Types of Paints & the Best Ways to Use Them | Decorating Centre Online

Types of Paints (& the Best Ways to Use them)

With so many different types of paints available right now, it can be completely mind-boggling when it comes to painting your home.

Which to choose? Vinyl matt or hardwearing matt? Soft sheen or vinyl silk?

The list seems endless and overwhelming!

But don't worry, we've got you! Have a look at our handy guide below for some fab tips and tricks on the key benefits of some of the most popular paint finishes and where to use them in your home!

Vinyl Matt

The vinyl matt finish is one of the most popular finishes we have. With its matt finish, it easily hides imperfections and creates a nice flat no-sheen finish on your walls.

For use on interior walls, this paint is dry wipeable and is perfect for any living space which requires little to no cleaning as a result of its delicate finish.

As a water-based finish, this paint can be re-coated in 2-4 hours and has a large coverage of 14m2 per litre.

For use in: 

• Bedrooms
• Living Rooms
• Any space which requires little to no cleaning

It's a brilliant paint to use, but if your home has little ones, pets, or is in a space where there is high traffic, the one below is definitely the one you'll need!

Hardwearing Matt

With the same flat matt finish as the vinyl matt, the hardwearing matt paint is perfect for anyone who wants the vinyl matt finish but needs a paint that is scrubbable and cleanable.

The hardwearing matt paint is ten times tougher than the vinyl matt finish and is moisture-resistant, scrubbable, and cleanable too.

For use on interior walls, this paint is suitable on any walls which require a considerable amount of cleaning such as hallways, kitchens, bathrooms and other spaces like this. 

A water-based paint, the hardwearing matt has coverage of 12m2 per litre and can be re-coated in 4 hours.

For use in:

• Hallways
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Any space which requires a considerable amount of cleaning

If you have little ones or pets and want a matt finish, this is 100% the paint finish for you!

Acrylic Durable Matt

The Acrylic Durable Matt is a very similar finish to the hardwearing matt paint, however, this one is a premium paint. 

The Acrylic Durable Matt is a moisture-resistant premium paint which is scrubbable and cleanable too.

For use on:

• Interior walls
• Any walls which require a considerable amount of cleaning such as hallways, kitchens, bathrooms and other spaces like this. 

Zinsser AllClean

The AllClean paint by Zinsser is an ultra-tough finish which is scrubbable, moisture-resistant and is even Class 1 Wet Scrub-rated and Class 0 Fire Rated too.

With a flat matt finish, AllClean is streak-free and is suitable for use on walls and ceilings.

This paint is perfect for use on: 

• Bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Hallways 
• Any room which needs cleaning frequently. 
• The Zinsser AllClean is also suitable for use in Schools, Homes & Commercial Buildings too.

This is definitely a paint to use if your spaces need cleaning frequently!

Acrylic Eggshell

The Acrylic Eggshell paint is also a highly scrubbable paint which is tough, stain and moisture-resistant too. With a mid-sheen finish, the Acrylic Eggshell reflects light and hides imperfections.

With coverage of 12m2 per litre, the Acrylic Eggshell is re-coatable in 3-4 hours as it is a water-based paint. This paint also has anti-fungicidal properties so is great for areas prone to growing mould.

For use on both interior walls and woodwork, the Acrylic Eggshell can be used in: 

• Hallways
• Kitchens
• Bathrooms
• Woodwork 
• Any room which needs a considerable amount of cleaning with a mid-sheen finish. 

Eggshell

The Eggshell paint is a solvent-based eggshell that has s similar mid-sheen finish to the acrylic eggshell, however, this solvent-based paint is only suitable for woodwork. 

It is hardwearing, knock-resistant and perfect for interior use. It has a longer re-coating time (as a result of this paint being solvent-based) of approximately 16-24 hours.

This Eggshell paint is perfect for any room with interior woodwork which needs cleaning.

Zinsser's Perma-White (Matt, Satin & Gloss)

The perma-white paint is perfect for areas with high humidity and frequent temperature changes such as bathrooms.

This finish is scrubbable (all of the finishes- matt, satin & gloss have similar durability) and they are also moisture resistant as well as being self-priming.

This perma-white paint is suitable for walls as well as woodwork due to it's durable and self-priming finish too.

Zinsser Perma-White is suitable for:

• Bathrooms
• Hallways
• Living rooms
• Spaces which need a considerable amount of cleaning and are prone to fungal growth and mould
• Can be used on woodwork too

Soft Sheen

The soft sheen paint finish is a washable finish (although not as washable as the acrylic eggshell or hardwearing matt) and is also dirt-resistant too. With a mid-sheen finish, the soft sheen is suitable for interior use and reflects light too.

This is a water-based paint which is re-coatable in 3-4 hours and has a coverage of 12.5m2 per litre.

Soft sheen is suitable for anywhere which needs light cleaning such a:

• Living rooms
• Hallways
• Bedrooms 
• Kitchens (although it should be noted that this paint can be used in kitchens if your kitchen gets frequently messy or dirty, a harder-wearing paint should be used). 

Vinyl Silk

The Vinyl Silk paint is a sheen finish which reflects light. It is dirt-resistant and washable too which makes it suitable for interior walls.

This vinyl silk paint is re-coatable in only 2-4 hours as it is water-based and has a coverage of 12m2 per litre.

This vinyl silk is suitable for anywhere which needs light cleaning such as:

• Living rooms
• Hallways
• Bedrooms 
• Kitchens (although it should be noted that this paint can be used in kitchens if your kitchen gets frequently messy or dirty, a harder-wearing paint should be used). 

Zinsser AllCoat (Matt, Satin & Gloss)

The Zinsser AllCoat is a fantastic paint designed for use on a wide variety of surfaces such as:

• Walls
• Woodwork
• Ceilings
• Metal
• Timber
• Masonry
• Plastic
• Concrete
• Cladding 
• And much more!

Zinsser AllCoat is water-based paint and is able to be re-coated in just 1 hour and is also a self-primer too.

This paint is perfect for use on woodwork such as skirting boards and doors as well as any room which needs cleaning very frequently.

Zinsser AllCoat is an extremely durable paint and it is designed for both interior as well as exterior use too. 

Phew, now that's a lot of information!

Don't worry though, if you still need help or advice for your decorating project, please don’t hesitate to DM us on any of our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter & YouTube), email us on sales@decoratingcentreonline.co.uk, phone us on 01388 665844 or even live chat us on our website.

We look forward to hearing from you!