What makes Top of the Line paint ....Premium?

We all know that exterior and interior paint varies from the low end at $10 per gallon to over $60.00 per gallon. So what makes the best paint the best?

Paint consists of water, pigment, and resin. The key is to have the proper ratio of these components. Lower end paint has more water and less resin. They also tend to have cheaper resin. The top of the line paints normally have 100% acrylic resin while the cheaper tend to use vinyl acrylic resin. 

According to Dr. John Gilber of Behr Paints:

"The quality of the pigments determines how white paint is and how many colors you can make with it. To make a good clean white you need a lot of titanium dioxide pigment. Cheaper paints are made with less titanium and often include extenders and fillers which add to the grey tone" 

Even though premium paint costs more initially it can save you money in the long run. The premium paint can last up to two to three times the life of the cheaper paint. Thus resulting in a lower cost per year.