If you’ve had enough of scuffs and stains on walls in the high-traffic areas of your home, then a washable interior paint might be the solution. Available in many colours as well as classic white, these modern iterations have special wipeable and scrubbable formulas that allow you to remove kitchen splatters, muddy pawprints or kids' drawings with ease.
Fortunately, choosing a washable paint isn't all that different to picking a normal one, but it's still wise to brush up before you buy. This guide will go through everything you need to consider before sharing our picks of the best matte and silk emulsions, featuring trusted products from Johnstone’s, Crown and Dulux's EasyCare Washable and Tough range.
In this section, we’ll be looking at the main factors you should consider when buying washable paint, such as the type of finish, how much coverage you can hope for per tin and what to expect from drying times. Let's get started.
Firstly, you'll want to decide which finish you want. Matt paint is the most popular for a reason – it delivers a smooth and subtle look with little to no sheen, making it excellent at covering imperfections on surfaces. It's also super easy to apply consistently. It is, however, known to hold dirt, so you might find yourself wiping the walls more frequently.
Satin paints, meanwhile, offer a pearl-like sheen when dry. As they reflect light, they can be a great choice for naturally dim rooms, and they're known for taking a scrubbing a little better too. Therefore, they’re a solid option in high-traffic areas such as kitchens and bathrooms, as well as in kids' rooms. The downside is that they won’t hide a wall's bumps or blemishes half as well.
Finally, we have chalky paint. Popular with DIYers and those who like to upcycle, it works for both walls and ceilings and furniture that gets a lot of use, such as sideboards or tables. Other advantages are that it doesn’t need any preparation and it covers practically anything. Its finish will be very matt, though, so keep that in mind.
Next, you’ll want to think about the unit count (the term for a paint's volume in millilitres or litres) as well as how much coverage it offers per unit. A common size for washable wall paint is 2.5 litres, but there are smaller options if you're just looking to do some touch-ups as well as 5 or 6-litre tins for larger areas or multiple rooms.
A paint's coverage is measured in metres squared per litre, which you'll see written as something like 7 m2/L. It's important to bear in mind here that although two tins might be the same size, they won't necessarily coat the same surface area – in some instances, those with a lower unit count may offer more.
In our ranking, we have options ranging from 10 to 15 m2/L, and indeed, choosing one that covers a greater surface area will save you money in the long run. Nevertheless, there's also no point in buying more than you need. A tin of opened paint usually has a shelf life of around two years, so if you’re not planning on any future re-touches, it might be worth sticking to only what you'll use.
Another concern when painting the walls of your home is the drying time. This will indicate how long you have to wait in between coats and tell you how long a specific room will be out of action for, so it's definitely handy for spaces you want to get back to using ASAP like the kitchen or living room.
Usually, washable paints will take between 2 and 4 hours to dry. In the tables beneath each product, we’ve indicated the longest duration specified so you can err on the side of caution. One thing worth mentioning is that the temperature and humidity can both affect the rate at which it dries, so consider these when you’re painting.
It's time to grab your brushes and take a peek at our top 10 favourite washable paints. Every option in there is top of the line, so you can rest assured that each of them will do a stand-up job. Let’s hope the same can be said for your painting skills!
£91.50
Finish | Very matt |
---|---|
Unit Count | 5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 14 m2 |
Drying Time | 1-2 hours |
£22.95
Finish | Matt |
---|---|
Unit Count | 0.5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 10 m2 |
Drying Time | 2 hours |
£49.50
Finish | Chalky |
---|---|
Unit Count | 2.5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 12 m2 |
Drying Time | 2 hours |
£23.00
Finish | Matt |
---|---|
Unit Count | 2.5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 14 m2 |
Drying Time | 2 hours |
£17.99
Finish | Matt |
---|---|
Unit Count | 2.5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 12 m2 |
Drying Time | 2 hours |
£20.50
Finish | Satin |
---|---|
Unit Count | 6 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 14 m2 |
Drying Time | 4 hours |
£25.00
Finish | Matt |
---|---|
Unit Count | 5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 14 m2 |
Drying Time | 4 hours |
£24.95
Finish | Chalky |
---|---|
Unit Count | 1 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 15 m2 |
Drying Time | 2 hours |
£13.99
Finish | Satin |
---|---|
Unit Count | 2.5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 12 m2 |
Drying Time | 2 hours |
£17.99
Finish | Matt |
---|---|
Unit Count | 2.5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 13 m2 |
Drying Time | 4 hours |
Image | 1 ![]() Dulux | 2 ![]() Johnstone's | 3 ![]() Hemway | 4 ![]() Wilko | 5 ![]() Dulux | 6 ![]() Johnstone's | 7 ![]() Crown | 8 ![]() Farrow & Ball | 9 ![]() HQC | 10 ![]() The Little Greene Paint Company |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Easycare Washable & Tough Matt Emulsion Paint | Wall and Ceiling Paint Silk | Chalk Paint | Walls & Ceilings Matt Emulsion Paint | Silk Smooth and Creamy Emulsion Paint | Washable Paint | Easyclean Kitchen Emulsion | Estate Emulsion Paint | Washable Matt Emulsion Bathroom Paint | Intelligent Matt Emulsion |
Features | High-Quality Paint at Competitive Prices | Make Your Spaces and Rooms Appear Bigger With a High Sheen | An Ultra-Matt Option Made in the UK | Extraordinary Coverage for the Money | Chroma Technology Offers Smudge Protection | Designed for Homes With a Heavy Footfall | Paint on Any Surface With This Versatile Finish | The Luxurious Option With a Rapid Drying Time | Great Protection Against Bathroom Mould and Even Heat Loss | The Best Eco-Friendly Washable Paint |
Price | £17.99 | £13.99 | £24.95 | £25.00 | £20.50 | £17.99 | £23.00 | £49.50 | £22.95 | £91.50 |
Finish | Matt | Satin | Chalky | Matt | Satin | Matt | Matt | Chalky | Matt | Very matt |
Unit Count | 2.5 L | 2.5 L | 1 L | 5 L | 6 L | 2.5 L | 2.5 L | 2.5 L | 0.5 L | 5 L |
Coverage Per Litre | 13 m2 | 12 m2 | 15 m2 | 14 m2 | 14 m2 | 12 m2 | 14 m2 | 12 m2 | 10 m2 | 14 m2 |
Drying Time | 4 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours | 4 hours | 4 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours | 2 hours | 1-2 hours |
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Looking for the best decorating materials too? Make sure your upcoming painting projects run smoothly and efficiently by reading up on which rollers, step ladders and masking tapes are right for the job.
Hopefully, choosing the best washable paint doesn't seem too hard now that you've read our handy guide and know what features to look for. Whether you're painting a busy kitchen, a new nursery or you want something you can also use to give your furniture a glow up, there's an option on our list for you.
Author: Lewis Clark
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