Veteran Discounts Available
Home
About us overviewOur TeamCommunity InvolvementCareersReviews
Services overviewRoof RepairRoof ReplacementRoof InspectionStorm DamageGuttersDecksProperty Management ServicesPaintingJunk RemovalEmergency Roof RepairDumpster RentalSoffit & FasciaCommercial RoofingMetal RoofingGutter CleaningSignage
Homeowners overviewRoof ColorsInsurance ClaimsFinancingWarrantyGuidesFAQ
Recent Projects
Areas We Serve overviewRaleighDurhamCaryClaytonKnightdaleGarnerApexWake ForestZebulonYoungsvilleLouisburgCreedmoorRocky MountGreensboroWinston-SalemLexingtonThomasvilleCharlotteAll areas we serve
Contact
Schedule Appointment Call (984) 224-7182
Guide

The Best Trim Paint for an Exterior, and the Sheen to Use

Four products worth buying, what each is actually better at, and the sheen question answered in one word. This is about product and durability, not color: that is a different page.

The table

Four trim paints, compared

Price per gallon and the durability each one is credited with on dark colors, which is where exterior paints separate.

ProductPriceBest at
Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior$75 to $90 a gallonbest on detailed trim
Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exteriorroughly $80 to $95 a gallonbest film build, best availability
Benjamin Moore Advance or SW ProClassicwaterborne alkydbest hardness for doors, windows and handrails
Behr Marquee Exterioraround $50 to $60 a gallonbest value

Durability expectations and the MPI listing for Behr Marquee come from published side-by-side exterior paint testing. Prices are typical shelf prices and move with promotions.

In detail

What each one is better at

Aura and Emerald are close enough that the right answer depends on how you apply paint and which store is nearer.

Benjamin Moore Aura Exterior, best on detailed trim

$75 to $90 a gallon 12 to 15 year expectation on dark colors.

Self-leveling better than anything else in its class, which on trim is the property that matters: brush marks flow out instead of setting, and touch-ups a year later blend in rather than showing as patches. It also holds dark colors longer than its direct rival, which on a dark front door or black window trim is the difference between eight years and twelve.

The catch. Only sold through Benjamin Moore dealers, so if there is not one near you the convenience argument goes the other way.

Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior, best film build, best availability

roughly $80 to $95 a gallon 10 to 12 year expectation on dark colors.

Thicker bodied, so it builds a heavier film faster on flat surfaces like fascia, soffit and wide casing, and it genuinely covers in one coat more often than most paints claim to. Sherwin-Williams stores are everywhere in the Triangle, which matters when you need another gallon on a Saturday.

The catch. That body is less helpful on fine detail, where it drags rather than flows. Side by side with Aura on identical trim the difference is small, and it is mostly about which one suits how you apply paint.

Benjamin Moore Advance or SW ProClassic, best hardness for doors, windows and handrails

waterborne alkyd the hardest finish you can get in a brushable trim paint.

Waterborne alkyds: they flow and cure like oil paint, going hard enough to resist knocks and sticking, but clean up with water. On a front door, a window sash or a handrail that gets touched daily, this is a step up from any latex.

The catch. Long recoat times, and they must be allowed to cure properly before anything touches them. Rushing a door back onto its stops is how you get a permanent fingerprint in it.

Behr Marquee Exterior, best value

around $50 to $60 a gallon MPI 311 listed, one tier below the premium lines.

Published testing puts it at 85 to 90 percent of premium performance for around 60 percent of the price, and it carries an MPI 311 listing, which is a real third party rating rather than a marketing claim. On a large house with a lot of trim, the saving is several hundred dollars.

The catch. One tier down is one tier down, and where it shows is dark colors and long-term gloss retention. On white or off-white trim the gap is small enough that most people would never see it.

The sheen question

Semi-gloss, on almost every house

Semi-gloss on trim, satin or flat on the siding. The step up in sheen is what makes trim read as trim from the street, and the harder surface sheds water, pollen and dirt in a way a flat finish does not.

Full gloss is a mistake on most older woodwork. It reflects every dent, wave and old filler repair, and Triangle houses with wood trim have plenty of all three. Satin on trim beside satin siding just looks like you ran out of paint.

Doors, window sashes and handrails are the exception worth making. A waterborne alkyd like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams ProClassic cures harder than any latex, which is what you want on a surface that gets touched daily.

None of it survives bad prep. Paint over chalky old coating or damp wood fails in two or three years whatever it cost, and prep is where a cheap exterior paint job saves its money. Picking colors instead? Our exterior color guide covers what works against Carolina brick and sun.

Exterior trim painting by Lamar Homes in Raleigh
Questions

Exterior trim paint questions

What is the best paint for exterior trim?

A premium acrylic in semi-gloss, with Benjamin Moore Aura and Sherwin-Williams Emerald at the top. Aura flows better on detailed trim and holds dark colors longer. Emerald builds film faster on wide flat trim and is easier to buy locally.

What sheen should exterior trim be?

Semi-gloss, for almost every house. It sheds water and dirt, it wipes clean, and the step up in sheen from the siding is what makes trim read as trim. Full gloss shows every imperfection in old woodwork, and satin on trim beside satin siding just looks flat.

Is Behr Marquee good enough for trim?

On white or light trim, yes, and the saving is real. Published testing puts it at 85 to 90 percent of premium performance at about 60 percent of the cost. Where it falls behind is dark colors and long-term gloss, so a black front door is worth the premium product.

Should I use oil-based paint on trim?

Traditional oil, no. A waterborne alkyd like Benjamin Moore Advance or Sherwin-Williams ProClassic gives you the hardness and flow of oil with water cleanup and no yellowing, and it is the right choice on doors and handrails.

How long does exterior trim paint last in North Carolina?

Ten to fifteen years on a premium acrylic over properly prepared trim, and considerably less on south and west elevations. Prep decides it more than product: paint over chalky old coating or damp wood fails in two or three years regardless of what you bought.

How many coats does exterior trim need?

Two, over a primed or previously painted surface in sound condition. Bare wood needs a primer first, and any knot needs a stain-blocking primer or it will bleed through both coats of finish within a year.

Can I paint trim in the summer here?

Early mornings, on the shaded side, and watch the humidity. Carolina afternoons routinely put surface temperatures well above what the can allows, and paint that skins over before it can level leaves every brush mark in place.

Keep reading

Related guides and calculators

Trim is part of the exterior. These cover the rest of it.

Free on-site inspection

Get your exterior painting quoted, free

We get on the roof, photograph what is actually there, and hand you a written report with a price. No charge, and no obligation to book the work with us. If the roof has years left in it, that is what the report will say.

  • Free inspection, no obligation to buy
  • Personalized written estimate
  • Financing and insurance claim support
  • Residential and commercial properties
Call (984) 224-7182

Give us a call or fill out our form today to schedule your free inspection!

Whether you need a roof replacement, roof repair, or annual inspection, we’ve got you covered.

(984) 224-7182 Schedule Appointment
Call Now Free Inspection