What paint is best for walls ?
WHAT FINISH TO CHOOSE FOR WALLS?
FLAT MATT, VINYL MATT, SOFT SHEEN, SILK, EGSHELL ?
WHAT BRAND ? What is the best paint for walls in general ?
I will try to answer these questions from the professional point. We are your local decorators and have worked in this industry for the last 20 years, so we have seen the paint quality changing and we have adapted by trying different paint finishes and brands in different situations. Our painters and decorators London have watched how the paints have lasted over the years a tried new paints as they developed. Now we want to share this to make your lives easier.
Flat Matt VS Vinyl Matt
Flat matt can come in a form of ceramic flat matt, durable flat matt or other fancy names by different brands. The idea of this finish is to give nice non shiny and very flat finish. This can help to hide imperfections in any surfaces as the paint won’t reflect the light as much. Durability is different from all brands, but in general it is easier to touch it up, rather than try and clean it. It is popular choice in a high end housing market, but for the families with kids, it will get dirty very quickly.
Vinyl matt is probably the most popular paint finish for walls and ceilings. It’s still good for hiding enough imperfections, but from durability point of view is not much different from flat matt, just slightly more sheen to it. Vinyl matt can come in different names and strengths from different manufacturers. Just vinyl, diamond, ceramic, etc. It’s good standard and popular paint finish.
Soft Sheen VS Silk
These two are similar, but also very different. Silk can be very shiny, depending on the brand. Where soft sheen can be almost matt, for example Farrow and Ball Modern emulsion. Silk is more for bathroom, where soft sheen is more for hallways and kitchens. These finishes are a lot more durable to scuffs and marks, but will highlight plaster imperfections a lot more, comparing to matt paints. Soft sheen emulsion is for the families with kids and pets. It’s probably the paint of choice, at least for high traffic areas and is a good compromise between the look and durability. Especially Farrow and Ball Modern emulsion or Little Green Intelligent matt emulsion. They would describe it as matt, but in reality it’s very similar to soft sheen.
Acrylic Eggshell VS Diamond Eggshell or Durable Eggshell
If you want a tough and durable paint, then these are the choice of paint finishes. As shiny as silk, but can be used on ceilings, walls and woodwork. Highlights the imperfections, but if the surface is prepared well, then it’s ideal for high traffic areas. For schools, churches, communal staircases or halls, it’s the Diamond or Durable Eggshell, you should use. They are water based, but very tough and durable. There is minimal outdoor when working with it.
What Brand ? What paint is best for walls?
Well, it’s the matter of choice. Some are better, some are more popular. Other paints have more smell or less smell. Some are cheaper and some are more expensive. Like anything else in life, you get what you pay for. There are situations where you do not need to spend more money to get a good result, but in general it’s better to spend a bit more money on good materials regardless of the brand. Dulux, Crown, Johnstone, Little Green, Farrow and Ball, they all make good paints, but some are better than others. Some have better coverage, some nicer finishes, some have better price and quality ratio.
Just remember, it’s cheaper to spend more money on materials than labour… and we will leave it here…