Why Premium Paint Is Worth It: What Benjamin Moore Does That Cheap Paint Can't

Walk into any store and you'll see paint at wildly different prices — from bargain gallons to premium lines like Benjamin Moore. It's tempting to grab the cheap can and pocket the difference. But once you've rolled both on a wall, the gap is obvious. Here's what premium paint actually does better, and why it usually costs less by the time the job is done.

Better coverage, fewer coats

Premium paint is packed with more of the good stuff: higher-quality pigments, more binder, and a higher solids content. In plain terms, that means better hide — it covers the old colour in fewer coats. A cheap paint that needs three coats to look even isn't cheap once you count the extra gallon and the extra day of work. Benjamin Moore's flagship lines are engineered to hide and cover reliably, so what you roll on is what you get.

It doesn't drip, spatter, or fight you

This is where the difference shows up the moment you start. Quality paint has better rheology — the way it flows — so it stays on the roller instead of spraying your floor, clings to the brush without running, and levels out smoothly as it dries. Cheap paint tends to spatter, drip, and leave roller stipple and brush marks that telegraph through the finish. Premium paint lays down flat and even, which means less masking, less cleanup, and a smoother wall with far less effort.

It lasts — and stays clean

A wall isn't done when the paint dries; it has to survive kids, pets, scuffs, and cleaning. Premium finishes are far more washable and scrub-resistant. Benjamin Moore Regal Select and Aura hold up to repeated cleaning without burnishing, and Scuff-X is built specifically to resist the marks that show up in hallways, stairwells, and busy commercial spaces. Cheaper paints tend to polish up shiny where you rub them and wear through where they're touched.

Truer, more consistent colour

Benjamin Moore uses its own Gennex colorant system, which delivers rich, accurate, consistent colour — especially in the deep, saturated shades that cheaper paints struggle to reproduce without looking thin or streaky. That colour also holds up better over time, resisting the fading and yellowing that can creep into lower-quality products.

The math: premium paint is usually cheaper

Here's the part that surprises people. On any paint job, the paint itself is the small cost — your time, or your painter's labour, is the big one. If a premium paint covers in two coats instead of three, looks better, and lasts years longer before it needs redoing, it wins on total cost every time. Paying a little more per gallon to save a coat, a redo, and years of wear is simply good economics. Buy cheap and you often pay twice.

Where premium matters most

If you're painting a rarely-seen closet, an economy line is fine — and we carry good ones like Ultra Spec for exactly that. But for the surfaces that get seen and touched — trim, doors, high-traffic hallways, kitchens, bathrooms, deep accent colours, and ceilings you don't want to cut in twice — premium paint pays for itself. Our interior paint guide helps you match the right line to each room.

See the difference for yourself

The easiest way to believe it is to roll it. Come to West Hillhurst at 321 19 St NW, tell us about your project, and we'll steer you to the right Benjamin Moore product for the job and the budget — and grab a sample so you can test it first. Get in touch with any questions.