Paint reviews, guides, and color
Independent paint and tool round-ups. Project step-by-steps. Color references and brand reviews. Every product pick lists a real con — no review without a real weakness.
Best Paint and Stain for Cedar in 2026
Five cedar finishes tested on bare and weathered cedar — tannin bleed, UV shift, mildew, water beading. Top pick: Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior over a stain-blocking primer.
Best Chalk Paint in 2026: Five Furniture Paints Tested
Five chalk paints tested on raw pine, oak veneer, and old laminate dressers — coverage, brush feel, wax-and-poly compatibility. Top pick: Annie Sloan.
Best Coastal Exterior Paint in 2026
Five exterior paints tested against the salt, UV, and humidity triple threat of coastal siding. Top pick: Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior — with role picks for harder cases.
Best Concrete Floor Paint in 2026
Five concrete floor paints tested for hot-tire pickup, MVE tolerance, abrasion, and chemical splash. Top pick: Rust-Oleum EpoxyShield Pro for slabs that need to last a decade.
Best Paint for Crown Molding in 2026
Five crown-molding paints tested for self-leveling, yellowing, and overhead-brush behavior. Top pick: SW Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel — runner-up: BM Advance.
Best Exterior Brick Paint in 2026
Five exterior brick paints tested for crack-bridging, breathability, and adhesion. Top pick: SW Loxon XP. Limewash and basement options included for the substrate.
Best Exterior Door Paint in 2026
Five exterior door paints tested for brush leveling, sun fade, scrub resistance, and rehang time. Top pick: Benjamin Moore Aura Grand Entrance — with smarter calls for back doors, garage entries, and budget runs.
Best Front Door Paint in 2026
Five front door paints tested for gloss hold, brush leveling, sun fade, and finger-mark scrubbability. Top pick: Benjamin Moore Aura Grand Entrance — with smarter calls for textured doors and tight budgets.
Best Garage Door Paint in 2026
Five garage door paints tested on steel, aluminum, and wood — for chalking, UV fade, peel-off-the-panel adhesion. Top pick: Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Gloss.
Best Interior Door Paint in 2026
Five US interior door paints tested over 8 weeks for leveling, scuff, yellowing, and recoat. Top pick: BM Advance Satin, with role picks below.
Best Limewash Paint in 2026
Five US-stocked limewashes tested on raw brick, stucco, and interior plaster. Top pick: Romabio Classico — chemistry, color, and a real US supply chain.
Best Low-VOC Paint in 2026 (CARB-Compliant Picks)
Five low-VOC paints that clear CARB Phase II at the tinted gallon. Top pick: BM Aura. SCM/AIM rules, ASTM D6886 method, and what 'low VOC' means at the store.