Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel vs Advance vs C2 Cabinet & Trim: 3-Way Cabinet Paint Comparison

If you've been researching cabinet and trim paints, you've probably seen Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel and Benjamin Moore Advance recommended again and again. They're both premium, water-based enamels aimed at doors, trim, and cabinets-where you need a smoother finish and better blocking resistance than typical wall paint.

C2 Cabinet & Trim is the "less famous" option-but it's built specifically for these high-touch surfaces, and it's worth considering if you want a different balance of workflow (dry/recoat), finish feel, and brand philosophy. C2 is a dealer-owned paint cooperative with a curated, designer-forward palette and an emphasis on innovation (including PolyWhey® technology in Cabinet & Trim).

Below, we compare all three across the things that actually affect your project: dry time, cure time, flow & leveling, hardness/blocking resistance, VOCs, sheen options, color matching, availability, and value.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature	Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel	Advance	Cabinet & Trim
Brand	Sherwin Williams	Benjamin Moore	C2 Paint
Brand ownership type	Public company (Sherwin-Williams)	Conglomerate-owned (Berkshire Hathaway)	Dealer-owned cooperative (C2 Paint)
Tier	Ultra Premium
Where it's available	Sherwin-Williams company stores	Benjamin Moore retailers	Independent C2 dealers, online through US Paint Supply or C2
Typical uses	Doors, trim, cabinets; interior/exterior	Doors, trim, cabinets; interior only	Doors, trim, cabinets, floors; interior only
Coverage (sq ft/gallon)	~350-400	~400-500	~400-450
VOC level	< 50 g/L (less exempt solvents)	48 g/L (Satin; varies by product/base)	< 50 g/L
Finish options	Satin, semi-gloss, gloss	Satin, semi-gloss, gloss	Eggshell, Satin, Semi-Gloss
Paint type	Urethane modified alkyd	Waterborne alkyd	Urethane modified acrylic
Where it's strongest	Durable enamel look/feel	Extra leveling time for a brushed/rolled "oil-like" look	Smooth enamel look/feel with a faster recoat workflow
Approx. price (tier)	$$$$
Key differentiator	Exterior; Big-brand, premium trim enamel with urethane-modified alkyd feel + broad availability	Waterborne alkyd with extended open time for leveling (slower dry/recoat)	PolyWhey®-fortified cabinet/trim enamel with faster recoat timing

Note: Coverage, dry time, and VOC are influenced by base, color, film thickness, temperature, humidity, and surface porosity. Always confirm with the exact product data sheet for the sheen/base you're using.

Brand & Line Overview

Overview of Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel

Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel is Sherwin-Williams' premium waterbased enamel designed for doors, trim, and cabinets. It's positioned to give an "oil-enamel-like" look and feel with water cleanup, and it's known for a smooth finish and a relatively practical recoat window for a trim enamel.

• Marketed as a waterbased urethane modified alkyd with an oil/alkyd look and feel.
• Emphasis on flow and leveling for a smooth, uniform finish.
• Positioned around durability and blocking resistance for doors/trim/cabs.

Who typically buys it: DIYers and pros who want a premium enamel but also want the convenience of widespread Sherwin-Williams store access and familiar tinting/support.

Overview of Benjamin Moore Advance

Advance is Benjamin Moore's premium waterborne alkyd enamel. It's especially popular with brush-and-roll cabinet painters because it's formulated for flow and leveling and has an "extended open time" compared to many faster-drying waterbased enamels.

• Marketed for excellent flow and leveling and an extended open time.
• Designed to provide a tough finish that stands up to repeated washing.
• Tradeoff: it's much slower to recoat than many acrylic/urethane waterbased enamels.

Who typically buys it: homeowners and painters prioritizing a leveled, enamel-like appearance-especially on detailed doors and cabinetry-where extra working time helps.

Overview of C2 Cabinet & Trim

C2 Cabinet & Trim is a water-based enamel built specifically for high-touch woodwork like cabinets, doors, and trim. It uses PolyWhey® technology (recycled dairy whey protein) to pursue an "old-world oil look" in a modern low-VOC system-while keeping the workflow moving with faster dry-to-touch and recoat times.

