Editorial Standards

Who writes this site

Every article and calculator on PaintPro Calculator is written and reviewed by Zack Pearson, the founder of the site. There is no rotating staff of freelancers and no anonymous contributors. One byline, one inbox.

Sources I use

• Manufacturer technical data sheets (Sherwin-Williams, Behr, Benjamin Moore, PPG, Valspar, and others) for coverage rates, dry times, and application specs.
• EPA and state-level regulations for VOC limits, lead-paint disclosures, and disposal rules.
• Published cost data from RSMeans, HomeAdvisor, Angi, and direct retail pricing checked at Home Depot, Lowe's, and independent paint stores.
• Industry references including the Painting Contractors Association (PCA) and the Master Painters Institute (MPI).
• Original measurements taken on real projects, including my own home build.

What I don't do

• Republish or paraphrase content from other blogs without independent verification.
• Cite "industry experts" without naming them and linking to their work.
• Run sponsored posts or paid product placement disguised as recommendations.
• Take payment in exchange for ranking or inclusion in a "best of" list.

How I fact-check before publishing

Every article goes through the same checklist before it goes live:

• Numerical claims (coverage rates, prices, dry times, application temperatures, gallon counts) are verified against a named primary source.
• Every product recommendation is verified to be currently available, not discontinued.
• Outbound links are clicked and tested at publish time.
• The article is read aloud once to catch awkward sentences and unclear instructions.

Update cycle

• Cost figures: reviewed quarterly. The "Last updated" date at the top of each article reflects the most recent review.
• Product recommendations: reviewed whenever a product is discontinued, reformulated, or replaced.
• Coverage rates and technical specs: reviewed when a manufacturer publishes a new data sheet.
• Regulatory information: reviewed annually or when EPA / state guidance changes.

Corrections

If I get something wrong, the correction is added at the top of the article in italics with the date of the change. The original error is acknowledged, not silently overwritten. To report an issue, email [email protected] and include the URL and the specific claim you're flagging.

Editorial independence

Affiliate links never determine what I recommend. If a higher-paying alternative is worse, the lower-paying one wins. If the best option has no affiliate program at all, I still link to it. Recommendations follow the work, not the commission.

What I'm qualified to say

I'm a homeowner who self-contracted his own house build, has painted many rooms, and reads paint manufacturer documentation for fun. I am not a licensed painter or a certified building inspector. The advice on this site is written for DIY homeowners and for people sanity-checking a contractor quote. For commercial work, fire-rated coatings, lead abatement, or anything that requires sign-off from a code inspector, hire a licensed professional.

Contact

Questions about a specific article or a specific source? Email [email protected].

Last updated: May 1, 2026.