Olympic vs. Valspar

Enough painting has been done, that we can now call ourselves experts (har har). At the very least, we can now with confidence share our preferred paint. So here's a breakdown of Olympic Icon vs. Valspar Ultra.

Olympic Icon
Zero VOC, Low Odor
Used in laundry room (Harbor Light, satin) and bedroom (Cozy Corner, eggshell)

Coverage: Each room required two coats of paint. The laundry room was primed, because the original yellow was very powerful, and we were doing a very light blue gray over it.

Texture: The paint seemed easy to work with. Liquid in the bucket and tray, but as long as we didn't overload the brush, it seemed to go on smooth (not drippy) on the walls. It also seemed forgiving when it came to brush strokes, such as getting into those tight nooks and crannies or touching up spots.

Odor: Mild. I never felt "fumey."

Valspar Ultra
Zero VOC, Low Odor
Used on trim (Ultra White, semi-gloss) and master bathroom (Gravity, soft gloss, Kitchen & Bath line of Ultra)

Coverage: Trim in the laundry and master both required two coats for good coverage. On the walls, it seemed to be uneven: some spots had excellent coverage, others barely any, even though it looked even while wet. Two coats for even coverage.

Texture: Thick! And dries very quickly, almost two quickly. We experienced this both with the trim and KB paint, so we don't think it was a fluke. Brush strokes in cutting in areas definitely show up, and even though the paint is thick, we still needed to do 2 coats, some areas three. Even though the Lowe's guy said Valspar is superior, we're not convinced. It's just too temperamental for us and amplifies any mistakes made. Part of this could also be due to the glossy finishes.

Odor: Valspar's definition of low is different than Olympic's. We had to take some breaks outside of the master to get some fresh air. It has a sharp odor, or at least the KB paint does. Then I remembered that one reason Young House Love prefers Olympic is that the colorants used are also low-to-zero VOCs, and so perhaps Valspar used the old cancer dyes and we were huffing carcinogens. So, I'd advise you where the proper mask if using Valspar K&B. The trim (Ultra in Ulta White base) seemed to be less pungent.

Verdict
Definitely Olympic Icon. Nicer on the nose and feels easier to work with. Plus it's $5-7 cheaper than Valspar. I'm sure there are DIYers out there who prefer Valspar, and that's okay. It's just not for us.