• Cabinet & Trim is a urethane modified acrylic with < 50 g/L VOC.
• Dry-to-touch is listed at 30 minutes, with a 2-4 hour recoat window.
• Durable for high-touch areas (even floors).

Who typically buys it: pros, designers, color-sensitive homeowners who want a premium enamel and are open to a smaller, cooperatively-owned brand with a distinct chemistry and curated palette.

Brand Philosophy & Technology Differences

If you're only comparing "which paint is toughest," you'll miss why these products feel different in real projects.

• Sherwin-Williams (Emerald Urethane) is built around scale: consistent availability, a huge support network, and premium line options that fit a wide range of jobsite realities.
• Benjamin Moore (Advance) is built around independent dealers and a long history of premium architectural coatings-Advance is especially known for giving painters more working time to get a leveled enamel look.
• C2 (Cabinet & Trim) is built around independence and differentiation: it's a dealer-owned cooperative and leans into proprietary technologies (like PolyWhey®) and a curated color philosophy.

None of that automatically makes one "better." It just explains why the same cabinet job can feel smoother, faster, or more forgiving depending on which enamel you choose.

Detailed Feature-by-Feature Comparison

1) Coverage & number of coats

On paper, all three are in the same general coverage universe, but there are meaningful differences:

• Emerald Urethane is listed around 350-400 sq ft/gal (depending on surface and application).
• Advance is listed around 400-500 sq ft/gal (the data sheet notes values are reported for Pastel Base).
• C2 Cabinet & Trim is listed around 400-450 sq ft/gal.

Real-world cabinet work is less about theoretical spread rate and more about film build and uniformity. Most cabinet projects still want: (1) proper cleaning/degreasing, (2) sanding/scuffing, (3) bonding primer where needed, and (4) two finish coats-especially when changing color or painting over tannin-rich woods.

Verdict: For "spread rate," Advance and C2 are slightly higher on paper; in practice, prep + primer + two coats matters more than chasing a one-coat cabinet finish.

2) Dry time & workflow speed

This is one of the biggest practical differences between these three.

• C2 Cabinet & Trim lists 30 minutes to touch and 2-4 hours to recoat, with full service in 7 days.
• Emerald Urethane lists 1 hour to touch and 4 hours to recoat.
• Advance lists 4-6 hours to touch and 16 hours to recoat, and notes it can take up to 30 days to reach optimum hardness and final sheen (depending on conditions).

Translation: if you're trying to complete cabinets in a weekend (or keep a kitchen functional), the recoat window matters a lot. Advance can look beautiful-but it typically demands more patience between coats.

Verdict: C2 wins for fastest typical cabinet workflow.

3) Flow & leveling (brush/roller marks)

All three lines are designed to look more "enamel-like" than wall paint, but they approach it differently:

• Advance explicitly emphasizes excellent flow and leveling and an extended open time-which can help reduce lap marks and brush lines when painting detailed doors.
• Emerald Urethane is positioned around outstanding flow and leveling and an oil-like smooth finish in a waterbased formula.
• C2 Cabinet & Trim is positioned around a smooth enamel finish with an oil-like aesthetic, but with a notably faster recoat schedule than slow-curing alkyds.

If you're brushing/rolling and you tend to "overwork" paint, Advance's longer open time is more forgiving. If you want a premium enamel feel but don't want to wait overnight between coats, Emerald or C2 are more efficient.

Verdict: Advance often wins for "most working time" for brush-and-roll leveling; Emerald and C2 win for a smoother workflow without turning the project into a multi-day recoat schedule.

4) Hardness, blocking resistance & cure time

Cabinets and doors fail in a few predictable ways: sticking (blocking), scuffing, and soft films that dent before they cure.

• Emerald Urethane is positioned around a tough, durable finish with strong blocking resistance.
• Advance is also positioned as block resistant and durable, but it clearly calls out that it can take up to 30 days to reach optimum hardness and final sheen (conditions matter).
• C2 Cabinet & Trim lists full service in 7 days and markets the finish as "porcelain-hard," with durability high enough to be used on floors per its spec sheet language.

