What are your favorite paints for rentals?

Question

In an effort to be as efficient as possible, I would like to start only using two types of paints for all of my units, one for common areas / bathrooms and the other for bedrooms. It'll just make maintenance so much easier. Any recommendations? I hear revere pewter tends to receive pretty positive reviews.

Sharlene Mulchandani · Answer

@Andrew Freed For paints, sticking to neutral colors like beige, cream and gray would be best. We use lighter shades such as Popular Gray and Eider White, by Sherwin Williams.

Steve Vaughan · Answer

I'm a mistint junkie, so standard color doesn't exist.  I do the painting for the most part, so I want to enjoy it.  Trying different colors is satisfying to me and the tenants like it. My PM is efficient and uses the same off-white for that entire community. I find it boring, but like how fast they can touch--up or repaint without it flashing.

I haven't stood in line to get paint made in over 10 years, but I have shelves full of different paints.  We pick our battles I guess.

Andrew Freed · Answer

@Tom Harkins, @Ola Dantis, @JD Martin, @Bradley Padula, @Nicholas Bolcon Great information, thank you all!

Dennis Burian · Answer

@Andrew Freed

Whatever color you use, use one color on every house you own and buy it in 5-gallon jugs. We research this topic every couple years and have ended up on Behr Premium-Plus semi-gloss for 15 years. It covers well and minor scuffs will often wash off so I don’t have to repaint. Same grade for interior and exterior but different colors. It costs a couple bucks more per gallon but you’ll make it back on coverage. And our houses look great and rent fast.

Andrew Freed · Answer

@Sharlene Mulchandani - Good advice - thanks Sharlene.

Tom Harkins · Answer

@Andrew Freed I’ve done 2 full SFH’s in SW7029 Agreeable Gray recently. Can’t go wrong with this color.

Ola Dantis · Answer

We typically go with a light gray color.

Our absolute favorite is SW 7666 (Fleur de Sel) from Sherwin Williams.

Works like a gem every time!

Nicholas Bolcon · Answer

I like alabaster white (an off-white) or repose gray which is a light, neutral gray.  It depends on if you want to get super efficient and paint everything one color, but I do think its nice to do the bedrooms one and everything else the other.  For instance, just ordered flooring after painting walls gray.  The flooring pulls a lot more gray than I thought so downstairs the cabinets are already a gray-ish so the walls are getting the off-white treatment. I'm not going to re-paint the upstairs, it is a rental after all and it still looks good. Is is necessary to think about the flooring vs paint? no but sometimes its the simple things and it really isn't that hard to have two 5-gallon containers.

Bradley Padula · Answer

Ben Moore - Revere Pewter. Ask your local Ben Moore dealer if you can get set up with a contractor/frequent user account for free (saying something like you'll use them for this project and future ones etc). You'll save a significant amount and will get a price list with all the discounted prices for the paint products

JD Martin · Answer

My thoughts:

1. I don't like using the 5 gallon buckets because it leaves too much air space to paint ratio and they're a pain in the butt to pour and store. We used to use them but went back to gallon buckets a few years ago.

2. For simplicity's sake try to pick one beige, one gray, and one trim white. I like Sherwin Williams colors because they don't change, but you don't have to get them from SW.

3. If you end up with enough units understand that you will always have some situation that doesn't fit the norm and you may have a different color. That's OK, just be sure to record the paint color, sheen, code and manufacturer (I have an Excel spreadsheet with all house specifics like this) and on that kind of situation you may want to use a Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams (I use Ferrell-Calhoun) specialty paint store, as the big box stores just use whoever gives them the best prices and they change formulas all the time, even within the same paint names and codes.

4. Eggshell or satin on walls, satin or semi-gloss on trim. I like eggshell+semi-gloss because you get the most pop, but satin is easier to clean and lasts longer in damp areas, kitchens and bathrooms.

5. Don't overthink it. Paint is cheap and fast if you do something you don't like.

What are your favorite paints for rentals?

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