Best Water-Based Satin Paint

[DC79]

I am about to embark on the full redecorating of my home and trying to decide on the best paint to use for the woodwork. It was a new build when I purchased four years ago so it will be its first redecorating. The woodwork was originally painted with what I assume was an oil-based paint, due to the significant yellowing.

I would like to go with a water-based satin for the woodwork and have done some research to narrow down to a few options. But I am looking for some advice from anybody with more knowledge or experience of using these brands and variants. My shortlist at present is:

- Johnstones Trade Aqua Guard
- Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood
- Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Satin

For the Johnstones, I believe the Aqua Guard is better than the standard Aqua variant, and similarly the Dulux Diamond better than the Quick Dry variant. But happy to reconsider if anybody can advise otherwise. I'd also welcome any other recommendations.

My main considerations on selecting from the above are ease of application, quality of finish, and durability. The more googling I do, the more mixed reviews I seem to find.

I'd also be interested in advice on primer / undercoat requirements for each of the above. I understand that I will need to lightly sand the existing oil-based finish to provide a key, but what more will be required? Also considering that there is some minor repairs required with a filler and / or caulk.

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

[dynamod]

In order

Johnstone's Trade Aqua Guard - Probably the best of the 3 you mention. Good flow and opacity and dries to a nice sheen.

Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood - A nice paint, but it tends to be a bit brittle once dry. Caulking needs to be primed with BIN to prevent crazing, which it's prone to over sealants. It has OK opacity, though it's not the best. It also tends to be very expensive, especially if bought through the Dulux network of dec centres.

Crown Trade Fastflow Satin - It's really nice stuff, but in all honesty it dries to a very dull finish for a satin, and really does look like an eggshell. This may be a plus or minus depending on how you view that sort of thing. It's not the most robust of finishes either, though it is a good coating.

Bedec Aqua Enamel Satin is a good compromise, as it dries and re-coats quickly, isn't too expensive, covers well and is particularly hard wearing. It would be my choice in all honesty.

Primer wise, acrylic wood primer over bare areas, and Johnstones Trade Aqua Undercoat will work fine. You can stay within the particular product range of whatever manufacturer you use, but they all work with each other's paints for the most part.

Proper preparation, meths wash to degrease are very important when going to water-based the first time. It promotes adhesion of the undercoat and makes the general level of the finish that much better.

Decent synthetic filament brushes are also a must. Use the search facility for this, but Purdy, Wooster, Rembrandt, Proform and Prodec all make good offerings for this sort of paint.

[DC79]

Thank you for your comprehensive response Dynamod.

The Bedec seems to be quite a bit more expensive so I think I will probably go for the Johnstone’s Aqua Guard. It seems to have lots of positive reviews.

I will probably be painting the skirting first, followed by the walls. Could you advise on how long the skirting paint should be left to cure before using masking tape in it ti paint the walls? Is this hours or days?

[dewaltdisney]

I like Johnstones, the primer undercoat is excellent for going over old solvent-based finishes. The thing about the water-based paints is the required speed of application, it dries very quickly so you cannot hang around. I use mini rollers, not foam, to get it on quick and lay it off as I go, especially on doors. I wouldl use Frog tape for masking although the walls are traditionally painted first before the trim.
DWD

[dynamod]

Traditionally, it's correct procedure to start at the top and work down.

If you go with skirting boards first, you'd really need low tack, low bleed tape which isn't the cheapest. Most of these paints are normally around 90% cured in around 3 days, though a week is more realistic I'd say, and finishing with the trim is far easier anyway. Unless there's a special reason to do trim first, it's incorrect working practice.

It's far simpler to cut the skirting board into a finished wall, though taping the carpet is still a good idea, despite what a lot of the paint warriors on YouTube will say. It's not a lack of skill either, but it prevents the trim paint getting contaminated by carpet fibres, if carpets are in-situ.

[DaveyH]

I am about to embark on the full redecorating of my home and trying to decide on the best paint to use for the woodwork. It was a new build when I purchased four years ago so it will be its first redecorating. The woodwork was originally painted with what I assume was an oil-based paint, due to the significant yellowing.

I would like to go with a water-based satin for the woodwork and have done some research to narrow down to a few options. But I am looking for some advice from anybody with more knowledge or experience of using these brands and variants. My shortlist at present is:

- Johnstones Trade Aqua Guard
- Dulux Trade Diamond Satinwood
- Crown Trade Fastflow Quick Dry Satin

For the Johnstones, I believe the Aqua Guard is better than the standard Aqua variant, and similarly the Dulux Diamond better than the Quick Dry variant. But happy to reconsider if anybody can advise otherwise. I'd also welcome any other recommendations.

My main considerations on selecting from the above are ease of application, quality of finish, and durability. The more googling I do, the more mixed reviews I seem to find.

I'd also be interested in advice on primer / undercoat requirements for each of the above. I understand that I will need to lightly sand the existing oil-based finish to provide a key, but what more will be required? Also considering that there is some minor repairs required with a filler and / or caulk.

Many thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi,

I'm only a diyer but I've recently used Jonos Aqua Guard on my skirting boards, architraves and window sill. It's a really good quality paint, but if you overload your brushes and rollers it will run. If you go on youtube Phil Beckwith has done a 2 reviews of it. I bought it a few months ago, but if I could rewind time I would probably use his recommendations of IIsomat Isolac Aqua satin or Benjamin Moore Scuff X satin because they both sound a lot easier to use.

Here are the links for his 2 Aqua Guard reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10VlyPw2LIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2ik2CkF02E

Best of luck