Benjamin Moore Paint [Paint Colors, Where to Buy and Much More]

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The trickiest bit about handling paint jobs is picking the right paint. Sure, there are many brands in the market, but you want to buy one that will achieve a professional look today and retain it for many years to come.

Of the many brands that we’ve come across, one that has impressed and exceeded our expectations is Benjamin Moore paints. This paint company was formed in 1883 by Benjamin Moore. Since then, the company has grown into an award-winning Paint Company that offers the finest paints, finishes, and stains across the US. And for a company that gives the likes of Valspar, Behr, Ralph Lauren, and Sherwin Williams a run for their money, it’s evident that it is doing some things right.

In this piece, we shall look past the hype and get the facts. We will break down everything there is to the Benjamin Moore Paint company and answer questions that will help you make the right decision.

Benjamin Moore Paint Colors

As you will see below, Benjamin Moore seizes every opportunity to impress with its variety of paints. The colors offered are fresh and stylish. You can explore their complete catalog of 3,400+ paint colors and view different color combinations based on your preference.

Color Families

Benjamin Moore Paint Company has six paint families, as explained below:

White

There’s no doubt that white is versatile, pure, and timeless. But with so many shades of white, which do you choose? Well, Benjamin Moore offers expert advice and guides you to choose the best based on your goals and inspirations.

Though white paint can stand on its own, it’s often used as a supportive paint color on the ceilings, trims, doors, and walls. Part of choosing the right white is in understanding the white undertones.

Warm whites have yellow and red undertones. As such, they have a welcoming and soft glow. On the other hand, cool whites have gray, green and blue undertones which give a clean, crisp and luminous effect.

The perfect white is one that you can live with – one that isn’t too cool or too warm, not too austere or too creamy.

Benjamin Moore has more than 150 white paint color variations to choose from. Of all these variations, experts seem to love the Decorator’s White OC-149, Atrium White OC-145, Linen White OC-146, Steam AF-15, and Cotton Balls OC-122.

Gray

Like white paint color, gray is equally sensible and stylish. It adds a premium feel to a room without giving the feeling that you are ‘trying too hard.’ And the fact that gray can be used for both exterior and interior walls makes it a classic and preferred choice.

So which is the perfect gray? Well, unfortunately, we might not have a direct answer for you. But what we’ll offer is a shortlist of the most popular gray colors. They include:

Coventry Gray HC-169

Gray Owl OC-52

Cement Gray 2112-60

These gray paint colors are commonly used in bedrooms and living rooms where the lighting is just perfect. To achieve a high-end look and feel, you can pair your gray choice with any bright color ranging from sapphire to scarlet to amethyst. However, you should always consider the lighting in the room. If it’s dark, gray might add to the darkness.

Also, if you have northern facing lights, you should prefer warmer grays, and if you have southern facing lights, you can experiment with cooler grays as well.

On the exterior, gray paint color does a great job of transforming your house and capturing the attention of those who pass close to it. Grays effortlessly complement classic roof colors, including stone and brick. Moreover, you should consider gray paint on the shutters, trims, and doors.

Blue

Blue represents calmness, tranquility, and serenity. For the DIYers or experts looking for colorful colors, these shades of blue will add class and style to the design. They will transform the living space into a graceful and livable space.

Some of the most popular colors of blue include turquoise, baby and navy blue. Also, dark blues, including Gentleman’s Gray 2062-20 and Hale Navy HC-154 are popular in studies and offices while the silvery and lighter blues are the popular choices for bedrooms and bathrooms.

Dark blues are ideal for home entryways, corridors, and hallways (practically any space you want to add a touch of drama).

Green

For many, green represents nature and freshness. But even more to that, green is versatile, charming and well, charming.

For the interiors, the soft greens are perfect. They create a relaxing mood for bedrooms and spa-designed bathrooms. You can also use these greens on the kitchen walls and the cabinetry.

It’s also worth noting that pale green is a perfect alternative to white. For instance, Meadow Mist OC-134 and Halo OC-46 are light shades of green, offering an inviting and breezy atmosphere.

And lastly, when considering green undertones, look into blue and yellow, which are part of the Green family tree. Do not be afraid to mix and match for a perfect color palette.

