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by Editors of Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports tests interior paints for surface smoothness and ease of cleaning as well as for their ability to dry to hardness, hide imperfections, stunt mildew growth, resist stains, retain gloss and… color and withstand scrubbing with abrasives. Three paints earn Best Buy designations in different gloss levels (flat, low-luster and semi-gloss). Three additional paints are identified as good choices for sunny places where fading is a concern.
by Kate Harris
Kate Harris personally tests low-odor and low-VOC paints in her new home, evaluating each one on odor, color choices, and ease and quality of application. Harris says Bioshield paints are easy to clean and… go on well, but may not be as durable as latex paints, because some of the paint came off on tape after trim work. The Sherwin-Williams Harmony line has no VOCs, low odor, comes in many colors and, according to Harris, handles like a regular latex paint. Also discussed are AFM Safecoat's Ayurveda Essence paints, which are VOC-free paints that come in about 100 colors. AFM paint handled well and was easy to clean, though it had a slight odor. The Old Fashioned Milk Paint was "dull in luster with a coarse matte finish."
by Contributors to DoItYourself.com
This user-to-user discussion forum is a great place to get first-person recommendations and advice regarding paints and painting. There's enough discussion about most major paint brands to see which ones… seem to leave users most satisfied. In addition to dedicated homeowners, active and retired home contractors and painters take part on a regular basis. Higher-end Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams paints seem to be the choice of most experienced contributors. They credit ease of application and superior coverage, and pointedly disagree with some recommendations made by Consumer Reports.
by Contributors to ContractorTalk.com
Along with usual smattering of niche questions for those in the know about painting, many of the most recent -- and most animated -- discussions here focus on Benjamin Moore Aura interior paint. One… apparent painting contractor relates his Aura experiences, which are generally positive. In another thread, a member expounds on the new technology behind Aura, whose colorant, he claims, bonds to the paint on a molecular level.
by Contributors to PaintTalk.com
by Contributors to DIYChatroom.com
Similar to the other online forums, a mix of professionals, retailers and homeowners -- many of whom frequent other forums as well -- exchange ideas here about paint and the job of painting. The experts… echo the same theme through many months of postings: You get what you pay for. Numerous posts recommend taking care to properly prepare and prime the coverage area, not to skimp on application equipment, and to obtain the middle grade or better of whatever brand of paint fits the project's budget. An equally prevalent refrain is to avoid products from large big-box retailers.
by Nicole Dyer
In this article that names Popular Science's picks as the best new innovations for 2007, Nicole Dyer discusses Benjamin Moore's Aura paint. She reports this line of paint is ecologically friendly, uses a… single coat and dries in hours. Other benefits are that no primer is needed, there is no "lingering odor" and it "leaves a washable finish." The Aura paints are expensive, however. Dyer doesn't test the paint herself, but describes visiting the Benjamin Moore lab, talking to chemists who developed the Aura paint, and playing with paint in the lab.
by Kenny Gee
by Contributors to AllExperts.com
In this free Q&A service, users submit questions about a host of topics, and an expert responds based on his or her experience. Many questions about painting are posted and answered here, though most… revolve around color selection or techniques rather than brands of paint. One professional painter says that he recommends Sherwin-Williams Duration paints for families with young children because it allows for easy cleaning of wall art left by crayons and markers.
by James Dulley
James Dulley is an engineer and syndicated columnist. In this article, he discusses insulating ceramic paint (and is one of the few experts to do so). He describes in detail how insulating paints work for… both interior and exterior walls and lists several manufacturers. In his report of brands, he writes about features, application, colors and warranty. Brands listed include Chemrex, Hy-Tech and Insulated Coatings. Paints are not tested, ranked or rated, however.
by Coral Nafie
Coral Nafie, About.com's Guide to Interior Decorating, writes about eight well-known interior-paint manufacturers. The short blurbs give some background information on the paint companies and sometimes… include comments or ratings from third-party reviews. These ratings don't appear to be based on any measured testing, and it's unclear if Nafie has any personal experience with these interior paints. Note that ConsumerSearch and About.com share a parent company but are not editorially affiliated.
by Jim Evans
Jim Evans offers his picks for the best and worst brands across paint types. Paint brands that receive high marks across all paint types are Behr Premium Plus, Valspar American Tradition and Kilz Casual… Colors. The worst brands across all paint types are Olympic Premium Satin, Martha Stewart Everyday Colors, Sherwin-Williams and Duron. However, while Evans says that the topics come from questions asked on the alt.home.repair newsgroup, there's no commentary here as to why he chooses some paints over others, so we're not sure about the specific high points or faults of the picks included here. In addition, paint formulas change, so this section is outdated.
by Charlene Marx and Jason
While a retailer of Benjamin Moore paints runs this blog (all the recommendations therein are for the company's products), it presents and makes suggestions for many universal situations faced by anyone who… has ever had to paint a hallway, dining room or kitchen. What's more, it offers humorous insight beyond paints, brushes and color selection in postings entitled "How to paint and save your marriage in three easy steps...;" or "It's my bedroom and I'll do what I want to...;."
by Editors of SoNG
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BENJAMIN MOORE PAINT 526-1B AURA SATIN WATERBORNE INTERIOR PAINT PASTEL BASE SIZE:QUART
 from Amazon.com New: $30.82 In Stock.
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