin-Williams has the ColorSnap Visualizer. 

Valspar

Valspar has 2,000 colors. It’s unknown how many exterior colors they offer though. Valspar focuses on long-lasting results while remaining simple to maintain, clean, and apply. They also offer a variety of paint with primer, so you can eliminate a lot of the extra work. 

Unfortunately, even though Valspar offers such great advancements, buyers experience challenges with the paint itself-it’s much thinner than other paint. This may require extra coats to get a good final look. It also dries quickly. This may be a benefit for some, but in some cases it could increase streaking.  

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams has over 1,700 colors, but exterior colors are unknown. The most common paint line is Emerald and all of their paints offer superior durability, leading color-matching technology, and are R&D focused. 

Even though Sherwin-Williams regularly releases products with new features and advancements, there are a few drawbacks. Since they only offer premium paints, the price is significantly higher than one would expect. Additionally, if you have one brand of paint on an item and you want to touch it up with Sherwin-Williams paint, it may not blend well. 

Price

This is what many of you are wondering about-the price. Pricing is important, especially in today’s inflated economy. Both paint brands are pricey, but one more than the other. The price depends on what line it’s coming from, how much of it you need, and if it contains any special features. 

Valspar

Valspar is less expensive than Sherwin-Williams paint. Sometimes, Most Valspar paints cost $25 per gallon can, but some of their premium paint lines can cost as high as $40 per gallon. As mentioned earlier, Valspar paint is thinner than Sherwin-Williams, so you may end up needing more paint than you thought, adding that extra cost. 

Here’s the breakdown of Valspar paint costs based on size: 

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams definitely costs more per can than Valspar, mostly because they, use better formulas for their mixture. The price can vary though depending on which paint line you’re considering. This may steer some people away, but it’s actually a good thing. 

Sherwin-Williams paint only requires 1 to 2 coats, covering 300 sq. feet whereas Valspar may require 4 or more coats and only covers 200 sq. feet. So you may spend a little more on Sherwin-Williams paint, but it offers better and more coverage. 

Final Comparison

All of the information provided above should paint a clear picture of the two paint brands. It should be simple for you to choose the best option for your next project. Overall, I think that Sherwin-Williams has better quality paint that’s more durable with better coverage. 

On the other hand, Valspar is cheaper and offers more selections of colors. If you’re on a budget and need to cut some costs, go with Valspar. The only issue with Valspar is that it may require more coats to get optimal coverage and it covers 100 fewer square feet than Sherwin-Williams does. 

So even though Valspar is the best budget paint, I would suggest Sherwin-Williams due to their premium features and more paint coverage. It may cost more, but it’s worth it. 

Which Paint Is Better for Interior Or Exterior

Now that we’ve compared both paint brands, I want to compare the brands based on which is better for interior and exterior painting projects. Some may think that paint is just paint and that it’s all the same, but it’s not. Certain paint types hold up better on the outside than it does inside. 

Valspar

Valspar doesn’t exactly hold up as well as Sherwin-Williams in terms of longevity, especially when used on the exterior of your home. This brand requires more coats to get nice coverage and finish, so I suggest using it just on the interior if you’re on a budget. 

Another reason why I would suggest Valspar for interior painting is that there are more color options than Sherwin-Williams and the finish is nicer. Additionally, if you can spend the extra money, Valspar will give you better coverage and durability. And once the paint is dry, it’s easy to clean and maintain. Touch Ups will also blend better. 

Sherwin-Williams

Sherwin-Williams is definitely the best paint for exterior painting. Their premium features make it so the paint is durable and lasts longer than Valspar in the outdoor elements.

Even though it’s the more expensive brand, it covers in fewer coats and square footage. Valspar only covers 200 square feet and Sherwin-Williams covers 300 square feet. So that extra cost you’re paying for Sherwin-Williams covers the extra square footage you’re getting. 

It’s been proven time and time again that it’s the more durable paint brand when used on the exterior. You could use it on the interior, but it doesn’t blend well with other paint colors from other brands. 

Conclusion

As you can see, there are various differences between the massive paint brands Valspar and Sherwin-Williams. Sherwin-Williams is more expensive but covers more square footage, but Valspar is cheaper and has more paint colors to choose from. If you’re looking to paint the outside of your home, I highly suggest using Sherwin-Williams paint as it’s more durable and stays vibrant for longer. 

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Designer Pad Team

Our team includes many home improvement professionals such as painters interior decorators and architects. Collectively, we have over 30 years of experience.