Red

Red is known as the color of love. But there’s more to it than just love. It oozes drama, strength, confidence, and happiness. The Benjamin Moore Red paint color is extensive and ranges from crimson violets to sunbaked brick colors. With this range, one thing is certain; red is a color for everyone and can be easily paired with different colors for a breathtaking result.

Benjamin Moore’s most popular red paint colors include the Caliente Af-290. The best thing about these shades is that you can use them to elevate small spaces to draw the attention of visitors from the tiny size.

Also, even when it’s used in small doses, red can make a great statement on a building’s exterior.

You can have the red on the front door, window frames or wood siding. Generally, let the architecture of your home guide you into knowing the best area to use a shade of red.

Black

It’s true; black is daunting and associated with dark realities. But in design, black can have a great impact, especially since Benjamin Moore offers different shades. If you have a super bright room, you can balance the light and dark tones with black paint on some walls. Believe it or not, black has an allure to it. It shows commitment to a cause and your confidence. It also shows sophistication and premium.

To choose the best Benjamin Moore black paint, you should think of the artificial lighting and the daylight in the space. See how the two work together and then infuse black to elevate the space. Also, note that it comes in a variety of finishes, which depend on the mood you want to create and the functionality of the space.

Some of the sheens available include:

Matte – which achieves a contemporary and soft appearance

Semi-gloss – this sheen is easier to clean and perfect for doors and cabinets that are opened frequently

High-gloss – a high glossy black achieves a dramatic highlight. It gives a more formal look and evokes more drama

A combination of black and white works perfectly in bedrooms and exteriors. For a more compelling visual result, you can consider the overall design of your house and decide which will be the primary color and what will go where.

Interior Paint

Benjamin Moore’s interior paint is rich and protective. They are available in a range of options, including;

Aura Waterborne Interior Paint – this product line has a thick finish

Aura Bath and Spa –perfect for spaces with high humidity, including bathrooms. It’s available in a matte sheen

Natura Paint – has zero emissions and is available in flat, eggshell, pearl, and semi-gloss

Regal – easy to clean and ideal for spaces that receive high traffic. It comes in flat and matte, eggshell, semi-gloss, and pearl

Ben Interior – designed for easy application and is available in flat, eggshell, semi-gloss, pearl

Advance Interior – this is available in high-gloss (perfect for both interior and exterior use), semi-gloss, pearl, matte, and primer

Exterior Paint

For a lasting effect, the Benjamin Moore exterior paint features a unique color lock technology, which ensures the colors are vibrant and fade resistant. They also ensure the paint can withstand harsh weather conditions and can be painted in low-temperature seasons to extend the painting season.

Like the interior paint, this one too comes in a variety of product lines, including:

Aura

Aura Grand Entrance

Regal Select

Ben Exterior Paint

Exterior Stain

Benjamin Moore’s exterior stain is designed to offer more protection and allow for a more natural feel on the woods it’s used on.

The stain comes in one product line – ARBORCOAT premium exterior stain, which features:

Ultra-flat

Matte

Flat: semi-solid, semi-translucent, translucent, semi-solid classic oil finish, semitransparent classic oil finish, exterior oil stain translucent

Low luster

Clear

Exterior oil primer

Where to Buy Benjamin Moore Paint

Unfortunately, you will not find Benjamin Moore paint at your local hardware store, Home Depot or Lowe’s. Since its inception, Benjamin Moore Paint is only sold through specific independent retailers. They boast of having an extensive distribution network of more than 5000 stores spread out across North America.

To find the closest store to your location, Benjamin Moore Paint Company provides a store locator on their website.

And given that the company was granted an award of the best customer satisfaction in the interior paint business in 2011, it only means that their method of distribution is working for them.

How much is a gallon of Benjamin Moore Paint?

To give a clear answer to this, we first need to explain the fact that there are four main Benjamin Moore paint product lines (mostly applies to Benjamin Moore interior paint). These product lines include;

Aura

This is Benjamin More’s premium paint. Benjamin Moore, along with painting experts claim that you don’t have to apply three coats – two coats are enough. The paint is available in eggshell, matte, semi-gloss and satin. All of these features a Color Lock Technology, which helps to prevent annoying color rub-off. Moreover, the product line is self-priming and mildew resistant.

So essentially, it provides you with impeccable beauty and protects your walls from mold and mildew. And because of these features, most people are willing to pay about $62.99 for a gallon of the paint.

