Paint prices can drop 30-50% if you buy at the right time so if you’ve ever paid full price for paint and then immediately seen a “40% OFF” sign the next week… hi, welcome, you’re among friends.
Paint sales aren’t random. They’re basically on a weird little retail hamster wheel: seasons, holidays, inventory clearing, and “please come inside our store when it’s freezing outside” desperation. Once you know the rhythm, you can stop panic-buying gallons like you’re prepping for the apocalypse.
Quick note before we get into the good stuff: promos vary by store and region, and the exact dates shift a little year to year. Use this like a very reliable cheat sheet, not a legal contract. (Last updated Dec 2025.)
Step One: Are you painting… or paying someone else to paint?
This matters more than people think.
If you’re DIY-ing:
You get to be the boss of timing. You can wait for holiday sales, stalk the mistint rack like a raccoon with a Pinterest board, and buy during slow months.
If you’re hiring a contractor:
Your biggest “sale” might be labor, not paint.
- December-February can be a slower season for painters, so it’s common to see 10-20% off (or just more willingness to negotiate because they’d like to eat in February, too).
- Ask up front: Are you buying the paint, or are they?
Contractors often get trade pricing, but if you’re the one buying, you can time a sale and save big.
And one more thing: if you’re doing an exterior job next spring, it can be smart to book in late summer/early fall to get on the calendar before everyone else suddenly “has to paint right now.”
Pick your lane. Then we play the calendar.
Why paint gets cheaper when your motivation disappears
Paint pricing follows demand like plane tickets, strawberries, and the sudden urge to reorganize a closet at midnight.
- Spring + summer: everyone paints, retailers don’t have to try very hard.
- Fall + winter: fewer people paint, stores start tossing discounts around to keep things moving.
If you’ve got flexibility, timing can save you 20-40% on materials without changing what you buy. Same paint. Same walls. Less crying in aisle 14.
The paint sale dates I actually care about
If you only remember a few things from this post, make it these.
Labor Day (late Aug-early Sept)
This is often the best all around window. Lowe’s is known for running BOGO style promos on select lines, which can feel like you’re getting away with something (especially if you need an even number of gallons). Home Depot usually counters with its own per gallon deals.
Memorial Day (late May)
A solid kickoff for summer promos. Deals can be good, but also: everyone and their cousin is shopping then, so certain bases/colors can disappear.
Sherwin-Williams: the “it’s always coming back” sale
Sherwin-Williams runs 40% off sales roughly every 6-8 weeks. This is my favorite kind of sale: predictable, repeatable, no Olympic level couponing required.
Pro tip: sign up for PaintPerks (free) and you’ll get alerts and occasional coupons. Or brace yourself ask the person at the counter if a sale is coming. They usually know. (Yes, it feels weirdly 1997. Do it anyway.)
Boxing Day (Dec 26-30)
If you’re planning a January refresh because you can’t stare at your beige walls for one more second, a rich blue wall color helps and this is a good time to stock up. You’ll often see up to ~30% off on select products.
Black Friday/Cyber Monday
Sometimes there’s clearance online, but in general? Paint is not the main character that weekend. Tools and appliances steal the spotlight.
Where I actually look for deals (and why)
Home Depot
Home Depot is great for holiday promos, but the real chaos magic is the mistint/returned paint section. Those “oops” gallons can be $5-$10 even if the original paint was fancy. The catch: you have to be flexible.
I once found a premium gallon for $9 that was basically the exact color I needed for a mudroom. I carried it like a newborn baby to the checkout.
Also, they price match sometimes just be polite. Nobody wants to argue about paint at 8:12 a.m.
Lowe’s
Lowe’s tends to have a clearer promo rhythm. Sign up for MyLowe’s Rewards so you’re not the last one to know. If you love stacking discounts like it’s coupon Tetris, Lowe’s can be your playground.
Sherwin-Williams
Sherwin wins on quality and the consistent sale cycle. Also, if you’re buying a lot, it never hurts to ask if there’s a better price. The worst they can say is “no,” and then you go on with your day like a resilient adult.
The sneaky savings people skip (and shouldn’t)
1) Ask for bulk pricing
If you’re buying 10+ gallons, don’t just load your cart like you’re shopping for canned beans. Ask for a quote especially near the end of a month/quarter when stores care about hitting numbers.
2) Buy the base on sale, tint later
This is a real strategy: buy the untinted base during the sale, then come back and tint once you’ve committed to a color. Usually there’s no extra fee for tinting, but confirm the base you need first (some colors require specific bases).
3) Check discount stacking (when allowed)
Military discounts sometimes stack at big box stores, and Lowe’s has offered moving discounts. Not every promo stacks, but it’s worth asking before you swipe your card.
A quick rant: cheap paint is only cheap until coat three
This is where people “save money” and then spend their weekend doing an extra two coats while questioning their life choices.
Budget paint might be $25/gallon, premium might be $50/gallon but premium often covers better and holds up longer. And if you snag premium during a 40% sale? That’s when the math starts behaving.
My personal rule: buy the best paint you can afford when it’s on sale. Your time has value. Your shoulders have feelings.
Buy paint on sale… but don’t turn your basement into a paint museum
Unopened paint can last 3-5 years if you store it like a reasonable person: dry, sealed, and around 50-85°F (so not the freezing garage corner that also houses the spider kingdom).
What I keep:
- Whites/neutrals for touch ups
- Primer (because primer is forever)
- Your exterior house color for inevitable dings and repairs
What I do not hoard:
- Super trendy colors I may hate next year
- Weird specialty finishes that separate and get gross
- Random one off colors from a “fun idea” I had at 9 p.m.
And please, for the love of clean edges: buy a sample and use a paint color picker and look at it in morning light and nighttime light. “Soft mint” can become “hospital hallway” real fast.
When you should stop waiting and just buy the paint
I love a deal, but I’m not trying to turn your paint purchase into a side hustle.
Buy now if:
- You’re painting in the next two weeks
- You need an exact match and it’s in stock (discontinuations are rude like that)
- You only need 1-2 gallons and your time is worth more than the $8 you might save
Sometimes the best savings is not losing a whole Saturday refreshing your inbox for a coupon code.
My no nonsense paint shopping checklist
Because walking into a big box store without a plan is how you leave with a new grill cover and zero paint. (Ask me how I know.)
Before you go:
- Know your timeline (and whether you can wait for a sale)
- Estimate your gallons
- Decide: DIY or contractor (and who’s buying paint)
At the store:
- Check promo rules (especially BOGO requirements)
- Peek at the mistint rack
- Ask about upcoming sales (yes, out loud, to a human)
- If it’s a big order, ask about bulk pricing
After you buy:
- Label cans with the room + date
- Store unopened paint properly
- Return extras within the return window (don’t “save them for later” unless you actually will)
Paint doesn’t have to be this mysterious full price ambush. If you can line up your project with the sale cycle even just a little you’ll keep a surprising chunk of money in your pocket.
Now go make your calendar work harder than your credit card.