The Best Emulsion Paint For Interior Walls & Ceilings

What's Emulsion Paint?

Well, firstly lets tackle the issue of what is emulsion paint exactly? Well, emulsion paint is a type of paint which contains resins that allow for quick-drying, good workability and durability. They are water-based paints with vinyl or acrylic added that are usually used on interior walls & ceilings. They comes in a range of finishes, including the four most common; matt, eggshell, satin & gloss. These finishes vary in their level of sheen & durability - the higher the sheen the higher the durability. Matt emulsion paints have the least sheen, followed by eggshell, satin & finally gloss, which has the most. Generally satin & gloss emulsion paints are used on interior trim such as doors & skirting, with matt & eggshell being the most popular emulsions for interior walls.

What Is The Best Emulsion Paint?

The best emulsion paint is a heavily debated subject, as every professional decorator has a personal favourite. Every paint has it's own pros & cons, which makes providing a definitive answer difficult. Nevertheless, we are going to try and provide you with our experts choices for the best emulsion paints, focusing on matt finishes. These are the most popular emulsions for interior walls & ceilings. If you are looking for a satin, gloss or eggshell finish, you can read our full guide to paint finishes.

Before we run through our top picks for the best emulsion paint, be aware that all of the paints on our list of trade paints. Trade paints are much higher quality than the retail versions that many DIY'ers use. To put it simply, you rarely see a professional decorator using a retail vinyl matt emulsion over a trade vinyl matt emulsion. They may cost more than their retail versions but the finish, durability & value for money you get from a trade emulsion paint is not comparable. Anyone can buy trade paint if they would like a higher quality emulsion paint, not just professional decorators.

Here are the best emulsion paints, according to our experts:

1. Crown Trade Vinyl Matt

Crown Trade Vinyl Matt is very popular choice amongst decorators as it represents fantastic value for money for a trade-quality vinyl matt emulsion. It has excellent opacity, is much cheaper than other vinyl matt emulsions on the market & offers a great depth of colour that can make all the difference. When it comes to achieving a professional finish easily & cost-effectively, you cannot beat Crown Trade Vinyl Matt.

Like all of the vinyl matt emulsions on our list, Crown Trade Vinyl Matt can be mixed in thousands of colours, including RAL, British Standard, NCS, or equivalent shades of major paint manufacturers. Either find the right shade for you by scrolling through our RAL & British Standard colour charts or simply type the shade you are looking for in the text box on each product page and the team will mix an equivalent shade just for you. It doesn't matter what brand the colour is from, we can mix them in a paint of your choice. This even works with designer shades, that we can match an equivalent shade for a fraction of the price and in a much better quality trade paint.

Pros:

• Can be mixed in any colour you choose
• Up to 17m2 coverage per litre
• Great value for money
• Excellent opacity
• Beautiful depth of colour

Cons:

• We can't think of any!

2. Tikkurila Vinyl Matt

Tikkurila is a brand that is becoming increasingly popular at the moment, both with professional decorators & homeowners. Tikkurila specialise in premium quality paints, helping people to achieve the best possible results when decorating. Their vinyl matt emulsion, Tikkurila Vinyl Matt, is no different. It comes with a high opacity & is excellent at creating a beautifully uniform finish with its hiding power. Where it really stands out is it has a class II web scrub resistance rating, meaning it is scrubbable like a durable matt emulsion. These durable matt emulsions (that we will cover later) are often more expensive than vinyl matt emulsions, meaning you get a durable matt emulsion at a vinyl matt price! This ability to scrub the painted film means you can clean & wipe it down without marking the paint, which is perfect for keeping your walls looking beautiful long-term.

Again, Tikkurila Vinyl Matt can be mixed in thousands of colours with our paint mixing service, so there really isn't anything not to like. It is slightly more expensive than Crown Trade Vinyl Matt & it is only available in 3L & 10L sizes, however if you are looking for a high-quality vinyl matt emulsion, look no further!

Pros:

• Can be mixed in any colour you choose
• Achieves a superb finish
• Has a class II web scrub resistance rating, offering a cleanable and wipeable long-lasting finish
  

Cons:

• Is only available in 3L or 10L pack sizes

3. Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt

Coming in at the top of the range in terms of price, Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt splits opinion, with many people swearing by it's quality & others believing it is overpriced compared to other vinyl matt emulsions. In reality, if you are looking for a high quality vinyl matt emulsion and money isn't an issue then Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt is the one for you.