Natura

This is Benjamin Moore’s zero-VOC paint. It is made in flat, eggshell, pearl, and semi-gloss sheen. Like Aura, Natura is also self-priming and doesn’t have an odor. As such, it is ideal for painting ceilings, walls, and interior plaster. It costs about $54.99 per gallon.

Regal

This product line encompasses Regal Classic and Regal Select. Between these two, you can find practically any sheen you please. Regal Select is slightly newer and has a smoother application. It’s also more durable.

The two variations are fade-resistant, washable, and best of all, mildew resistant. A gallon of Regal paint goes for about $49.99.

Ben Interior

This is the most inexpensive Benjamin Moore paint option. It’s only available in Eggshell, flat and semi-gloss sheen. Benjamin Moore intends to wow and attract customers who are unwilling to buy expensive paint options. This paint line sells for about $35.99 a gallon.

How much is 5 gallons of Benjamin Moore paint?

Usually, buying a gallon of paint is more expensive than buying in bulk. Essentially, buying 5 gallons of Benjamin Moore paint might end up saving you the cost of a gallon of paint.

Common Questions

1. Is Benjamin Moore Paint Better Than Sherwin Williams?

In all honesty, these two brands are top tier. They are of high-quality and a preferred choice by many professionals across the US. But even then, people cannot help but wonder which paint brand is better than the other.

But as we see it, it all boils down to personal preference. To help you make an informed decision, below are some comparison notes:

Affordability

In regards to price, Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore go for about the same price. A gallon of Benjamin Moore paint goes for about $50, (depending on the product line). For Sherwin Williams paint, you should expect to pay slightly higher than this.

These prices fluctuate depending on the special colors and features. And if you are looking to save some cash, you can be on the lookout for deals and coupons on the local ads. Also, buying the paint in bulk earns you a discount. However, you almost always have to get in touch with the company for special price considerations.

Accessibility

Sherwin Williams has its local stores while Benjamin Moore has authorized dealer shops spread out through North America. A simple search on their website search engine will reveal the location of the closest shop or dealer.

Performance

Regarding performance, there are two important aspects to consider; touch-ups and coverage. Coverage refers to the number of coats it takes to cover a surface completely. Good paint does not require more than two coats of paint. If a paint brand needs more paint layers, it means it will cost more in the long run. Usually, thin paint translates into low performing paint.

On the other hand, touch-ups are important when it comes to making repairs. When paint chips over time, high-quality paint with good touch-up will blend in better with the rest of the wall. A bad touch-up paint will be noticed from a mile away, which means the entire wall should be repainted.

So which is better? Well, both are great paint brands. However, Benjamin Moore paints are easy-going, durable, and easier to clean in comparison to Sherwin Williams.

2. Can I lighten paint by adding white?

Yes, you can. The process of making a paint shade lighter is called tinting. You can add small quantities of white paint to your current paint in small amounts, being careful not to overdo, lest you will not achieve the perfect hue.

When doing this, you need to pay attention to the following:

Read the labels on the existing paint can and note down the type of paint it is. Then try and get white paint that is the same type and from the same manufacturer for consistency. You should also not mix oils with acrylics.

Measure 10% of the paint volume you have in white paint. This means that if you have a wall painting project that will use up a gallon of paint, you should measure about 0.8 pints of white paint in the mixing process.

Pour the measured white paint into your paint can and mix thoroughly using a stick. If you have tubes of paint, use a palette knife instead.

Confirm the shade. The paint shade should get a shade or two lighter. But if you aren’t satisfied with the resulting hue, add another 10% white paint. Beware that proceeding too fast might make the paint very light.

3. How many gallons of paint do I need?

Before you start your painting project, you need to estimate the amount of paint you’ll use on the doors, woodwork, windows, ceiling and interior walls. To make an accurate estimation, you’ll need to calculate the amount of surface you will work on.

How do you do this? Measure the length of the walls and multiply the total length with the height of the room from the floor to the ceiling. The result is the square footage of your room (this should be familiar from your high school math class).

The next step is determining how much of the surface is paintable. If you’ll use a different paint color on different sections like the windows and doors, or not paint these spaces at all, you should subtract the areas from the total square footage.

