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.
How to Paint Kitchen Cabinets (Without Hiring Anyone)
Step-by-step kitchen cabinet refinishing — door removal, prep, primer, paint, reinstall — with realistic time and cost numbers.
What Is LRV? Light Reflectance Value, Explained
LRV is the number that tells you how a paint color will actually behave once light hits it. Here's how to read it and why it matters more than the chip.
Paint Sheen Guide: Matte vs Eggshell vs Satin vs Semi-Gloss vs Gloss
Five sheen levels, gloss-unit numbers for each, and which one belongs in which room. The reference page you can text to a friend.
Eggshell vs Satin Paint: Which Sheen Belongs Where
A chemist's head-to-head on the two most-confused interior sheens — gloss-unit numbers, scrub data, touch-up behavior, and a verdict by room.
Oil-Based vs Water-Based Paint: Which to Use Where
Five-dimension head-to-head with a winner per category. Pick by use case in 60 seconds.
How to Fix Mold on Walls (and Stop It Coming Back)
Diagnose mold vs mildew vs efflorescence, kill it with the right treatment, prime with stain-blocker, repaint with a mold-resistant film. The non-paint fix that actually matters: ventilation.
How to Fix Peeling Paint (and Stop It Coming Back)
Diagnose why paint is peeling — moisture, prep failure, wrong primer, incompatible coatings — then scrape, sand, prime, and recoat so it actually holds. The honest fix from a 22-year contractor.
Best Paint Brushes for 2026: 5 We Actually Use
Five paint brushes tested across walls, trim, cabinets, and oil-based work. Top pick: Purdy XL Glide — and where each one falls short.
Benjamin Moore Advance: Honest Review (2026)
Waterborne alkyd that levels like oil and cleans up with water. The default for kitchen cabinets — when you can wait the cure.
Epoxy Floor Coatings for Warehouses: Specifier's Guide (2026)
Three multi-coat epoxy systems compared by DFT, service life, and zone use. ICRI CSP profiles, MVE limits, and the contractor path that won't fail inspection.