A couple of months ago, all the major paint brands announced their Color of the Year for 2022. To everyone’s surprise, the colors were shockingly similar. All of them cited the global pandemic and a desire for a “return to nature” as part of their decision-making process. With all three brands choosing various shades of gray-green, we thought it would be interesting to put all of them up on the wall and see what we thought. 

What we found surprised us, both in how the colors look and the actual paint quality among the three brands. Here’s everything we learned by comparing the Color of the Year 2022 from all the major brands. 

Recommended reading:

• Comparing the Color of the Year 2023
• The Best Interior Paints For Your Home 2022
• Color Consultation Appointments and Why They Matter

Comparing The Color of the Year 2022

For this project, we used the middle-tier premium products from the three brands. For reference, that is Sherwin William’s Duration, PPG’s Manor Hall (soon to renamed Prominence), and Benjamin Moore’s Regal Select. PPG and Sherwin Williams were painted with a Satin finish, while Benjamin Moore was painted in Pearl (which falls between matte and satin). 

We painted six sections of the wall, with each product having two sections. One of the sections only received one application, while the other received two coats of the product. All of them were applied with the same rollers and brushes for a consistent result. With all of that in mind, here is what we found.

We Think Benjamin Moore’s October Mist Looks The Best 

This is the most subjective, but we like Benjamin Moore’s October Mist the most. It is the most muted of the three, which makes it a great option for any room. October Mist looks the most like a gray-green. PPG’s Olive Sprig is an olive color (surprise), and it definitely leans a bit more yellow. Sherwin William’s Evergreen Fog has more of blue tint. 

The other two colors look great, but we feel they will only be used in specific situations, whereas October Mist has the most universal applications. 

PPG and Benjamin Moore Had Better Coverage Than Duration 

As we said earlier, there are six sections on the surface. Each paint has a section with one coat and two coats. As a rule of thumb, you always want to apply two coats of paint, even if it gets great coverage. However, PPG’s Manor Hall and Benjamin Moore’s Select definitely have a “one coat” appeal because their coverage is phenomenal. 

Benjamin Moore had the best coverage overall, but both products spread very well. Duration is notably thicker than the other two, and as such it didn’t cover in the same manner. If you’re looking to stretch your budget and make the paint go farther, this makes PPG a great option. Even with its great coverage, Benjamin Moore is still the most expensive option. 

Duration Shells Up Better

But coverage isn’t the only factor when selecting paint, as evidenced by the finish on all the products. Between the three, Duration shelled up the best. That means that Duration has the smoothest finish. PPG and Benjamin Moore are notably rougher than Duration, with Benjamin Moore perhaps feeling the roughest. 

That makes sense given how the products covered. Because Duration required more paint to fully cover, it better adhered with itself, creating a smoother finish. 

If the feel is equally as the look, Duration is your best option here. 

Benjamin Moore Is Incredibly Durable 

As a test, we had our painters get a little rough with the paint after the first coat by “accidentally” bumping the wall. Regal Select had no noticeable damage after the bump, Manor Hall/Prominence had a noticeable dent, and Duration flaked off entirely. 

Keep in mind, this is only after one coat and a few hours of dry time. Paint needs roughly 30 days to fully cure to reach peak hardness. But these early results show that Benjamin Moore is initially the most durable. 

That’s an important factor if you have children or if you want to paint a high-traffic area that is prone to bumps. 

PPG Is The Best Bang For The Buck 

If price is the most important thing, PPG’s Manor Hall is going to be the best bang for the buck. The coverage is exceptional and it’s durable, but it significantly undercuts the cost of the other two products. If you have a project that needs done, but you are looking to save money, Manor Hall is a great option to find some savings without sacrificing quality. 

Benjamin Moore’s Select is notably more expensive than both Manor Hall and Duration. 

The main take away for consumers should be that all of these are high-quality products with their own unique properties (and associated pros and cons). All of them are washable and scrubbable, and you can learn more about how to clean painted walls on our blog post about it. 

If you like one brand’s color but the actual product of another, all of these companies can color match their competitors. That allows you to get the product and finish you want. 

And those are our results for comparing the Color of the Year 2022 from the three major brands. All three of these are great products, and there isn’t one that is universally better than the other. Benjamin Moore’s product had the best coverage and durability, and we like the color most. However, it is quite a bit more expensive than the other two. Duration doesn’t cover as well, but it shells up the best. PPG is the sweet spot in terms of price, durability, and coverage, but this particular color is our least favorite. 

If you have been on the fence about doing a project in your home, why not sign up for a free quote today? There is no obligation and our professional consultants can tell you exactly what it would take to give your home a fresh look.