Benjamin Moore vs Behr : Which Paint Brand Is Better

One of the most important decisions for a DIY painter is determining which brand of paint is best for their project. A possible scenario for that decision is weighing Benjamin Moore vs Behr, two popular brands offering both exterior and interior paint.

Read on for our assessment of these two paint brands. This post will consider everything from the color selection of the two brands to their durability, coverage, and, of course, cost. At the end of the post, we’ll recommend the best choice in the Benjamin Moore vs Behr comparison.

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Benjamin Moore vs Behr Color Selection

The first thing a DIY painter wants to know, before picking up a brush, is whether a particular paint brand offers a color suitable for their project goals. Read on for a look at Benjamin Moore vs Behr color selection for both interior and exterior paint.

Interior Paint

Benjamin Moore offers more than 3,500 interior paint colors for DIY enthusiasts. For consumer convenience, the array of colors is organized into groups, including reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, neutral earth tones, grays, and whites.

Behr’s interior paint colors also are organized into color families, but its color selection is more limited. Overall, you’ll find about 2,000 colors in Behr’s catalog of interior paint selections.

Exterior Paint

If you’re shopping for exterior paint, you won’t be able to find all of the 3,500 colors included in Benjamin Moore’s interior paint catalog. That’s because Benjamin Moore tests its exterior colors for their ability to retain color over time. Some of its interior color offerings just won’t work outside.

For its part, Behr offers 64 specific exterior paint colors. However. Behr’s exterior paint products can be tinted to match any color in its 2,000-color palette. Also, Behr paint can be custom color-matched to almost any other color you might want to try.

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Benjamin Moore vs Behr Paint Durability

Interior Paint

Behr offers four interior paint grades for DIYers to consider for their projects. The Behr grades are Premium Plus, Ultra Scuff Defense, Marquee, and Dynasty in ascending order of durability.

Benjamin Moore also has a selection of various interior paint grades. In ascending order of durability, its different-graded brands are Ben, Regal Select, and Aura.

Generally speaking, painting and DIY experts consistently believe that Benjamin Moore will offer the greatest durability. For that reason, among others, you’ll likely find that Benjamin Moore interior paint is more expensive than Behr interior paint.

However, given Benjamin Moore’s greater durability, you likely won’t be repainting as often. In the long run, Benjamin Moore may be the more economical option in the Benjamin Moore vs Behr contest.

Exterior Paint

If you’re contemplating an exterior painting project, the question of whether to choose Benjamin Moore vs Behr paint for durability becomes a bit tricky.

Experts give Benjamin Moore’s Ben brand high marks for its ability to cover and last on a variety of exterior surfaces. At the same time, however, Behr’s Premium semi-gloss enamel paint has been recognized as an excellent and particularly durable option for exterior trim.

Given these assessments, you might choose Ben for exterior walls, and Behr Premium for trim, to get the best overall results. In this case, the Benjamin Moore vs Behr contest comes down to a draw.

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Benjamin Moore vs Behr Paint Coverage

Per gallon, both Behr and Benjamin Moore exterior and interior paints offer acceptable levels of coverage. Both brands are in line with the 400 square feet that is an informal standard for paint coverage. Read on for a bit more information on the coverage capabilities of Benjamin Moore vs Behr.

Interior Paint

According to Behr, a gallon of its Premium Plus and Ultra-Scuff interior paints, each will cover 250 to 400 square feet with a single coat. By comparison, a gallon of Benjamin Moore’s top-of-the-line Aura paint is confidently stated to be able to cover a full 400 square feet.

In this category of Benjamin Moore vs Behr, Benjamin Moore has at least some advantage over Behr.

Exterior Paint

Behr makes the same claim with exterior paint as for its interior paint. A gallon of Behr should cover 250 to 400 square feet in a single coat.

According to Benjamin Moore, its Element Guard exterior paint is expected to cover 300 to 400 square feet per gallon.

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Benjamin Moore vs Behr Cost Comparison

Both Benjamin Moore and Behr are considered higher-end paint brands. Generally speaking, though, Benjamin Moore will cost more. Each brand has various sub-brands of paint, and various levels of sheen or shine. Both will affect the ultimate price in a Benjamin Moore vs Behr comparison.

Read on for a more detailed look at prices for the various levels of Benjamin Moore vs Behr for both interior and exterior paint. And remember, it’s possible that one brand may be offering special sale prices when you’re making your choice. So, check both brands for possible deals before buying.

