Paint selection guide: interior, exterior and the coats that matter

Choose by washability and sheen. Economy emulsions are fine for ceilings and low-traffic rooms; premium emulsions earn their price in kitchens, corridors and children's rooms where the wall gets touched and cleaned.

The job here is UV, rain and algae resistance, not appearance. A good exterior emulsion with proper surface preparation lasts years longer than a cheap one recoated twice.

Wall putty to level, primer to seal and bond, then topcoats. Skipping the primer to save a day is the reason for most peeling and patchy finishes a year later.

Paint is sold per litre and applied per square metre per coat. A more expensive paint that covers more area in fewer coats is often the cheaper job. Ask for the coverage figure and do the arithmetic.

New plaster needs curing and then drying — typically three to four weeks — before paint. Painting damp plaster traps moisture and guarantees blistering.

Buy the system, not the bucket: putty, primer and the right number of topcoats, on a properly dried surface.

Compare live supplier rates or read the material category guides.

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