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jayco_gw

Help me choose interior paint: P&L, Muralo, or BM?

jayco
12 years ago

I'm going to be painting my house myself -- some new drywall as well as over old paint. I've been researching brands, and am thinking to go with either Pratt & Lambert, Muralo, or Benjamin Moore. I'm confused about whether I want or need the higher-end paints, Aura, etc. I am not a very experienced painter though I've painted my own places a few times, and find that with care I can produce a good-looking job.

Money is always a factor, but most important to me is durability and looks -- but I also don't want to just pay for advertising.

So, which of the following would you recommend (trim & walls) at these prices per gallon?

P&L Accolade, $37

P&L Red Seal, $32

BM Aura, $52 (I'm a bit worried this would be hard for me to work with since I'm slow and it's said to dry very fast.)

BM Regal $40

BM Ben $32

Muralo Ultra Ceramic, $45 (is this just for trim, or is it also good for walls?)

Muralo Superfinish, $30

Thank you for any advice.

Comments (3)

  • joaniepoanie
    12 years ago

    I am not familiar with Muralo....must be a brand sold only in certain areas. And I'm certainly no expert, but I think PL is the best, followed by BM. I wouldn't use anything else in high traffic, hard working areas like kitchens, bathrooms and family rooms. I also like Sherwin Williams for less busy areas...formal living rooms, bedrooms....About 14years ago, i painted my LR/DR with PL and it looks as fresh today.

    I just posted asking about Valspar Medallion, but I think I will stick with PL, even though i just discovered closest dealer is now 15miles away as opposed to 1mile.

    Worst paint i ever used was Lowes Valspar(evidently different from Medallion), followed by Duron and McCormick, I think both local brands...DC area.

  • beekeeperswife
    12 years ago

    Last time I used Muralo, it was streaky. Never used it again. I know that BM costs more, but as far as I am concerned, I absolutely love the Aura. It's a little more than the other BM paints but it really does cover in 1 coat. And you can get their matte finish if you like, it is almost like a velvet look to it. That sounds odd, I know, but it's the best way to describe it. Also, if you are doing a bathroom, they sell a product for that application too that does not make your walls have any gloss to them, and yet it is for wet areas. I tried to save some money on my last bathroom project by buying Lowe's bath paint, it was supposed to have a slight sheen--hah, it was so shiny I hated it. AND on top of that trying to cover it was a nightmare.

    My suggestion is to check with a couple of your local stores that sell BM, and see when they are having sales. Also, I've learned the prices are not consistent from store to store. Shop around.

    Bee

  • jayco
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Thanks. Do you know what that bathroom product is called? Also, did you find the Aura hard to work with?