The Difference Between Duration and Emerald Paint. While both interior and exterior paints offer great features, Emerald is often seen as the top product due to its advanced technology and efficiency.
Sherwin Williams is one of the biggest names in the painting industry. The brand produces a collection of incredible paints that serve different uses around the home. Two of the company's top products are Emerald and Duration - both of which are acrylic latex paints, designed for your exterior.
Nevertheless, these two paints are very different. They carry some similarities, but how do they compare in terms of price, quality, etc? We've put together a comparison to help you understand both options and see which one might be the best for your project.
Sherwin Williams Emerald
We'll begin by looking at Emerald, which is the newer of the two paints, only coming out in 2012. In fact, many people saw it as an upgrade to Duration - which had been on the scene since 2002. As an exterior paint, Emerald has many features that you will like:
Excellent coverage
Incredible durability
Excellent Scrubbability / Cleanability
Self-priming
Available in: satin, flat, and gloss
Difficult to work with even for a professional
There is even an Emerald Rain Refresh product that takes things to another level, offering self-cleaning technology. When it rains, the water washes away any dirt on the paint, leaving your exterior in excellent condition.
Sherwin Williams Duration
On the other hand, we have Duration. Now, when this product was first released, it made waves in the industry because of how flexible it was, and the coverage is provided. In fact, Duration is so thick that it can be applied in one coating, without needing any others after it. At the time, this was revolutionary, reducing painting costs across the board. Some of the key features of this paint include:
A flexible finish
Excellent coverage
Good Washability
Self-priming
Available in: flat, satin, and gloss
Extra thick
Duration vs. Emerald
As you can see, the two paints are very similar. However, where do they differ?
Efficiency - In terms of efficiency, Emerald comes out on top as the more efficient product. This is because it is designed to match the coverage of Duration but via a thinner coating. So, you can paint the same surface with both products, but Emerald would use up less of the product.
Maintenance - Emerald is also a lot easier to maintain than Duration. It is more resistant to dirt pickup, and this is before we even consider the unique Rain Refresh option as well. In short, Duration can get dirtier a lot faster, and be harder for you to clean and maintain.
Flexibility - The only thing that Duration has over Emerald is the flexibility of the paint. Due to its thickness, it responds better to changes in temperature or humidity. So, if you need to paint an area of your home that experiences temperature fluctuations, Duration might be better.
- Sherwin-Williams Duration, equipped with Moisture Resistant Technology, is the preferred choice for environments with elevated humidity levels.
- For areas with heavy foot traffic, Duration is the recommended option over Emerald.
- Duration incorporates PermaLast Technology, an innovative additive that significantly increases the paint's thickness by 70%, resulting in enhanced durability.
- Due to its increased thickness, applying Duration may be less smooth, and it may pose more of a challenge when cleaning brushes and rollers.
- It's worth noting that Emerald paints come at a slightly higher price point than Duration.
- Emerald interior paint boasts a greater volume of solids compared to Duration interior, whereas the exterior formulations of both product lines exhibit similar volume solids.
- Sherwin-Williams Duration, equipped with Moisture Resistant Technology, is the preferred choice for environments with elevated humidity levels.
- For areas with heavy foot traffic, Duration is the recommended option over Emerald.
- Duration incorporates PermaLast Technology, an innovative additive that significantly increases the paint's thickness by 70%, resulting in enhanced durability.
- Due to its increased thickness, applying Duration may be less smooth, and it may pose more of a challenge when cleaning brushes and rollers.
- It's worth noting that Emerald paints come at a slightly higher price point than Duration.
Common Features Duration and Emerald share several common characteristics.
They are both water-based acrylic latex paints that are self-priming and available in a wide range of colors and finishes.
Furthermore, they exhibit similar qualities such as drying time, resistance to stains, mold, and mildew, as well as ease of washability.
Additionally, both paint lines are formulated with low levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
Moreover, they are compatible with VinylSafe, a selection of colors specifically engineered to prevent distortion and warping when applied to vinyl surfaces.
Contrasts While comparing the two:
- When considering interior paint, Emerald contains a higher volume of solids than Duration, although both their exterior versions exhibit a similar volume of solids.
- Sherwin-Williams Duration incorporates Moisture Resistant Technology, rendering it the superior choice for environments with high moisture levels.
- In areas subject to heavy foot traffic, it's advisable to opt for Duration over Emerald.
- Duration is enriched with PermaLast Technology, an innovative additive that increases the paint's thickness by 70%, thereby enhancing its longevity.
- However, due to its increased thickness, applying Duration may result in a less smooth application, and it may pose greater difficulty in terms of cleaning brushes and rollers.
- It's worth noting that Emerald paints come at a slightly higher price point than Duration.
As far as the pricing of both go, the products are in a similar range of just over $60. Overall, the general consensus is that Emerald is the more complete product. After all, it was effectively brought out as an upgrade to Duration, bringing many of the same qualities in a more advanced product.