Valspar vs. Glidden: Which Paint Is Better?

Are you preparing for a paint project but can’t decide between Valspar and Glidden?

In this in-depth comparison of Valspar vs. Glidden, you’ll learn how they differ in terms of colors, volume solids, VOCs, coverage, durability, pricing, and more.

I also share what paint experts have to say about each paint brand.

By the end, you’ll have all the necessary facts to decide which paint brand is right for you.

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Use the links below to navigate the comparison:

• Paint Lines
• Volume Solids
• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
• Where It Is Sold
• Colors
• Price
• What Experts at Lowe’s and The Home Depot Say
• What Others Are Saying About Valspar and Glidden
• Bottom Line: Should You Use Valspar or Glidden?

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Paint Lines

Valspar and Glidden both offer a wide range of paint lines. The coverage, durability, and overall performance vary significantly across lines.

So, before we compare Valspar vs. Glidden as a whole, let’s quickly review the key features of each brand’s most popular paints. 

Valspar Ultra

This is Valspar’s everyday line made for high-traffic rooms. This paint is mold and mildew resistant and goes on smooth. It’s easy to wash and protects against stains and scuffs. Ultra is also available as exterior paint.

Valspar Signature

Signature comes with ScuffShield technology, making it highly resistant to damage. The coverage quality is also ideal for walls that are already painted. It’s mildew resistant, fade-resistant, and comes with a lifetime warranty.

Valspar Reserve

Valspar’s premium line boasts one-coat coverage and superior fade-resistant color. The paint is scratch and scuff resistant and comes with a “Color Stays True Longer” guarantee. This line also has a limited lifetime warranty.

Valspar Duramax

Duramax is a weather-resistant exterior paint line. Its FlexShield Technology helps keep paint from cracking and peeling regardless of the temperature. Duramax is also mildew and mold resistant, boasts high-quality coverage, and is great for hiding scratches and marks.

Valspar offers more products for specific surfaces like ceilings, concrete, and masonry. To explore all its offerings, visit Valspar.com or read this guide, where I break down the key differences between each Valspar paint line. 

Glidden Essentials

The budget-friendly interior line is an excellent choice for repainting or retouching a wall or any indoor surface that needs refreshing. The paint is scrubbable and features a low VOC level and low odor.

Essential exterior is suitable for various outdoor wood surfaces and boasts high coverage.

Glidden Premium

This is an affordable paint line for both indoor and outdoor projects. The interior line is long-lasting, with high durability. It withstands scratches and stains and is easy to apply and clean.

The exterior version can be applied in temperatures as low as 35 degrees Fahrenheit and is resistant to cracking and fading.

Glidden High Endurance Plus

A premium interior and exterior line that offers high-quality, lasting coverage. The interior line is washable and scrubbable, while the exterior is suitable for various outdoor surfaces.

Other lines include redwood stain, Porch & Floor Paint, and Door & Trim Paint. For a complete list of Glidden’s products, refer to Glidden.com, HomeDepot.com, or Amazon.com.

Volume Solids

Every paint has a certain percentage of volume solids, which is the amount of pigment and binder left on a surface after the paint dries.

You should consider the percentage of volume solids in paint before buying for several reasons. It helps you decide how much paint you need for a project, and it lets you compare a paint’s coverage quality and value. 

Generally, higher quality paints have the highest volume percentages. These paints are thicker and provide better coverage.

For example, the Valspar Reserve percentages are noticeably higher than the Valspar Ultra line. Similarly, the volume solids percentage of Glidden Premium is higher than Glidden Essentials.

That doesn’t mean that paint with lower volume solids is the wrong choice, but it strongly indicates its price point, coverage, and overall quality.  

Refer to the charts below to compare the volume solids in Valspar and Glidden’s interior and exterior paint organized by the finish. Some data is not available because each brand offers different finishes depending on the paint line.

Interior Volume Solids

Paint Line	Flat	Eggshell	Satin	Semi-Gloss
Valspar Ultra	35%	38%	39%	39%
Valspar Signature	46%	43%	36%	37%
Valspar Reserve	43%	47%	46%	42%
Glidden Premium	39%	36%	35%	34%
Glidden Essentials	38%	31%	N/A	24%
Glidden High Endurance Plus	43%	40%	N/A	40%

Exterior Volume Solids

Paint Line	Flat	Satin	Semi-Gloss	High-Gloss
Valspar SeasonPLUS	N/A	38%	38%	N/A
Valspar Duramax	39%	48%	40%	N/A
Glidden Premium	36%	32%	31%	N/A
Glidden Essentials	34%	N/A	34%	N/A
Glidden High Endurance Plus	41%	39%	N/A	N/A

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are another important aspect to keep in mind when choosing between Valspar and Glidden.

