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Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Interior Paint Review: Premium Paint for Cabinetry, Doors, & Trim
Posted:
May 11, 2023
Categories:
Paint
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE interior paint offers over 3,500 colors in self-leveling high gloss, semi-gloss, and satin finishes that make doors, window frames, cabinets, and trim look their best. Bringing together the benefits of oil and water-based paints, this premium waterborne interior alkyd paint offers easy cleanup — yet is durable enough for painting kitchen cabinets. In this review, we provide all the details about this innovative paint, including where to use it and how to select the best finish for your paint project!
How does ADVANCE paint compare to other Benjamin Moore paints?
One of the first questions people have about ADVANCE paint is how it compares with other Benjamin Moore interior paints. This durable alkyd paint features Benjamin Moore's proprietary waterborne colorants, for lasting color that makes it popular with homeowners and professional painters. Available in three glossy sheens, it is eco-friendly and more affordable than premium latex paint brands. Among Benjamin Moore products, it is more expensive than their popular Regal Select formula, but not as pricey as their ultra-premium AURA interior paint.
For cabinets and trim that tend to take a beating, ADVANCE will be the most durable option in the long term. The alkyd formula creates a harder, more water-resistant surface that stands up to washing. While Regal Select is a high-quality paint, the latex formula won’t quite match the performance of the ADVANCE alkyd resins, which is why ADVANCE interior paint is worth the higher price for paint projects like cabinets, doors, and trim.
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Sheens
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE paint comes in three furniture-quality finishes: Satin, Semi-Gloss and High-Gloss. Each one has a distinct level of shine to help add dimension and warmth. Because ADVANCE was created for use as a trim, cabinet, and door paint, there is no flat finish available.
Satin
ADVANCE Satin finish is a low gloss that hides flaws well and is easy to apply, making it one of the best paint finishes for DIY projects. It has a low level of reflectance that is perfectly suited to cabinets, interior doors, and trim. The Satin finish is also very durable, making it a perfect choice for furniture, and a great option for walls in high-traffic areas like hallways or mud rooms.
Semi-Gloss
This mid-level gloss finish offers visible shine that gleams even in low light. It is a popular choice for interior doors and trim, and it’s well suited to ornate architectural details in the home like decorative carvings, mantels and cabinet doors. A Semi-Gloss paint sheen takes some practice to apply with a brush, so professionals often use a paint sprayer for doors and cabinetry.
High-Gloss
A high-gloss finish gives a mirror-like effect to doors, trim, and cabinets that makes a dramatic statement. It is a traditional choice for architectural trim and wainscoting in high traffic areas since it’s very hard-wearing and easy to clean. However, this paint finish is challenging to apply without showing brush marks, so we recommend hiring a professional with a paint sprayer.
Paint with a glossy sheen should be applied to a perfectly smooth surface because any flaws will be highlighted by the paint’s shine. Any imperfections need to be filled then sanded, cleaned, and primed with ADVANCE Interior Primer, sanding again after priming. Avoid lacquer primers as they can affect the adhesion of ADVANCE paint. Check with a local Ring’s End representative if you have any questions about priming.
The Best Places To Use ADVANCE Paint
With a hard, furniture-quality finish, Benjamin Moore ADVANCE is an excellent choice for cabinets in kitchens and bathrooms, detailed woodwork, and even exterior doors.
Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets painted with ADVANCE Satin in Benjamin Moore Blue Macaw 784
Advanced technology helps this product last longer than other paints while staying true to its original color and smooth appearance. It's durable enough to withstand daily wear and tear, making it ideal for surfaces like cabinets that are frequently touched. It’s also mildew-resistant, so it’s a popular choice for high-humidity spaces like bathrooms or kitchens.
Trim, Doors, and Other Woodwork
Bedroom with trim in Benjamin Moore Baby’s Breath ADVANCE Satin; Walls in Wish AURA Matte
The satin and semi-gloss finishes in ADVANCE interior paint give a furniture-quality finish to ordinary cabinets and highlight beautiful architectural details. The durable surface also keeps woodwork from showing damage over the years. ADVANCE is a popular choice for painting baseboards, crown molding, door and window casings, and interior doors.
Choose ADVANCE in a high-gloss finish anywhere you want to make a statement, but especially for decorative woodwork and cabinetry.
ADVANCE high gloss in Benjamin Moore Carter Plum
Exterior Doors
Exterior windows and doors painted in Benjamin Moore Onyx 2133-10, ADVANCE, High-Gloss
While ADVANCE is primarily an interior paint, the high-gloss interior/exterior sheen is also formulated for use on exterior doors. It’s the perfect front door paint, combining an elegant shine with a very durable, water-resistant finish that stands up to the weather and regular scrubbing.
ADVANCE Interior Paint Formula
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE paint is a water-based alkyd enamel paint that offers premium quality and lasting performance in three durable sheens. It is made with alkyd resins, which replicate the flow and feel of oil paint. Alkyd enamel paints are as durable as oil paints, but will not yellow over time the way that oil does. As a result, painters like using alkyd paints like ADVANCE, finding it to be the best cabinet paint on the market.
