One of the major features of a quality paint is its ability to cover, or “hide.” If a paint claims to cover in one coat, make sure you read the label carefully to see if there are any exceptions to the guarantee.

A paint that can cover in one coat, even at a premium price, is well worth the cost because of the labor saved—which is typically 90% of the cost of a quality paint job. When you are talking about the exterior of a house, not just a room, this labor savings can be huge.

When you read the label, look for the titanium dioxide content because this is the ingredient in paint that gives it its hiding ability. Also be aware of the other ingredients in the paint. Some have had fillers added to them, which, while they can help the paint hide extremely well often fail in other desirable characteristics such as how easy the painted surface is to clean.