Consumers who purchase interior paint are becoming more pleased with the product, particularly if they apply the paint themselves. That's the main finding of a new study by J.D. Power and Associates. The 2012 U.S. Interior Paint Satisfaction Study, which is based on responses from more than 8,000 consumers who purchased and applied interior paint in the previous 12 months, indicates that ease and efficiency of application are the two most important factors driving customer satisfaction with this mainstay home improvement product.

Overall, satisfaction with major interior paint brands rose approximately 0.8% from 2011, with the industry average satisfaction score of 776 points on a 1,000-point scale: up from 770 last year. The biggest score increases came via ease of application, durability, and warranty. (Price, range of product options, and design guides were the three other factors included in the survey.)

Four brands scored above the industry average: Benjamin Moore (790), Sherwin-Williams (788), BEHR Paints (785), and Dunn-Edwards (782). Each of these brands improved its score by at least 10 points compared with 2011.

According to the paint study, 82% of survey respondents painted their interiors themselves. This probably explains why paint that includes primer has gained popularity in the past 2 years. Twenty-one percent of those surveyed said they purchased paint with primer mixed into the final color, in the past year, an increase of 24% over 2011 and a jump of 75% over 2010. The study also shows that consumers who buy paint that includes primer experience a higher rate of overall satisfaction.

Consumer satisfaction is also higher among those who purchased paint from a manufacturer's specialty store, rather than a general home improvement store--possibly because specialty stores offer more extensive guidance on both paint color, and on the overall project.