VOCs are chemicals that solidify wet paint, but they are also potentially harmful. The amount of VOCs in a paint indicates how many solvents are released as the paint is drying. The higher the VOC amount, the higher risk of side effects when breathing the fumes.

VOCs cause paint to smell and can trigger issues like headaches, dizziness, and nausea.

A paint is labeled as “Low VOC” if the level of VOCs is below 50 grams per liter of paint. Regardless of the VOC level, always make sure to paint in a well-ventilated area and wear protective gear like gloves and masks. 

Check out the chart below to compare the amount of VOCs in both Valspar and Glidden Paint. As you’ll see, both brands offer plenty of low VOC options.

	Interior Paint VOCs (g/L)	Exterior Paint VOCs (g/L)
Valspar Ultra	< 50	< 50
Valspar Signature	< 50	N/A
Valspar Reserve	< 50	N/A
Valspar Duramax	N/A	< 50
Glidden Premium	0	< 50
Glidden Essentials	< 50	< 50
Glidden High Endurance Plus	0	< 50

Where It Is Sold

Valspar is available at Lowe’s department stores as well as independent retailers. The Valspar website features a convenient map tool to search retailers closest to your zip code.

Glidden products are sold at The Home Depot, Walmart, Amazon, and select independent retailers.

However, product availability depends on the retailer, so double-check which location sells a particular Glidden product. For example, Glidden Premium is available at The Home Depot but not Walmart, and Glidden High Endurance Plus is available at Walmart but not The Home Depot.

To find locations closest to you, refer to Glidden’s website.

Colors

Another key difference between the Valspar and Glidden paint lines is the colors offered.

Valspar offers over 3,000 colors and helps you determine the right ones with helpful tools. Use the color choice section to narrow your search by color, retailer, or paint collection. Then, order a free paint chip of your choice.

Another option is to connect with a Valspar color consultant and get personalized help. Answer a simple questionnaire about your style, and a color expert will guide you through the process with helpful recommendations.

Lowe’s also provides a color visualization tool that allows you to view colors in the setting of your choice. You can also upload any image, and the tool will create a palette based on the colors in the photo.

Valspar has a “Colors of the Year” section on its website for additional inspiration. Every year, Valspar puts together a themed collection of colors picked by experts. Use the collection to see what colors are trending, or check out previous colors of the year for more ideas.

Glidden offers over 1000 color choices; view them all at once, or search for a specific paint collection or color family. The website lets you save your favorite colors and order paint swatches directly to your home.

Glidden’s website boasts several helpful tools like Match My Color. Upload an image, and the color match tool finds color swatches similar to the colors in the picture.

There is also the Room Visualizer, which lets you select a color and see it virtually in a premade photo or a photo of your choice.

Price

Valspar and Glidden are both affordable paint lines, but how do their prices compare?

Both brands provide a wide range of paint products that differ in coverage, durability, quality, and, of course, price.

Overall, though, Glidden is more affordable than Valspar.

The price-point for Glidden is anywhere from $10-$20 per gallon less than Valspar, depending on the product.

Glidden Essentials, the brand’s most affordable paint line, is about $10 less per gallon than Valspar’s cheapest paint (Ultra). With the higher-end paint lines, Valspar Premium is about twenty dollars more than Glidden Premium.

Overall, Valspar and Glidden are among the more affordable paint lines than other popular brands like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams.

The chart below makes it easy to compare prices across the brands.

Paint	View Price
Glidden Premium Interior	HomeDepot.com
Glidden Essentials	HomeDepot.com
Glidden One-Coat Interior Paint + Primer	Walmart.com
Glidden High Endurance Interior Paint	Walmart.com
Glidden Quick Cover Interior Paint	Walmart.com
Valspar Reserve Interior	Lowes.com
Valspar Signature Interior	Lowes.com
Valspar Ultra Interior	Lowes.com
Valspar ExpressCoat Interior	Lowes.com
Valspar Duramax Exterior	Lowes.com
Valspar SeasonFlex Exterior	Lowes.com
Valspar SeasonPlus Exterior	Lowes.com

What Experts at Lowe’s and Home Depot Stores Say

To get an expert opinion on Valspar vs. Glidden, I reached out to the paint experts at Lowe’s and Home Depot.

I asked each expert the same question:

What’s the difference between Valspar and Glidden?

The paint expert at Lowe’s in Dedham, Massachusetts, said it totally depends on which paint lines you compare, but in general, Valspar is better quality than Glidden. He said it’s thicker, has higher volume solids, and is more durable. He mentioned that Valspar is more comparable to Behr, and both Behr and Valspar are a step above Glidden.

