Need House Paint? Go to Home Depot

Home Depot’s Behr brand is among the best house paint you can buy, Consumer Reports says.

The magazine tested exterior paints and stains against sun, rain and snow conditions that speed up the natural effects of the elements.

Behr is the best in both the flat and satin paint categories, which people often use on siding, CR says. Behr’s Premium Plus Ultra Flat ($37 per gallon) and Satin ($39) had superior resistance to cracking, fading and mildew after the equivalent of nine years of weather damage.

Kilz worked very well against mildew, but wasn’t as good against cracking and dirt.

In the semigloss trim paint category, Lowe’s Valspar Duramax ($40) proved the best, CR says. But Behr’s Premium Plus Semi-Gloss was still ranked a best buy, and the best value at $29.

For stains, Behr’s Solid Color Waterproofing ($29) was ranked a best buy that put more expensive competitors Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams and Sikkens to shame, CR says. Behr’s also had the best semi-transparent stain, Behr’s Premium Semi-Transparent Weatherproofing ($37). It was the only one that survived the equivalent of two years of weather damage on a deck.

Clear finishes? “Thompson’s WaterSeal Advanced Waterproofer is the only colorless finish that looked presentable after a year,” CR says.

Even the best deals on paint pale in comparison with getting the right person to apply them. Shady contractors or shoddy work can cost you much more. If you’re looking to hire someone for the job, make sure to check out this video before choosing:

And if you do hire a pro, “be sure the contract specifies the brand, line, and number of coats; for paint we generally recommend two top coats plus a prime coat over bare surfaces if paint is not self-priming,” CR says.