Interior paint types & finishes 1ZERO1

Most people will probably paint something at some point in their life & there are so many available options of brands, finishes & of course colours to choose from. Outlets such as B&Q offer a colour mixing service where you can scan an object & it’ll  create a bespoke recipe to match (*subject to inaccuracies!) using a base & pigments from the American company Valspar. When visiting your local mixer, be prepared to be assaulted with essentially what are simple questions, but commonly not considered before visiting which then creates a recipe for bewilderment & on the spot snap decisions whilst purchasing an expensive non-returnable item.

There’s so much to know about paint & a few unnecessary complications, however I’m going to cover a few basics to get you well on your way.

Emulsion paint –

It’s for your walls (& yes ceilings count too!) It’ll be a water based product which, on simple terms means it won’t smell much, it’ll dry fairly quickly & you can wash you brushes in water after.

Main choices of finishes – Matt (flat non-reflecting, standard matt marks easily, good in older properties as it’ll hide imperfections on the wall better), Mid-Sheen (slight shine), Silk (shiny, wipeable).

Bathroom Emulsion – Usually Soft Sheen (basically Mid-Sheen) Designed to help protect against mold growth which may be likely as it’ll be used in a high humidity area.

Kitchen Emulsion – Usually comes in an endurance Matt or Silk finish. Designed to help protect against grease & stains.

One coat paints – Basically means you’ll do two coats or be unhappy with one. Stay away!

Endurance – Tougher formula so most will be scrubbable. Good for High traffic areas such as hallways & kids rooms.

Wood Paint

It’s for wood & metal! Windowsills, Skirting, Doors etc. It’s not called “Gloss”. Gloss is a type of finish. It will come in both oil based and water based options. The same properties apply as water based emulsion however, oil based paints are now a bit of a taboo these days. Expect oil based paints to take half a day + to dry, it will smell real bad…for ages, it’s harmful for the environment, it will yellow over time & you’ll be stuck over a sink for 30 minutes with your brushes using a proprietary cleaner to try get a second use out of them.  So what are the pros? It’s harder wearing, you might not need an undercoat (I’ll cover this all another day!) & some will resist stains. I wouldn’t personally recommend working with oil based paints due to environmental & ethical reasons.

Main choices of finishes- Gloss (I told you it was a finish! high sheen), Satin (sometimes called Satinwood. Mid-sheen but usually slightly shinier than mid sheen emulsion, It will vary between brands) & Eggshell (flat Matt type finish. Only use in low traffic areas as most will mark and chip)

Enamel paint – what you’ll need to for sinks & bath chips etc. Radiator paints are usually enamel but are commonly labelled as ‘Radiator Paint’, Most places will have a poor selection of colours available (white or ehm white).
*Pro Tip -Check the tin of your emulsion for what surfaces its suitable for, you’d be surprised as many will typically be ok for radiators. This gives you a wider variety of colours to pick from & you could use it on your walls too!

So I’ve only brushed the surface with this post, but I will cover other categories such as – furniture paint & exterior paint at a later date along with estimating & other advisories.