When I spoke to the paint expert at The Home Depot in Norwood, Massachusetts, she agreed with Lowe’s. She mentioned that Glidden is cheaper, but it’s a thinner paint that requires more coats. She said it’s targeted at budget-conscious homeowners who care most about price. It’s great for rentals and rooms that don’t see much traffic, but it’s not the longest-lasting paint brand.

The paint expert at Lowe’s in Plainville, Massachusetts, said that both brands would get the job done. He also told me the quality varies by paint line, and you get what you pay for. He mentioned that Valspar Reserve is the brand’s best offering. It’s thick and durable, and you only need one coat in most cases. On the other hand, Valspar Ultra is much cheaper, but it won’t last as long.

Lastly, I spoke with the paint department at The Home Depot in Quincy, Massachusetts. The representative there told me that Valspar is more expensive, but it’s known to be more consistent and durable than Glidden. She said that Valspar offers one-coat paint while Glidden will always require at least two coats.

The consensus among paint experts at the major home improvement stores is that Valspar has better quality paint than Glidden, but the difference varies by paint line. Glidden is cheaper by the gallon, but since you will likely need to apply more coats, it may cost more in the end.

What Others Are Saying About Valspar and Glidden

To get a broader perspective on Valspar vs. Glidden, let’s look at what other publications and independent product review companies say about these brands.

Good Housekeeping reviewed Valspar Signature paint and gave it four out of five stars. The review praised Signature for its low VOC, good value, coverage, and finish. Overall this paint gets positive feedback.

Another Good Housekeeping review covers Valspar Ultra Premium interior paint. This paint receives three and a half stars and is praised for its resistance to fading, scratches, and stains. The one con mentioned is that you might need more than one coat of paint for a project.

The Spruce mentioned Valspar Duramax as the best paint for wood surfaces. They praised its weather and mold resistance and excellent coverage. It got negative marks for not being a low VOC paint.

Bob Villa named Valspar Signature Satin one of the “Best Interior Paints.” The experts applauded the Signature line for its rich coat and its ability to hide surface damage. He also mentioned the low VOCs, fast-drying time, and ScuffShield Technology.

In an in-depth review of exterior paint, The Hartford Courant boasts Glidden Premium in flat and satin finish as an affordable paint brand that withstands extreme weather conditions. Glidden Premium flat also received praise as one of the top choices for flat-finish paint. This article was based on testing by Consumer Reports.

Good Housekeeping reviews three kinds of Glidden paint:

Glidden Interior Premium gets a three-star review. The reviewers gave it positive marks for being mildew-, fade-, and stain-resistant. It is also praised for its fast drying time. Premium lost points for coverage and for not being scratch-resistant.

The review for Glidden High Endurance is only two stars. Good Housekeeping liked that the paint was low VOC, resistant to wear, and affordable. But the paint didn’t impress in coverage or finish quality.

The highest-ranking Glidden paint was the Duo Paint + Primer. The paint received three and a half stars for its affordable price, good coverage, easy stain removal, and low VOC levels. However, it was not resistant to scratching.

Bottom Line: Should You Use Valspar or Glidden?

Now that you know the key differences between Valspar and Glidden, it’s time to decide which to buy.

Here is a quick review of the main considerations:

• Both Valspar and Glidden offer a wide variety of paints in various finishes and price points.
• The amount of volume solids depends on the paint line. The premium and higher-priced paint lines have higher volume solids.
• Most paints by both Valspar and Glidden are considered low VOC. Glidden offers zero-VOC options, too.
• Valspar products are sold primarily at Lowe’s. Glidden products are available at The Home Depot, Walmart, and Amazon, but each store carries different paint lines (Home Depot offers the most selection).
• Valspar and Glidden products offer many color selections. Both brands’ websites boast helpful tools to help select your color.
• Glidden products are $10-$20 less than Valspar products depending on the paint.
• Paint experts agree that Valspar provides better coverage, durability, and overall quality, but the difference varies by paint line.

Valspar and Glidden are both affordable paints that offer a variety of choices for any painting project. Choosing either brand will save you a significant amount of money, especially compared to high-end options like Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams.

So which should you choose?

The bottom line — you get what you pay for. If you need paint that delivers high-quality coverage and a scuff-resistant finish, choose a higher-end line like Valspar Reserve or Glidden Premium.

For a simple job that doesn’t need paint with extra features, Valspar Ultra or Glidden Essentials will get the job done but might not last as long.

In my opinion, a mid-tier paint like Valspar Signature is the best option. It won’t cost as much as Valspar Reserve and won’t cover as well, but it will hold up much better than Valspar Ultra or Glidden Essentials.

If you plan to stay in your home for a while, investing in high-quality paint could save you money long term since you won’t have to touch-ups or repaint as often.   

Refer to both Valspar and Glidden’s websites to learn more about each paint brand and all of their products. Or shop Valspar on Lowes.com and Glidden on HomeDepot.com and Amazon.