Sheen decides how a wall looks and how well it cleans. The paint type decides how long it lasts. This page gives plain answers on both, with notes for Fargo's light and weather.
Price ranges on this page are national figures published by HomeGuide for 2026. They are not our quotes. Local labor, paint prices and the condition of your own surfaces move the number up or down. Last checked October 2026.
What sheen should I use for walls and trim?
Use a low sheen on walls and a higher sheen on trim. Flat or matte hides flaws. Eggshell and satin clean better. Semi-gloss is the hardest and suits trim and doors.
| Surface | Usual sheen |
|---|---|
| Ceilings | Flat |
| Bedrooms, living and dining rooms | Flat, matte or eggshell |
| Hallways, kids' rooms, kitchens | Eggshell or satin |
| Bathrooms | Satin or a bath paint |
| Trim, doors, cabinets | Satin or semi-gloss |
Eggshell or satin for living room walls, and flat or eggshell to hide bad walls?
Eggshell suits most living room walls, and flat hides bad walls best. Eggshell has a soft, low shine and wipes clean. Satin is shinier and tougher, but it shows roller marks and wall flaws more.
If the walls are wavy or heavily patched, as old plaster in Fargo's core neighborhoods often is, go flat or matte. Shine shows every ridge when light runs along the wall. Good matte paints today wash far better than old flat paint did.
Should trim be satin or semi-gloss?
Either works. Semi-gloss is the classic choice for trim: it is hard, bright and easy to wipe. Satin gives a softer look and hides dents and old brush marks better on worn trim.
Use the same sheen on all the trim in a room. On old trim with many layers of paint, satin is kinder.
What is the best paint for a bathroom or kitchen?
The best paint for a bathroom or kitchen is one made to resist moisture and mildew, in satin or a similar washable finish. Bathroom paints carry extra mildew resistance. Kitchens need a finish that survives grease and scrubbing.
Paint will not make up for a missing fan. In a Fargo winter the house is closed up and steam stays in the room unless a fan takes it outside.
What is the best paint for a high-traffic hallway?
For a busy hallway, use a scrubbable paint in eggshell or satin. Hallways, stairs and mudrooms get hands, bags, boots and pets against the walls. A durable washable paint keeps its look after cleaning.
Back entries and mudrooms take a beating here in winter from wet coats, road salt and boots. Satin or semi-gloss on the lower walls and trim is worth it there.
What is the best paint for exterior walls in this climate?
For Fargo, the best paint for exterior walls is a top-grade 100% acrylic latex. Acrylic stays flexible, and that matters in a place where the long-term normals run from below zero on January nights to the low 80s on July afternoons. Paint that goes brittle cracks as siding swells and shrinks.
Acrylic also holds color in strong sun and lets a little moisture pass through instead of blistering. Check the label for the lowest temperature at which the paint can be applied. Some exterior paints can go on in cooler weather than others, and that helps at both ends of our short season.
Can I use the same paint inside and outside?
No. Do not use interior paint on the exterior. It is not made for sun, rain or frost and will fade and fail quickly. Exterior paint is not a good choice indoors either. It has additives for weather and mildew that are not needed inside, and it can smell for longer.
Does expensive paint last longer than cheap paint?
Usually yes. More expensive paint has more solids and better resin, so it covers in fewer coats, holds its color longer and stands up to washing. Cheap paint often needs an extra coat, and that wipes out the saving because labor is the big cost.
HomeGuide lists paint at $20 to $80 per gallon: $20 to $60 for interior and $30 to $80 for exterior. The same page says labor is the larger part of any paint job. Good paint on good prep is the better buy.
Is one paint brand really better than another?
The line matters more than the brand. Every major brand sells a cheap contractor line and a premium line, and the gap between those two is bigger than the gap between brands.
We do not push one brand here. We choose the product for the surface and the weather, and we can match a color you already have. Ask any painter which line they plan to use, not only which brand.
How many coats of paint do I need?
Two coats is the standard, and it is what we plan for. One coat can do when you repaint the same color with a good paint over sound walls. A strong color change, new drywall, patches or bare wood need primer plus two coats.
How do I cover dark paint with a light color?
To cover dark paint with a light or white color, start with a primer, then apply two finish coats. A grey-tinted or high-hide primer blocks the dark color so that it does not shadow through the white.
Without primer you may need three or four coats of finish paint. That costs more than one coat of primer.
Why does the same color look different in different rooms?
A color looks different from room to room because the light is different. North rooms get cool, bluish light and south rooms get warm light. Lamps, floors and furniture all reflect onto the walls too.
Fargo sits far north, so winter sun is low and thin and summer light is long and strong. Snow on the ground throws cool white light into rooms for months. Test a sample on two walls and look at it morning, afternoon and by lamp before you commit.
What white will not look yellow?
A white with a neutral or slightly cool base will not look yellow. Whites with a cream or warm base turn yellow next to cool light and bright white trim. Old oil-based white also yellows with age, most of all in rooms with little daylight.
Hold the sample against a sheet of printer paper and against your trim. Then check it under your own light bulbs, because warm bulbs push any white toward yellow.
How do I pick an exterior color that matches my roof and brick?
Start with what will not change: the roof, the brick or stone, and the color of any vinyl or steel siding that stays. Pick a body or trim color that shares their undertone, warm with warm and cool with cool.
Look at samples outside, in sun and in shade, next to the roof and brick. Colors look lighter outdoors than on a card. If you are in an HOA, check its approved colors first. We offer color consulting and can put up sample patches.
How much paint do I need?
One gallon covers 300 to 400 square feet, by the published figures. For one coat, HomeGuide lists 1 gallon for an average bathroom, 2 for an average room, 3 for a large room and 4 for a living room or several rooms. Double those for two coats.
Rough, bare or textured surfaces take more. When we quote a job, we measure and work out the paint for you.
Should the painter supply the paint or should I buy it?
It is usually better for the painter to supply the paint. The painter knows how much is needed, picks a product that suits the surface and stands behind the result. If you buy the paint, you carry the risk of buying too little or the wrong type.
If you want a certain paint, tell us and we will price the job with it. The quote lists the product for each surface in either case.
A free estimate with a written quote is the only way to get a real price for your job. Call or text (701) 502-6833.