Interiors tend to be more time-consuming and detail-oriented than exteriors. So, the last thing any pro needs is a coating that fails or just doesn’t look right. Here, five pros share which interior coatings help them earn—and keep—a customer’s trust.

 

 

 

NICK LAURO: Nick Lauro Painting, LauroPainting.com

This Pennsylvania-based pro turns to Sherwin-Williams Emerald Interior Acrylic Latex Paint for his residential interior jobs. With a minimal sheen and great coverage, he’s even confident with using flat in traffic areas, and the matte handles kitchen and bathroom moisture just fine, he says.

“I think it’s good from a marketing standpoint to tell others we use this premium product across the board,” he said. “We’re a mid-to-higher-end residential contractor and it offers great coverage and consistency.”

For interior ceilings, Lauro likes Sherwin-Williams ProMar Interior Latex Ceiling Paint, and for bathrooms it’s Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa because it’s great with moisture and has low sheen.

For cabinet refinishes, he likes Sherwin-Williams SHERWOOD Kem Aqua Plus. “We use it because of the coverage, dry time and durability. It’s a legitimate cabinet paint,” he noted.

DAVE RUSHING: Painting America, Inc., PaintingAmericaInc.com

This Seattle-area pro comes from a long line of paint pros in his family. His work primarily involves high-end commercial and residential properties, for which he started using Benjamin Moore products exclusively about nine years ago. For about 90% of his interior work, he utilizes Benjamin Moore Regal Select Interior Paint.

“The Regal Select line is the best I’ve ever used,” he said. “It’s very user-friendly and, generally, our customers prefer a matte or eggshell. … Matte is what most people like around here.”

For accent walls, he prefers the company’s Aura Interior Paint. It’s the best-covering paint he’s ever used for its great hide and excellent touch-ups, he says. He also appreciates the Color Lock technology, which prevents color rub-off. For best results with Aura, he uses a 3/8“-nap roller and allows cut-ins to completely dry before rolling.

Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa is the go-to for bathrooms. “You’ll never see any hard-water stains with that paint; it really repels water.” For trim, doors, wainscot and handrails, the company’s ADVANCE Interior Paint always brings the beautiful finish his customers want.

In high-traffic commercial interiors, Rushing gets the best results from Benjamin Moore Ultra Spec Scuff-X, which he says performs like a two-component epoxy-in-one with no mixing needed. “Scuff-X is a game changer for commercial painting,” he added.

ANDREW RICHARDSON: Andrews Painting Company, AndrewsPaintingCompany.com

This Cincinnati, OH-based pro has been painting for more than 20 years. Primarily a residential repaint contractor, he prefers several Sherwin-Williams offerings.

For interior walls, Sherwin Williams SuperPaint Interior Acrylic Latex and Duration Home Interior Acrylic Latex Paints are go-tos. For ceilings, which he prefers to spray, he turns to the company’s CHB Interior Latex Flat Wall Paint. However, for bathroom ceilings, he’ll turn to a Duration matte finish.

For spraying trim, he likes Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial Pre-Catalyzed Waterbased Epoxy. “It dries to the touch very quickly and, when it cures, it’s very durable,” Richardson said.

In bathrooms, he’ll sometimes offer a premium option in Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa. “It’s more moisture resistant and resists mold growth. It’s really good for some bathrooms that don’t have a lot of ventilation,” he added.

Richardson also refinishes cabinets and wood railings. For those projects, he starts with Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer from Rust-Oleum and then applies a Milesi polyurethane coating.

TANNER MULLEN: Premium Painting, Inc, PaintPremium.com

This Ocala, FL-based pro grew up in the business and has tried about every paint imaginable. Today, his small, but growing, company turns to Sherwin-Williams Cashmere Interior Acrylic Latex Paint for the main areas of interiors. Mullen’s teams contend with a lot of ‘knock-down’ walls, a heavier type of texture than the orange peel look seen in many southwest U.S. homes. Cashmere’s low-luster finish works well on these types of surfaces, he says.

“If you put too much shine on that texture, it really accentuates it and it’s not the best look,” he said. “Another big selling point with Cashmere is that it’s very forgiving with moisture, too. … It’s also self-levelling and hides roller marks really well.”

For trim, he prefers Sherwin-Williams ProClassic Waterborne Interior Acrylic Enamel. On ceilings, he likes the company’s Eminence High Performance Ceiling Paint and for bathroom ceilings, Cashmere’s medium luster finish does the trick.

ALISHA KERSJES: A-n-M Painting, Facebook.com/akpainter14

This Michigan-based paint pro turned exclusively to Sherwin- Williams products about three years ago. She prefers Sherwin-Williams ProMar 200 HP Zero VOC Interior Latex in eg-shel in the main areas of residential interiors. For bathrooms, she likes the company’s Duration Home Interior Acrylic Latex because it offers mold and mildew resistance in high-moisture areas.

For trim and wood doors, Sherwin-Williams ProClassic Waterborne Interior Acrylic Enamel brings the durability her clients seek and for ceilings, her team rolls the company’s CHB Interior Latex Flat Wall Paint. “That coating really makes a ceiling beautiful,” she added.

For cabinet refinishing, Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel, along with the manufacturer’s Premium Wall & Wood Primer, offer great results. Her team also sees its share of metal doors, and Sherwin-Williams Pro Industrial DTM Acrylic is the go-to for that work.