In practical terms, all three can hold up very well when the surface is prepped correctly and you respect the cure window. The key difference is how long you need to "baby" the finish. With Advance, that babying period is longer.

Verdict: Emerald and C2 are typically easier when you need the surface back in service sooner; Advance can be excellent once cured, but requires the most patience.

5) VOCs, odor & "safer for indoors" concerns

All three of these are in the "low-VOC cabinet enamel" category based on published sheets:

• Emerald Urethane < 50 g/L VOC (less exempt solvents).
• Advance 48 g/L VOC.
• C2 Cabinet & Trim < 50 g/L VOC.

For families (kids, pets, sensitivities), the best "real-world" advice is still: ventilate aggressively, follow label directions, and give the coating time to dry and cure before heavy use. If you're painting in a fully occupied home and you want to minimize downtime, the faster-recoat option (C2) will reduce how long the space feels "in process."

Verdict: All three are reasonable low-VOC options on paper; choose based on workflow and ventilation realities, not just the VOC number.

6) Color matching & color experience

Most cabinet projects are color-driven: warm whites, creamy neutrals, deep greens, navy, charcoal, or near-black. Here's the practical takeaway:

• Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore are easy to specify because they're "wider spread" and matching existing SW/BM colors is common.
• C2 is different: it's a curated system (not a thousand-color library) built around nuanced, multi-colorant color behavior. If you fall in love with a C2 color, it's technically impossible to match elsewhere - especially in complex neutrals and deep tones.

If you're still deciding on color, C2's Full Spectrum/Complex colors will outperform both Benjamin Moore and Sherwin Williams. If you already have a color spec'd from BM or SW, stick with that brand.

Verdict: If exact match to an existing spec is the priority, Emerald/Advance may be simplest; if you're still choosing, C2 is a worthwhile upgrade.

Use-Case Scenarios ("When to Choose Each")

• If you need to repaint cabinets fast (tight schedule, limited kitchen downtime)
  Lean toward: C2 Cabinet & Trim.
  Why: C2 has a significantly faster recoat schedule than either Emerald Urethane or Advance, making a 2-coat finish more realistic in a short window.
• If you're brush/rolling detailed doors and you want maximum time to level out
  Lean toward: Benjamin Moore Advance.
  Why: Its extended open time is specifically positioned to help flow and leveling-at the cost of slower recoat time.
• If you need the easiest "go buy it today" option almost anywhere
  Lean toward: Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane.
  Why: Sherwin-Williams' store network makes procurement and re-supply straightforward.
• If your project must match an existing Benjamin Moore spec (or a designer wrote "Advance" into the plan)
  Lean toward: Benjamin Moore Advance.
  Why: When exact spec compliance matters, switching systems can create approval and matching problems-even if another enamel is technically comparable.
• If you want a premium enamel but prefer supporting an independent, dealer-owned paint brand
  Lean toward: C2 Cabinet & Trim.
  Why: C2's cooperative model and PolyWhey® technology are a real differentiator if brand philosophy and chemistry matter to you.

Pros & Cons Summary

Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane: Where It Shines / Where It Struggles

• Pro: Premium "trim enamel" feel in a waterbased system with a practical recoat schedule.
• Pro: Broad availability and support through Sherwin-Williams stores.
• Con: Slightly lower listed coverage vs. the other two on paper (project planning matters).
• Con: Like any enamel, it still demands prep (degrease + scuff + primer where needed) to avoid adhesion failures.

Benjamin Moore Advance: Where It Shines / Where It Struggles

• Pro: Extended open time and strong leveling behavior for brush/roller cabinet work.
• Pro: Durable, washable enamel once fully cured.
• Con: Slow recoat schedule (16 hours) can turn "weekend cabinets" into a longer project.
• Con: Cure-to-optimum hardness can take weeks depending on conditions, so it needs more "gentle use" time.