Before you jump into doing calculations, start by subtracting 20 square feet and 15 square feet for every average-sized door and window respectively. The number you get will be close to the actual wall area available for painting.

Generally, you should expect a gallon of paint to cover about 350 square feet. You will need slightly more than this if the walls have never been painted as they will absorb more paint. Also, you should consider the number of coats you intend to apply. If the walls are heavily patched, unfinished and dark in colors, you should apply two coats.

The next step is doing some quick math. The paintable square footage obtained in the previous step should be divided by 350 to find an estimate of the gallons of paints you need to paint the walls.

If you get an odd number, round it up to make the math easier. If the remainder from the division is less than 5, order a couple of extra paint quarts to give you some cushioning during the project. But if the remainder is more than 5, order another gallon of paint.

At this point, we should mention that buying paint in bulk is more economical. As such, you may realize that, say 3 or 4 quarts of paint costs the same as a gallon.

4. Can I order Benjamin Moore Paint Online?

Yes, you can. You can order your Benjamin Moore paint online and pick it up at your nearest local Benjamin Moore authorized dealer in 3 hours. The fact that they ship paint to most states makes their paint available across the US. All you need to do is choose an authorized dealer that is closest to you.

5. How can I paint my room?

When you take up a painting project, there are different steps that you can follow to get the job done. Here is what you can do to get the best results with minimal hiccups:

Cover up

Once you’ve determined the amount of paint you have and gathered up everything you need for the job, you need to protect the floor and the furniture that you can’t or don’t want to move. Cover them up with a thick fabric instead of a plastic cover (this can be a safety hazard).

Start with a fresh surface

The paint you are using, regardless of the brand, will not adhere to a dirty surface. So wipe fingerprints, dust, soot, and cobwebs from the wall first. Swab any grime off the surface using a wet cloth.

Note that you might need a ladder to get to the higher areas.

Prep the borders

Remove the light switch covers and tape the areas that you don’t want to paint, including baseboards, window frames, and moldings. Use a painter’s masking tape to help you paint clear boundaries around the surfaces that you don’t want to be painted over.

Get your paint

If you intend to paint a dark surface with a light paint color, you will need a coat of primer and two coats of paint. You also need to allow the primer about 6 hours drying time. Benjamin more self-priming paint gives a better result in these situations. You only need to apply two coats of paint.

Get painting

After the preparation, you are now ready to get to work. With an angled brush, paint two inches around the edges of the ceiling or woodwork. After that, paint the remaining surface using a paint roller. Use overlapping w-shaped strokes for best paint distribution. To make it easier to reach high places, invest in a ladder or an extension pole.

Finish up

Rinse the paintbrushes and the roller you use under running water until the water clears. Also, decant the leftover paint in the can and seal the paint to keep it from drying. When the brush bristles dry, slip them back into their original wrapped paper to keep everything from fanning out.

Clean up spatters

Clean the fresh paint spatters using a moist rag and scrape off any dried paint drips using a plastic spatula or a credit card. Remove the masking tape before finalizing the project. When removing the masking tape, pull it at an angle to prevent tearing fresh paint on the sides.

6. Who makes the paint color white dove?

From the Benjamin Moore Paint color section, we’ve seen the paint brand has a lot of white paint color variations. One of these colors is a white dove. Over time, the white dove has become a favorite among professionals. It is their go-to color for walls, cabinetry, trim, and millwork. This is because the color is not too sterile and almost has no yellow. It has a touch of gray and has just enough warmth, such that it’s not too cool and it’s not too yellow or creamy. This kind of balance alone is difficult to find in another white.

7. Does Benjamin Moore sell samples?

Yes, they do. Each of their samples is available upon request. You can try a color you prefer before committing to it with your money and time. Sampling any of the colors will provide you with a sense of how the paint will look.

Each of the colors is available in 16-Oz and can cover 4’ x 4’ or eight 2’ x 2’ surfaces. There is free shipping for orders of more than four samples.

Benjamin Moore is one of the leading paint brands in the industry. It has its fair share of unique features and technology that gives it the edge in the industry. However, just like any other product, it also has a downside. For many, the downside is the high prices of its products, but once you get past this, you will see why experts and many DIYers love Benjamin Moore paints.

Benjamin Moore Paint: Paint Colors, Where to Buy and Much More