Kitchen cabinets in Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Interior Paint in Antique Jade, Semi-Gloss finish
ADVANCE paint is known for easy application that only requires one or two coats and a smooth finish that doesn't require a topcoat. It is also the best trim paint because you can do light touch ups when needed with a smooth, unblemished result. A simple soap and water clean up is all you need if you happen to spill this paint.
This waterborne formula is designed to perform like an oil-based paint while providing all the benefits of water-based formulas. It offers superior coverage in fewer coats, with almost no odor and low VOCs. ADVANCE covers up to 400 – 450 sq. ft per gallon and has an extended open time, which is the period in which imperfections on a fresh coat of paint can be fixed. It provides excellent hide and requires only one to two coats of paint. Once it is dry, the paint functions like an oil-based paint that results in a hard finish durable enough for high-traffic rooms.
Keep in mind that while ADVANCE paint is dry and ready to recoat after 16 hours, it can take 14 days to fully cure.
Customer review of Benjamin Moore ADVANCE paint for a bathroom cabinet
Stand-Out Features of ADVANCE Interior Paint
Doors painted in ADVANCE Interior Paint in Storm AF-700, Satin; Walls in Nimbus Gray 2131-50, Regal Select, Matte; Trim in Pure White OC-64, Regal® Select, Pearl
There are many benefits to using Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Paint, from the extensive color options to the quick-dry formula that looks fresh for years to come. In addition to getting a smooth, even finish from your paint, here are some of the most sought-after qualities that make Advance Paint a top choice.
Excellent Flow & Leveling
ADVANCE paint creates a smooth finish with no brushstrokes left behind. As most traditional alkyd paints, it has a high level of flow and is self-leveling, which means that it flows into small crevices to create a smooth surface. It hides flaws well and can be applied by either brush or sprayer without a noticeable difference in the outcome.
ADVANCE paint is also spatter-resistant, making painting easy and clean up quick. This paint can be touched up where needed with a flawless finish after 24 hours.
High Volume Solids
Designed with the most up-to-date technology, ADVANCE paint contains a higher quantity of volume solids than many competitor brands -- between 37% and 40%. This means that it has more binders, additives, and pigments that stay behind once the liquid part of the paint has evaporated. Containing more volume solids provides better coverage, hiding imperfections. It also results in richer, more vibrant colors.
Stain-Blocking
With excellent hiding capability, ADVANCE paint contains stain-blocking technology that easily covers blemishes on furniture, trim, and cabinets.
Fast Drying
ADVANCE paint is designed to be touch dry within 4-8 hours. This is significantly quicker than oil-based paints, which typically take over 24 hours to dry. If you need to recoat, allow for 16-24 hours before you paint. Like most alkyd paints, ADVANCE paint takes at least 14 days to fully cure.
Low VOC & Low Odor Paint Formula
As interior paint dries, it releases chemical solvents known as VOCS (Volatile Organic Compounds). They are designed to aid the paint’s flow and make it more user-friendly as it is transferred from the paint can to the wall. However, VOCs can be harmful to your health when inhaled. While oil paints can have VOC levels up to 500, ADVANCE paint is designed to be eco-friendly with a VOC level of 47. Unlike oil-based paints that give off strong odors, this paint is formulated to be odor-free and safe, even after tinting. It does not contribute to allergies or breathing issues.
Gennex® Color Technology
To eliminate the number of chemicals in their paints while increasing durability and vibrancy, Benjamin Moore developed their own proprietary system of colorants known as Gennex. Gennex is a water-based colorant formula with low VOCs. It produces beautiful, rich colors while also being environmentally friendly.
3,500 Colors to Choose From
Engineered with Benjamin Moore’s proprietary Gennex® Color Technology, ADVANCE paint is available in over 3,500 vibrant colors to match your interior design palette. Benjamin Moore colors are formulated to be long-lasting and fade-resistant, staying true to the original shade for years.
Where to Buy Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Paint
As one of the nation’s largest Benjamin Moore retailers, Ring’s End offers ADVANCE paint both in-store and online.
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE is a very popular choice for bathroom and kitchen cabinets, doors, windows, and trim for good reason. It comes in an array of vibrant color options with three gloss finishes that offer different levels of sheen. With lasting durability and a no-chip finish, this is easily the best cabinet paint on the market.
ADVANCE: The Best Paint for Cabinets, Doors, & Trim
Order online today and get ADVANCE paint conveniently delivered to your door — in any of Benjamin Moore's authentic 3,500+ colors!
When it’s time to select your paint colors, paint a large poster board using a Benjamin Moore half-pint paint color sample. Then, move the board around the room to observe the color and sheen on different walls and in different lighting conditions. Ring's End offers all Benjamin Moore paints for online ordering, shipping anywhere in the U.S.! For more helpful tips on selecting paint products, check out our Interior Paint Guide.
Benjamin Moore ADVANCE Paint FAQs
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