Which should you use on your furniture, cupboards, or woodwork? Benjamin Moore's Advance Alkyd Enamel, or PPG Paint's Breakthrough Acrylic Enamel?
Both paints produce a hard, durable surface that can stand up to high traffic and frequent washing. But which is right for your particular project?
Dry Time - This is probably the biggest difference between these to paint products. Benjamin Moore's Advance has a very long dry time. That is because it is designed to level very well, leaving no brush marks. That results in a smoother finish, but you have to wait for it, up to 16 hours or more depending on humidity and temperature. And it may not fully cure for weeks. However, PPG Paint's Breakthrough has a fast drying time and block resistance. That means you can finish faster and the paint film won't stick to stuff (like the seat of your pants). The downside is you might get brush marks if you are not careful or use a cheap applicator.
Coverage and Hide – Advance is designed to be a one-coat paint. If you have to wait so long for the paint to dry, you don't want to have to do two coats. So it goes on thick and hides well. Benjamin Moore doesn't guarantee it will cover in one coat, but unless you are covering a very light color with a vary dark color, or vice-versa, you are covered (pun intended). Breakthrough, however, is less likely to cover in one coat. The film is just not as thick as with Advance. The upside is it dries so fast that you can do another coat in the time it would take the Advance first coat to dry, and still have time for a beer.
Durability – Both of these paints are waterborne paints, but Advance is alkyd and Breakthrough is acrylic. What does that mean? It means that for shear hardness and scrub-ability, Advance wins. Alkyd binders, even in waterborne paints, are still more durable than acrylics. But there is a caveat. Acrylics are more flexible, and therefore resist cracking in areas with extreme temperature changes. In fact, Breakthrough remains very flexible, and can be used on surfaces like fabrics and vinyl, where Advance would be likely to crack and peal. Another thing that Breakthrough has over Advance is that because it isn't alkyd, it is less likely to yellow over time. All alkyds will turn a little amber as the years pass, so acrylics have an edge in maintaining true color.
Price – Both Advance and Breakthrough are premium paints. But PPG Paints tend to be more affordable than Benjamin Moore. Either way, you get what you pay for. And if it is the right paint for your project, it is worth the money.
I hope that helps you make the decision between these two excellent paint products.
Andy
Which should you use on your furniture, cupboards, or woodwork? Benjamin Moore's Advance Alkyd Enamel, or PPG Paint's Breakthrough Acrylic Enamel?
Both paints produce a hard, durable surface that can stand up to high traffic and frequent washing. But which is right for your particular project?
Dry Time - This is probably the biggest difference between these to paint products. Benjamin Moore's Advance has a very long dry time. That is because it is designed to level very well, leaving no brush marks. That results in a smoother finish, but you have to wait for it, up to 16 hours or more depending on humidity and temperature. And it may not fully cure for weeks. However, PPG Paint's Breakthrough has a fast drying time and block resistance. That means you can finish faster and the paint film won't stick to stuff (like the seat of your pants). The downside is you might get brush marks if you are not careful or use a cheap applicator.
Coverage and Hide – Advance is designed to be a one-coat paint. If you have to wait so long for the paint to dry, you don't want to have to do two coats. So it goes on thick and hides well. Benjamin Moore doesn't guarantee it will cover in one coat, but unless you are covering a very light color with a vary dark color, or vice-versa, you are covered (pun intended). Breakthrough, however, is less likely to cover in one coat. The film is just not as thick as with Advance. The upside is it dries so fast that you can do another coat in the time it would take the Advance first coat to dry, and still have time for a beer.
Durability – Both of these paints are waterborne paints, but Advance is alkyd and Breakthrough is acrylic. What does that mean? It means that for shear hardness and scrub-ability, Advance wins. Alkyd binders, even in waterborne paints, are still more durable than acrylics. But there is a caveat. Acrylics are more flexible, and therefore resist cracking in areas with extreme temperature changes. In fact, Breakthrough remains very flexible, and can be used on surfaces like fabrics and vinyl, where Advance would be likely to crack and peal. Another thing that Breakthrough has over Advance is that because it isn't alkyd, it is less likely to yellow over time. All alkyds will turn a little amber as the years pass, so acrylics have an edge in maintaining true color.
Price – Both Advance and Breakthrough are premium paints. But PPG Paints tend to be more affordable than Benjamin Moore. Either way, you get what you pay for. And if it is the right paint for your project, it is worth the money.
I hope that helps you make the decision between these two excellent paint products.
Andy