C2 Cabinet & Trim: Where It Shines / Where It Struggles

• Pro: Fast workflow (listed 30 minutes to touch; 2-4 hours to recoat) while maintaining an enamel-like finish.
• Pro: Distinct chemistry story (PolyWhey® technology) and a premium feel geared to high-touch surfaces.
• Con: Not as universally stocked as SW/BM-availability depends on dealers/online ordering.
• Con: If you must match an existing SW/BM "standard" color spec exactly, staying in that brand's ecosystem may be simpler.

FAQ Section

Is C2 Cabinet & Trim a good alternative to Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel?

Yes-especially if you want a faster recoat window with an enamel-like look. Emerald Urethane is a strong choice when local availability is the deciding factor; C2 is a strong choice when workflow speed or supporting small business is important to you.

Is Benjamin Moore Advance better than Emerald Urethane vs C2 Cabinet & Trim for leveling?

Yes. Advance is the pick when you want the most open time to level out brush/roller marks. The tradeoff is slower recoat time and a longer overall cure window.

Which is faster: Advance vs Emerald Urethane vs C2 Cabinet & Trim?

C2 Cabinet & Trim is the fastest to touch and recoat, Emerald is next, and Advance is the slowest to recoat. Temperature and humidity can stretch all of these timelines.

Which has lower VOC: Emerald Urethane vs Advance vs C2 Cabinet & Trim?

They're all in a similar low-VOC category on paper: Emerald is listed under 50 g/L, Advance Satin is listed at 48 g/L, and C2 Cabinet & Trim is listed under 50 g/L. If indoor sensitivity is a concern, ventilation and cure time matter more than the VOC number.

Can C2 Cabinet & Trim match Benjamin Moore Advance colors?

While getting a very close replication is possible, exact color matching is impossible - especially for complex neutrals and deep tones. If exact match is critical (a designer spec or a touch-up situation), staying with the original brand is usually the lowest-risk path.

What sheen should I pick for cabinets: satin vs semi-gloss vs gloss?

Satin is common for a softer, more forgiving look (hides small imperfections). Semi-gloss is a classic cabinet/trim sheen with more wipeability and a brighter look. Gloss/high gloss is bold but shows prep and surface flaws the most.

Do I really need a primer under Emerald Urethane, Advance, or C2 Cabinet & Trim?

Often, yes-especially on slick finishes, factory cabinets, stains/tannins, or big color changes. Primer is what protects you from adhesion issues, tannin bleed, and can help level the surface first. We generally recommend a high-build, sandable primer like SAP.

Where can I buy C2 Cabinet & Trim compared to Emerald Urethane and Advance?

Emerald Urethane is typically easiest to buy at Sherwin-Williams stores. Advance is purchased through independent Benjamin Moore retailers. You can purchase C2 through independent dealers(like us) or direct from c2paint.com.

Internal Links / Further Reading

• Browse the product here: C2 Cabinet & Trim Paint
• See the full lineup (LUXE, Cabinet & Trim, Guard, primers): Shop C2 Paint: LUXE, Cabinet & Trim, Guard & Primers
• Prep matters more than the label: Do I really need a primer? When you can and can't skip it
• Why "matching" isn't always simple: Why some paint colors are hard to match (tint systems & complex colors)
• If you want the big picture across brands: Interior paint brands compared (SW, BM, Behr, Farrow & Ball, C2, more)

Next steps

• Decide your top constraint: speed (recoat time), leveling time, or easiest local availability.
• Sample your top 2-3 colors and test them on a cabinet door in your lighting before committing.
• Tell us what you're painting (oak? maple? laminate? previously painted?) and we'll recommend a prep/primer path-even if that points you away from C2.

Footer / References

How we compared these paints: We used published technical data sheets/spec sheets from each manufacturer, plus our 50 years of experience as a paint dealer helping customers choose cabinet and trim coatings. Data was last checked on December 2025.

• C2 Cabinet & Trim Spec Sheet (Satin B9300) and (Semi-Gloss B9400), plus Cabinet/Trim/Wall Eggshell L9200 (manufacturer PDF links)
• Sherwin-Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel Product Data Sheet (PDS) and manufacturer brochure
• Benjamin Moore Advance Technical Data Sheet