Benjamin Moore Paint Grades Explained: Which Tier Is Right for Your Calgary Project

One of the most common questions we get in the West Hillhurst store is some version of: "what's the difference between all these Benjamin Moore paints, and why is one $60 and another $120?" It's a fair question - Benjamin Moore doesn't sell one paint, it sells a lineup of grades, and the differences between them are real, not just marketing.

The Benjamin Moore tiers, from contractor-grade to premium

Ultra Spec 500 is Benjamin Moore's contractor and property-management grade. It's built for coverage and cost-efficiency on large jobs - rental turnovers, new-build spec homes, commercial repaints - where the walls will get one or two coats and durability isn't the top priority. It's a solid, reliable paint, just formulated for volume rather than premium hide or washability.

ben sits a step up. It's Benjamin Moore's do-it-yourself-friendly mid-tier line: good hide, easy application, and a noticeably better finish than Ultra Spec, at a price most homeowners are comfortable with for an average room refresh.

Regal Select is the line most Calgary homeowners land on. It's a true premium paint - excellent hide in one or two coats, strong washability, and a finish that holds up well over years, not just months. If you're painting a home you plan to live in for a while, this is usually the sweet spot between cost and performance.

ADVANCE is a waterborne alkyd, meaning it flows and levels almost like an oil-based paint (great for trim, doors, and cabinets) but cleans up like a water-based one and doesn't yellow over time the way true oils do.

Aura is Benjamin Moore's flagship. It uses their Color Lock technology, which means the actual pigment resists fading and the colour stays true even in high-sun rooms or exteriors - something that matters more in Calgary than in a lot of markets, given how intense our summer light is. Aura also has industry-leading hide, often achieving full coverage in one coat even over darker existing colours. It costs more per gallon, but on a lot of jobs you'll actually use less paint to get the same result.

So which grade should you buy?

As a rough rule of thumb for interior walls: Ultra Spec 500 for rental/investment properties where turnover speed matters most, ben for a straightforward DIY refresh on a budget, Regal Select for a home you're staying in, and Aura when you want the best possible colour accuracy and coverage - especially for saturated or dark colours, or south- and west-facing rooms that get hit hard by Calgary sun.

For exteriors, the sun-fade question matters even more given our climate, and Aura Exterior or Regal Select Exterior are usually the better long-term investment over Ultra Spec Exterior.

If you're not sure which grade fits your specific project, that's exactly what a colour consultation is for - bring us your room dimensions, existing colour, and how long you plan to be in the space, and we'll point you at the right tier rather than the most expensive one.

Shop the full lineup in our Benjamin Moore Calgary collection.