Pros:

• Can be mixed in any colour you choose
• A high quality emulsion
• Up to 17m2 coverage per litre

Cons:

• Is one of the most expensive vinyl matt emulsions

4. Armstead Vinyl Matt

Made by the same manufacturer's as Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt, Armstead Trade is the value brand as Akzonobel. Armstead Vinyl Matt is slightly cheaper than Dulux Vinyl Matt, but with this is a slight drop in quality due to a slightly lower opacity.

Overall, it comes in at a similar price point to Crown Trade Vinyl Matt, meaning it offers great value for money if you are looking for a trade quality vinyl matt.

Pros:

• Can be mixed in any colour you choose
• Great value for money

Cons:

• The coverage is not as good as other emulsions at 14m2 per litre

Alternative Options

Luxury Matt Emulsions

There are a number of designer emulsion paints on the market from leading brands that offer a more luxury finish than the typical matt emulsion, at a much higher price point. These paints come in special colour ranges that are specifically curated from the latest home decor trends, which make them a popular option.

While standard vinyl matt paints can be colour matched to almost any colour, many people want to spend the extra money on a luxury emulsion that will provide the best finish possible. When it comes to a luxury emulsion, we recommend Dulux Heritage Velvet Matt, which is a high-quality emulsion from Dulux Heritage that designed to achieve the highest possible standards thanks to it's premium quality pigments that ensure the very best depth of colour. It also comes with a beautifully soft to touch finish when applied, further providing that luxury finish that can make all the difference.

Durable Matt Emulsions

The emulsion paints on our list are considered standard emulsion paints that are suitable for low-traffic rooms such as living rooms. For high-traffic rooms such as hallways & children's bedrooms, durable matt emulsions have been developed that can be thoroughly cleaned and are condensation resistant, making them also suitable for bathrooms & kitchens. In contrast, standard vinyl matt emulsions are not suitable for high-traffic rooms or rooms that must endure regular moisture levels.

When it comes to durable matt emulsions, two of the best products on the market are Crown Trade Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt & Dulux Trade Diamond Matt, that can withstand thousands of cleans without causing the paint film to be compromised thanks to their ISO 11998 Class 1 scrub rating. Dulux Trade Diamond Matt for example is 10 times tougher than vinyl silk or vinyl matt emulsions.

While Dulux Trade Diamond Matt is one of the highest quality durable matt emulsions on the market, Crown Trade Clean Extreme represents excellent value for money, which would make it our expert's recommendation for the best emulsion paint for kitchens, bathrooms or hallways.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is emulsion paint water-based?

While oil-based paints have traditionally been used by some on interior walls & ceilings, the properties of water-based paint make it much more suitable for use on walls. It is quick drying, low odour and is available in durable formulations for use in a higher traffic room.

Q. Is emulsion paint flammable?

As a water-based formulation, emulsion paint is not flammable when wet. When applied to interior walls, they are not designed to prevent the burn of the flame, and therefore will burn. There are a number of intumescent paints that are specifically designed to actively slow the burn of surfaces such as interior walls & timber.

Q. Can emulsion paint go off?

Paint should always be stored in a dry, cool and well-ventilated area with the lid tightly closed. If left unopened, paint can last over 5 years. Like anything, when exposed to air, paint to go off. This will usually result in a sour smell that is extremely noticeable, which if you can smell means you should not use that paint.

Q. Is emulsion paint washable or wipeable?

When walls become dirty, they leave marks that cause a real eye-sore. This is often caused when an emulsion paint with low durability is used in a high-traffic room such as a hallway. This is why washable and wipeable paints were developed. Resins are added to the paint formulation such as vinyl or acrylic that give it added durability, so that the paint film itself is not damaged when cleaned.

There is a difference between a washable paint and a wipeable paint. A wipeable paint can be lightly wiped with a damp cloth, such as vinyl matt paints. These are suitable for low-traffic rooms that may need the odd clean down here or there. A standard retail matt paint is generally not wipeable.

A washable paint is a paint that can be thoroughly scrubbed thanks to acrylic resins. These are durable emulsions such as Crown Trade Clean Extreme Scrubbable Matt & Dulux Trade Diamond Matt, that can withstand thousands of cleans without causing the paint film to be compromised.

We hope this has answered any questions you may have had regarding what is the best emulsion paint? While you are here, why not read our guide to the best white emulsion paints if you are looking for the best paint to use in a white shade? If you require any more help, just send an email to hello@paintersworld.co.uk and our expert team will be on hand to give you any advice you require. At Painters World we have a wide range of paints available, so no matter the job, we've got the right tools for you. Shop our emulsion paint range today.