If you’re thinking about doing an exterior painting project soon, Sherwin Williams offers a handful of products in their exterior paint line. For most exterior projects though, there’s 2 products we would recommend over others – Superpaint or Duration. Below, we’ll go over the differences and when you might want to use one over the other.
SuperPaint
SuperPaint is Sherwin Williams ‘standard’ exterior paint. It is priced about mid-range and performs accordingly. It has technology to allow us to paint in cooler temperatures and will typically last about 5-7 years. Of course the amount of time that any paint will last depends on a lot of factors – two of the most important being weather conditions and pre-existing conditions.
SuperPaint is great on an older home, something more than 40 years old. If there are peeling areas or bare wood, a separate primer will be required prior to applying SuperPaint. On some substrates, such as cedar, SuperPaint is a better option because it allows the wood to ‘breathe’ and doesn’t trap moisture under the paint as much. This is also why it’s better on an older home, as that home more than likely already has layers and layers of paint on it, and you want it to be able to ‘breathe’ better. SuperPaint also has improved resistance to early dirt pick-up, it’s vinyl safe, and it has block resistance – which means those window frames and door jams shouldn’t get stuck because of it.
Duration
Though it has the same technology that allows us to use it during cooler temperatures, Duration tends to be slightly more expensive than Superpaint – which can easily be explained. For starters, Duration can be applied on a handful more surfaces than SuperPaint – such as steel, aluminum, vinyl and wood siding and trim. It typically lasts for about 8-10 years as well, depending on the same factors as above.
Duration is great if you are looking for a self priming, one coat coverage type of paint. It’s best if used on a newer home, under 30-40 years old. Unlike Superpaint, if Duration is applied on a home with cedar, or with a moisture problem, the thicker Duration coating will stop the home from ‘breathing’ and prevent moisture from escaping – therefore cause blistering and peeling paint.
Which product is your favorite? Have any good or bad experiences with either? Let us know in the comments below! And as always, if you’re curious about our services, give us a call or schedule an estimate on our website!
21 Responses
Why didn’t my Sherwin Williams salesperson inform me of this? Now, I have spent $8,000 to paint my 50 year old house. 2 weeks later the Duration paint is blistering and peeling. The painter wants $3,000 more to prime and repaint the house!
Susanna Miller
404-512-2635
I have masonite siding that is 20 years old. Parts of it have mildew and chipping on the bottom side of the board. Which product would you suggest?
Can super paint be applied over duration paint that was last painted 5 years ago ?
Yes. Should be no problem. Be sure to spot prime any bare wood if there is any.
Can super paint be applied over resilience? We were painting 3 buildings and all have at least one coat but it seems the whole state of Indiana doesn’t have anymore resilience paint.
Yes you can paint Superpaint over Resilience. Should be no problem.
I am painting red brick on a house built in 1957 with super paint. . Painting it a grey color. Does primer need to go on first or is super paint sufficient?
Hi Tracy, if the brick has not been painted before you should use a masonry primer and then a masonry paint. Sherwin Williams Loxon line would work well.
Don’t over think things too much with painting. What you need to consider is coverage and binding capabilities and with brick it is a rough surface also with very small holes which need to be filled. For this use a thick primer (not the cheaper stuff) and then a paint like Super or Duration should be great as long as you apply the primer properly preferably with a thick 1″ nap to really spread the paint well and get good coverage in those pin holes all over. More than likely afterwards you’ll need 2 good coats to get a long lasting and professional finish on there. I always recommend satin for exterior because it is more resistant to stains and holds up better all the way around as well looks great. IMO and from experience of past jobs, if done properly a paint like Duration especially when applied properly will still look knew after ten plus years and is also resistant to mold mildew and dirt through a long period when you do not cut corners on the materials and labor.
Would SuperPaint work well on a cedar fence? Is anything else needed before applying SuperPaint?
Hi Shannon, we would not recommend SuperPaint (or any paint) on a cedar fence. Fencing should be stained (a solid color stain looks like a paint). Because fencing is in the ground, it absorbs moisture, which will cause paint to peel. Cedar is also a moist wood, making a stain even more important. Something like Sherwin Williams Woodscapes would work well.
I have 2 gallons of super paint and 2 gallons of duration , can they be mixed so I will have enough to.paint my hou
Yes. If they are both new (ish) then you should be fine.
Our house was painted 8 years ago with Super Paint outside . We were pleased the way it held up. We are in the process of having it painted, same Greek Villa shade with Duration gloss. We hope it will give us at least 8-10 years of service. The paint will cover wood trim and eaves and porch and posts and some cement boards on porch and eaves and a fresh coat on the metal garage door. The painters are spraying the cement boards and brushing the wood.
I have a 100+ year old farmhouse that has good wood siding that has held up over the years, though with a couple eaves just re-sided with cedar after a moisture problem – not primed or painted yet. The house has had several repaintings over the years, typically scraped, then oil primer and latex top coat. The most recent painting used a latex primer and latex top coat and didn’t hold up that well, especially in hot south sun. We will be repainting, scraping as much as possible to bare wood, but I expect there will be about 20% where the existing latex will be bonded well and not scrape off. Question: If we use a good oil based primer (like Kilz original oil-base exterior), is it okay if this oil-based primer covers both the bare wood AND the 20% areas where scraping the existing latex did not come off? Also, given the age of the house, we intend to top coat with Super Paint (versus Duration) since the house/wood is near 100 years old and seems like the need to “breathe” would trump the few extra years of durability. Thoughts?
Sounds like you have a good plan to me. I think an oil primer will definitely give you better results and you shouldn’t have any issues coating the entire house. One other thought is to try to improve the ventilation of the home as much as possible. I realize this can be difficult on an old home. Often times, exterior paint failure can be caused by moist, humid air in the home escaping through the wood siding because of poor insulation and ventilation. Hope this helps. Happy Painting!
Do you have a recommendation on Superpaint vs Duration on a front door? I’m not sure which one to pick for the exterior of our front door project.
Which Sherwin Williams exterior paint would last the longest on a north-facing front door?
Hello
My house was built in 1971, I can see using Super Paint will be the better option but what I’m wondering is if I need to use a separate primer first? Like the Sherwin Williams Multi Purpose Exterior/Interior Latex Primer Sealer then use the Super Paint? Or am I just able to spray the Super Paint after I’ve prepped the house?
Thank you
Thanks for your question, Rachel. You will definitely want to prime at least all of the bare wood (assuming it is wood). I would suggest using an oil-based primer or a “peel-bonding” primer such as Sherwin Williams Prime Rx. The exact primer you’ll need varies based on the type of substrate and the condition. Hope this helps. Good luck with you painting project!
How does their Emerald line compare to either of these – is it OK for an older wood-sided house?
Emerald is great. This is what we prefer to use, but of course it is one of Sherwin’s most expensive options.