Interior Paint

At the time of this writing, Benjamin Moore interior paint brands will cost more than Behr interior paints on a straight cost basis. For example, the lowest-grade Benjamin Moore interior brand, Ben, costs about $15 more per gallon than the comparable Behr Premium Plus paint.

On the upper end of the scale, Benjamin Moore’s Aura brand will cost about $17 more than Behr’s premium Dynasty brand.

Exterior Paint

Behr’s exterior paints carry the same brand names as their interior paint brands. Their per-gallon prices range from about $45 per gallon for Premium Plus to around $76 per gallon for Dynasty.

Benjamin Moore offers two exterior paint brands, Element Guard and Regal Select, ranging from around $66 per gallon up to the top-end Regal Select priced at about $83 per gallon.

Of course, all of these prices can change due to the economy and current sales. These are just to give you an idea of cost differences before you head to the paint store.

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Benjamin Moore vs Behr Frequently Asked Questions

What warranties do Benjamin Moore and Behr offer for their paint?

Both Benjamin Moore and Behr offer warranties on their paint, but there are various warranties for different circumstances and types of paint. Before making any Benjamin Moore vs Behr decision, you should be sure of the terms of the warranty for the paint that you’re buying.

Which paint is easiest to apply with a sprayer?

On its website, Benjamin Moore strongly suggests that spray application of paint be left to professionals. Nonetheless, the company also offers online help with spray-painting techniques.

Benjamin Moore’s tips for exterior spray painting include waiting for a day with low humidity and little or no wind. Benjamin Moore paints can be applied with either an airless sprayer or an HVLP (high-volume, low pressure) sprayer.

Behr paint can be applied with an airless sprayer, but you’ll have to thin it out before spraying.

In short, there are challenges with both Benjamin Moore and Behr regarding spray application. Those challenges include the cost of either renting or buying a sprayer, and with Behr, taking time to thin the paint.

On balance, the average DIYer will be better off applying their choice of Benjamin Moore vs Behr paint with a brush and/or roller.

What types of help do Benjamin Moore and Behr offer for paint selection?

Both Benjamin Moore and Behr offer consumers significant help in selecting the best paint and colors for their projects. Read on to learn more about how each paint brand works to help DIYers achieve the best possible results.

Benjamin Moore

Benjamin Moore paints are sold only in Benjamin Moore paint stores, or in independent hardware stores carrying the brand. Because of that local focus, your closest Benjamin Moore paint store or participating hardware store may have special insights to share.

For instance, a Benjamin Moore retailer will likely have some inside knowledge of what colors are popular in a given area. Similarly, a Benjamin Moore retailer will also know definitively which of the brand’s paints will work best in your area.

In addition to in-store advice, Benjamin Moore offers extensive online help to DIYers considering its paint for their project. That online help includes tutorials on how to paint a room and how to paint your home’s exterior.

Other online help provided by Benjamin Moore includes guidance for painting bookshelves, bed frames and bathroom vanities. Also, you can learn online from Benjamin Moore how to paint fences, outdoor furniture and even your garage door.

Behr

Behr is sold exclusively at Home Depot. So, you may have to travel some distance to get advice on how best to use Behr products in your area.

But Behr, too, has extensive online resources for DIYers looking to use its products, including a toll-free customer service line. In addition, Behr offers a live-chat option via your cellphone to get painting advice.

Behr’s other online resources include links to various homeowner associations across the country. Using that resource lets consumers know what colors of paint they can or can’t use on the exterior of their homes.

Beyond that, Behr offers online help with calculating how much paint you’ll need for your project. You’ll also find online guidance on choosing the best sheen for your selected paint color. And, if you like, you can buy Behr paint online.

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Wrapping up Benjamin Moore vs Behr: Which Paint Brand Is Better?

Now that you’ve learned about Benjamin Moore vs Behr paint, you’re ready to decide which meets your needs in price, durability and other factors.

Our recommendation is for Benjamin Moore, for both exterior and interior DIY painting projects, despite its higher price.

While you will pay more for Benjamin Moore, it can reliably be expected to offer better coverage than Behr. And using less paint could, of course, mean less overall cost and a shorter time for your project. Also, you’ll have more color options with Benjamin Moore than with Behr.DIY Painting Tips has lots more help for you, from guidance on exterior painting and interior painting to help with painting tools and supplies.