To the STW decorating elite…I’m looking to repaint all the interior woodwork, door frames, stair case spindles, doors etc. I want a white paint that will give a nice satin finish but not one that’s too matt…if that makes any sense. Some I’ve used in the past have come out like this, & have yellowed too quickly.

I’ve always gone for oil based but a lot seem to be water based these days…

I seem to recall a thread on here a while back & the consensus seemed to be that a combination of oil based undercoat & water based top coat gave the best finish…?

Or might that have been the other way round…?

I hate decorating. 🙂

Satin finish on Wood?
How does Satinwood sound?
Or Eggshell.
Use water based so its doesnt Yellow over time.
If pos get the Trade version.

Id recommend sikkens bl satura for one of the best waterbased satin finishes.

Always best over a good quality water based primer such as sikkens bl primer or caparol haftprimer.

The johnstones aqua range is also pretty good and more readily available but can tend to yellow over time

https://www.johnstonestrade.com/product/acrylic-satin  I have this throughout my house easy to apply and no signs of yellowing

<edit> shitty forum formatting

In B&Q and the like recently we could only find water based.

Previously used Dulux which has peeled very easily.

Recently used Crown satinwood. Loads nicer to put on (much thicker). Instructions said only to prime bear wood. But it’s akready peeling where caught with fingernails / vacuum

I’m currently using Johnstone trade paint both undercoat and gloss ..upstairs .(not satinwood which I have never liked ) Having painted all of the downstairs last year it has given the best finish of any paint I have previously used ( Crown / Dulux ) ..so If you are confident painting ( it does run more ‘easily ‘ ) ..then this is the brand I would recommend.

I’m not a decorator ..but have always done my own decoration..

Oil (solvent) or water based shouldn’t make a difference to the final gloss, they have different feel and application properties which can make a difference to how easy it is to apply them. In general solvent based are older formulations so are more refined. That said modern waterbased is good. It shouldn’t make a different which undercoat/top coat yo use although I’d visit the manufacturers website and read the tins to follow their recommendations to ensure they are compatable.

If you are painting previously coated surfaces (and even if you are not) then surface prep is the key. Old gloss is notoriously bad to paint over and will often lead to pealing. I’d suggest a light sanding of all surfaces to roughen and provide a key to help the next coat stick. Again a primer might be needed here. Check how well the previous coating is adhered if it starts to peel then whatever you have put on top will come off too.

There are various gloss ranges from any manufacturer. They normally produce swatches to help you understand what it will look like. In my experience all the tester puts are matt. The lower the gloss (more matt) the less it will show imperfections and the better the appearance will be (except if you want it shiny). Different people use different words to denote gloss level. I’ve only ever worked in percentages and industrial users. But between Matt and Gloss you should have satin, eggshell, silk, sheen etc.

Yellowing is a formulation thing, it doesn’t matter the brand or oil/satin. A bad paint in any flavour will yellow quickly a good one will not. It is usually value engineering/cost cutting that deminishes performance so premium products “should” perform better.

In terms of finish it is about surface prep and application. Take time to get the sanding done well, damage repaired. Get some good quality brushes. It makes the job easier. There is a skill to painting too, watch some videos and start somewhere less conspicuous.

I’m not a decorator but have dabbled in formulating paint, most of my more recent efforts goes on hot twin feed spray but I did do a few industrial gloss paints. I paid someone to paint my house though.

Water based paints won’t yellow, but they are prone to brush marks, can have a sticky feel and attract dirt especially on high wear areas, around door handles, handrails etc.

Oil based will yellow, especially in dark areas, behind furniture etc as it’s the UV in daylight that keeps it whiter for longer, but will be smoother and tougher than WB.

Crown Solo Satin is an amazing paint, levels out brilliantly and gives a lovely finish. £20 for 2.5 litres from Wilko, Bunnings etc

I found the water based paints in general to be tougher in terms of chips… I didn’t really expect it but that’s how it worked out.

I probably do more and better surface prep though so perhaps that is also why.

also interested in this as me and the wife are having similar discussions and not getting anywhere at present………..

as with the OP, we’d like white for all the doors/skirting, but not sure about the finish, gloss or satin.  i think the most important factor for us is durability, easily washable, wont chip when the hoover bashes it etc.

dont want to pay silly money for a small pot of paint, so what would you recommend for a hardwearing white paint thats easy to apply and at a reasonable price point?  and would you use undercoat too or one of those ‘one coat’ jobbies?

thanks

EDIT:  was also told johnstones paint in places like B&M is watered down and inferior quality to buying direct from them.  that true?

Another Johnstone’s trade ‘fan’ here. http://www.thepaintshed.com quite often has good deals on trade paint.

I used jonstons trade – gave me c20% discount just by asking nicely and turning up in my old painting clothes.  Chap there told me not to mix brands of top coat and primer, no idea if thats snake oil.

Anyway, all interior wood done and looks good.  Painter called by later and said yuk look at those brush marks you should have mini rolled it.  So thats my tip for next time.  I used the big box of brushes jonstons sells for 20 quid, aboit 5 brushes in there.

What really stood out for me is the painter used wire wool to clean all the hinges, they really sparkle.  Also, he took off all door furniture and cleaned it with coke.

I think for the walls we used the high traffic stuff, it was q expensive but has survived tenant parties.

Sadx – yes apparently all the paint brands produce lower spec paints for the chains.  Go direct to jonstons,  they deliver too.

I really like the Leyland paint range. No nonsense stuff and a good price. I’ve had them mix up Farrow and Ball colours for me at half the cost. Same parent company as Johnstone’s paint. PPG.

Don’t know about BUM bargains watering down their paint but the wife bought some Dulux water based satin from there and it was crap. Very soft and sticky. It got dirty very quickly.

As for the one coat jobbies. They’re ok but remember, 2 thin coats are better than 1 thick coat.😀