Remembering the day at the old hardware store in Bellingham that changed my paint buying habits

I was picking up a gallon of white for a job and the owner, Frank, asked if I was doing trim or walls. I told him trim, and he walked me over to the cheaper flat wall paint... said it would hold up just fine for half the price. That was maybe 8 years ago, and I've saved a ton on interior jobs ever since by not always buying the top-shelf stuff. Anyone else have a local shop tip that stuck with you for years?

2 comments

2 Comments

patricia_hayes11d ago

Frank probably meant well, but that advice can really backfire. Flat paint on trim gets dirty fast and is a nightmare to clean, even if it saves money up front. Spending more on the right paint for the job actually saves time and hassle later when you're not repainting every few years. Sometimes the cheap fix ends up costing you more in the long run.

lunaw7211d agoMost Upvoted

Flat paint also shows every little scuff and fingerprint.