Does Scuff-X extend the life of paint? The answer to this question depends on the intended use. Benjamin Moore’s Scuff-X is part of their Ultra Spec Line of high performance latex paint and is available in thousands of colors. It comes in Eggshell, Satin, Matte, and Semi-Gloss sheens.
Using Scuff-X to extend the life of paint could be a very good choice in heavy traffic areas like elevator doors, door jambs, windows, baseboards, trim, columns, etc. It was created for high-traffic commercial and light industrial areas and features a proprietary chip-resistant technology that was engineered to handle tons of abuse. It is said to have the best scuff-resistance, washability, spatter resistance, durability, and block resistance of any single-component paint on the market. We put this to the test and compared it to other top of the line paints. We recorded a video to show our finding, here is that video:
Something we found particularly interesting with our testing was the eggshell outperformed the semigloss. This is counterintuitive to our previous conceptions to paint, a common belief is that the more sheen on a paint the more durable and cleanable it is. Although that may be true for some paints, we did not find this to be true for Scuff-X which quite frankly baffled us.
Choosing Scuff-X to extend the life of paint has an added benefit as it qualifies for LEED v4, and has a low-VOC (<50g/L). Scuff-X has low odor and is quick-drying which encourages fast job turnaround time. It has good coverage, flow and leveling, and was specifically designed to meet the needs of facility managers and professional painters. A huge advantage to using Scuff-X to extend the life of paint is it can be painted while the space is occupied and then rapidly returned to service, so it is a great solution for busy commercial spaces. Once applied, Scuff-X will need a 2-week curing time before applying any liquids or cleaning products to its surface.
In some residential scenarios, it is also worth the extra cost to use Scuff-X to extend the life of paint. Rental properties, or multi-family residential areas can really benefit from the durability of this product. Further, Scuff-X has been touted as the best paint for kitchen cabinets.
With everything considered, using Scuff-X to extend the life of paint in a commercial, industrial, or high-traffic residential setting where durability is critical, should pay off in the long run. While it is a more expensive coating, the benefits of scuff-resistance and longevity could far outweigh the expense.
