Cheap vs. High-End Stain and Paint

Price is often a large factor to take into account when selecting a contractor to hire, just as it is when deciding which materials/paint to use. There are a seemingly countless number of interior paint and deck stain products on the market, with a rather wide range in prices. The cheapest interior paints on the market are around $15/gallon while the most expensive can reach up to $90/gallon. Deck stains have a slightly narrower gap, ranging from $20 up to $60 per gallon. So, which do you go with? Do you save a few dollars and go with a cheaper option that you may not even notice the difference with compared to the more expensive options, or spend the extra money and hope it’s worth it? By the end of this article, you’ll be able to answer these questions and be well on your way to creating a truly stunning space!

Cheap vs. High-End Interior Paint

Let’s assume you’ve already decided the color and sheen of interior paint to welcome into your home, so all that’s left is going to the store and picking it up. However, when you get to the aisle, you see that there are at least 4 different brands that have 3 different levels of paint that are all apparently the same, except for the price and claims made on the label. Which one do you go with?

The main differences in low and high-end paints are in how well they are made. Without getting too technical, paints are essentially made of four main components. One component is the pigment/color, another holds the colors together, another helps the paint glide when being applied and prevents scuffs and mold, and the last component helps hold the previously mentioned components together.

The cheap paints are cheap for a reason. These paints use lower-quality components and use as little of each component whenever possible. Regardless, if it saves you money and looks decent, should you get it? In my experience, my answer is always no.

For starters, since price is the main consideration in this case, the cheap paint may actually cost you more overall. Due to the components of the paint being lower quality, it will often require more coats of the paint to give you an even finish. This means purchasing more gallons of paint. With this in mind, why not spend the little extra upfront on one $45/gallon of paint instead of two $25/gallons? It’s also worth emphasizing that fewer coats mean less time painting, which will either mean less time on a ladder for you or a lower estimate given to you by a contractor.

Outside of price, ease of application, and fewer coats, the higher quality paint will also give you a better finish. More expensive paints will prevent lap marks, spread more evenly, and conceal brush strokes, leaving you with a completely uniform, gorgeously painted wall.

Lastly, many higher-end interior paints are also a Paint and Primer in 1, which can save you more time and money by not requiring a separate coat of primer. To determine whether your project is eligible for a 2-in-1 Paint and Primer, check out our article here!

Cheap vs. High-End Deck Stain

Many of the same principles of cheap and high-end interior paint apply to deck stain, so this section will be relatively short. The one note that I wanted to make regarding deck stain qualities is in their longevity.

While interior paints have potential to last decades, deck stains do not. Outside of considering the finish quality and concealing lap marks and brush strokes, homeowners obviously want their deck to look its best for as long as possible while not spending a fortune on paint.

Consider the following example. Sally and Bob have identical decks that endure identical conditions, and they both decide to hire McCormick Painting Services to stain them. Sally goes with a higher-end deck stain that cost $45, whereas Bob tries saving a few dollars and goes with a cheaper stain. The majority of deck stain jobs require 2-3 gallons of stain, so Bob saved $30-$45 by getting a $30 gallon of stain (assuming we didn’t need to pick up another gallon due to poor coverage of the cheaper stain).

A number of years pass, and Sally is still admiring her fantastic-looking deck. Bob, however, is currently on the phone with us scheduling another cleaning and recoating of his deck since it is starting to look a little work.

This is why I almost always recommend a higher-end stain than a cheaper one. Even if you don’t pay more up front, you will need to spend either more time or money for labor to bring your deck back to life with the cheap stain.

If you’d like to read more about cheap and high-end paints and stains, this article by Pro Handyman as well as this one by Professor’s House do a great job further explaining the subject.

I hope this article has been helpful to you! As always, feel free to reach out to me at brendan@McCormickPaintingServices.com or 563-506-5510 and I’d be happy to further explain anything. If you’re looking for painters to hire for your next project in Cedar Rapids or surrounding areas, give us a call!