Provided by the Home Improvement Research Institute

Paint applicators are a performance decision for DIYers and a repeat purchase decision for pros. Retailers that merchandise for both can turn a routine category into a strategic advantage.

DIY: Fewer Projects, Higher Expectations

Based on HIRI’s 2025 Homeowner Activity Tracker, homeowners remain motivated to take on projects, but current home improvement activity is increasingly anchored in maintenance and smaller projects as cost sensitivity rises.

Even still, homeowners are shifting toward hybrid execution, with more homeowners blending their own work with professional help. Even though interior painting projects are typically fast and transactional “weekend” projects, tool selection among DIYers is performance-driven. Projects are increasingly focused on visible areas like living spaces and on curb appeal, raising expectations for finish quality. This creates a more selective applicator shopper

Strategic Implications for Independent Retailers

• Design for Two Purchase Modes
  DIY needs guidance and simplicity. Pros need speed and consistency.
• Sell for the Bigger Project Context
  Strong cross-purchasing with drywall, flooring and prep materials supports merchandising applicators as part of complete solutions.
• Win Where Bic Box is the Weakest
  While big box still dominates share, painting specialists do have an inclination towards local distributors and specialty suppliers over generalists, creating an opening for independents to compete on expertise and curated assortments.

Pros: High Frequency, Cross-Category Purchases

Contractors approach paint applicators differently. Interior paint is a high-incidence category, with 72% of pros purchasing interior paint products each year based on HIRI’s 2025 Contractor Product Purchase Incidence report.

Within that, applicators are core:

• rollers (60%)
• brushes (57%)
• pans (51%)
• sandpaper (57%)
• scrapers (44%)

Further, HIRI’s findings identified that, for pros, painting supplies are rarely purchased in isolation. When pros buy paint, 90% also purchase paint and stain products, 85% drywall/gypsum board and 70% flooring.

Good-better-best (GBB) assortments matter here as well. Nearly all pros (96%) are familiar with GBB structures. Approximately 80% purchase from such brands monthly and more than two-thirds report increased loyalty and satisfaction, with over 80% likely to repurchase.

While big-box retailers dominate overall purchasing, specialists are more likely than generalists to supplement those trips with purchases from local distributors and specialty suppliers, based on HIRI’s findings.

How the Paint Applicators Category Is Expected to Perform

HIRI’s broader paint market data reinforces this split. While consumer demand for paint sundries has softened, the professional segment now exceeds $3.5 billion and is growing at twice the pace that consumer demand is softening, based on HIRI’s March 2026 Size of Market Forecast.

Meanwhile, HIRI data also correlates how roughly three-quarters of homeowners completing interior painting are also doing other projects, reinforcing that applicators are rarely standalone purchases and can be part of a larger merchandising strategy for retailers.