Benjamin Moore Advance Interior Alkyd
Waterborne alkyd that levels like oil-based paint but cleans up with water. The go-to for spray-finish-quality cabinets without the solvent smell.
Best Paint for Interior Trim & Doors
Choosing the right paint for your interior trim & doors comes down to surface prep, finish, and durability. We compared 3 options — including common searches like trim paint, door paint, baseboard, interior door, crown molding. Here's what actually holds up, and what to skip.
Trim and interior doors take abuse — latch areas, shoes, pets. A waterborne alkyd (hybrid enamel) gives that hard self-leveling finish of oil-based paint while cleaning up with water. Semi-gloss or satin both work; semi-gloss wipes cleaner, satin hides dents.
Primary pick
Waterborne alkyd enamel, semi-gloss
Levels like oil, dries hard, wipes clean without solvent cleanup
Look: Semi-gloss, smooth
Also worth considering
Urethane-acrylic cabinet-and-trim enamel
If you want faster recoat than alkyd offers
Look: Satin
Skip
- Wall paint on trim — too soft, scuffs visible within months
- Oil-based trim enamel in occupied homes — VOCs linger for days
INSL-X Cabinet Coat
Benjamin Moore-owned urethane-acrylic cabinet enamel. Popular DIY alternative to Advance with faster recoat times.
Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Based Primer
Shellac-based stain killer. Dries in under an hour and blocks stains other primers can't. Fire/smoke damage specialists swear by it.