Benjamin Moore vs Sherwin-Williams: what a painter actually uses

Why this is not a brand contest

Each company sells several interior lines at different levels, and the gap between a top line and an entry line within one brand is wider than the gap between the two brands at the same level. Comparing Benjamin Moore to Sherwin-Williams without naming the product is like comparing two car makers without naming the model. The questions that matter are what the surface is, how hard it will be used and what finish you want.

Absolut holds trade accounts with both, so the choice on your job is never about which store is closer. It is about the surface in front of the crew.

Benjamin Moore: the lines that get used

Benjamin Moore's strengths are colour consistency and a trim enamel that painters trust. These are the lines that show up on Absolut's jobs.

• Regal Select. The everyday premium wall paint. Good coverage, easy to roll, washable, and a wide sheen range. Most whole-house interiors are done in this.
• Aura. The top wall line. Thicker, more pigment, very good hide on a strong colour change, and a matte that stays even in raking light. Used when the colour is deep or the walls are in the light.
• Advance. A waterborne alkyd enamel for trim, doors and cabinets. Levels like an oil paint, cures hard, and sprays well. Slow to dry between coats, which is part of why it looks the way it does.
• Scuff-X. A scuff-resistant wall paint for hallways, stairwells, mudrooms and kids' rooms. Holds up to bags, boots and chairs better than a standard eggshell.

Sherwin-Williams: the lines that get used

Sherwin-Williams' strengths are a very durable exterior and interior wall line and a cabinet enamel that cures fast and hard. These are the ones Absolut reaches for.

• Duration Home. The durable interior wall line. Washable, good hide, and forgiving on touch-ups. A sound choice for busy family rooms.
• Emerald Interior. The top wall line. Smooth application, strong stain resistance and a matte that cleans without burnishing. Used where the walls will be washed often or the colour is saturated.
• Cashmere. A softer, buttery wall paint that levels out roller texture. Good for low sheens in rooms with a lot of window light, where a standard paint would show stipple.
• Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel. The cabinet and trim enamel. Sprays to a hard, smooth finish, resists blocking on doors and drawers, and cures quicker than Advance.

How the choice gets made on a real job

On most walkthroughs the decision is simple. Standard walls in good light with a modest colour change get Regal Select or Duration Home. Deep colours or walls under a bank of windows get Aura, Emerald or Cashmere, depending on the sheen and how often the wall will be washed. Hallways and stair walls in a busy house get Scuff-X.

For cabinets and trim the question is the schedule and the finish. Advance gives a slightly softer, more furniture-like look and needs more cure time between coats. Emerald Urethane cures faster and is harder sooner, which matters when the kitchen has to be back in use. Both are sprayed where it suits, and both are used by Absolut.

Colour matching across brands

You can have a Benjamin Moore colour mixed in a Sherwin-Williams product and the other way round. The match is close, but it is a match, not the original formula, and on a strong colour the difference can show in certain light. If a specific colour is the point of the job, it is simplest to use the brand that owns it. If a specific product is the point, sample the match on the wall before committing.