With so many manufacturers and products to choose from its hard to know what product is right for you! This article is designed to help you make an informed decision.

Going back 10 years there was no such thing as durable matt, most people would use Vinyl Matt or Vinyl Silk depending on what finish they preferred, however now we see 90% of interior walls are painted with matt finish emulsion paint. This has lead to many improvements in the market when it comes to matt finish emulsions, with so many to choose from, which one is right for you? Simply put all the main manufacturers offer 3 choices of matt finish for interior walls. To begin with lets look at these choices.

1) Contract Matt

A breathable emulsion that is ideal as a base coat on new plaster. Ideally it should be overcoated however some people choose to leave this product as a finish coat. Contract Matt is generally cheap so if you are on a budget then it is a good option. The down side is that contact matt does not offer any durability so it can't be cleaned down if your walls get dirty.

2) Vinyl Matt

Ideal for painting over contact matt as a finish coat or over existing coating. Generally not too expensive. Some people think that because vinyl matt contains the word vinyl that it might be shiny, this is not the case as it leaves a flat finish. The vinyl element simply offers a wipeable finish. Ideal for living rooms or bedrooms where you may occasionally want to clean the walls down.

3) Diamond Matt / Acrylic Matt / Durable Matt

Different manufacturers use different names for durable matt but essentially they all mean that the product is suitable for high traffic areas where regular cleaning is required. Obviously you get what you pay for so if you purchase Armstead Durable matt it wont be as durable as Dulux Trade Diamond Matt. Manufacturers have their products tested to see how durable their products are.. Durable matt is ideal for high traffic areas such as hallways or even Care Homes & Hospitals.

When choosing what paint to use in your home ask yourself which product is right for you? If you have a dog & or Kids then you likely spend alot of time cleaning your hallway so durable matt would be a good option. However if you have a quieter household and rarely need to clean the walls then its more than likely Vinyl Matt would suffice.

Quick Facts:

All of the above are water based products which mean you can clean your brushes & rollers out in water.
When applying mentioned Trade Paints you can add up to 10% water to allow easier application.
All products mentioned leave a similar sheen level. The main difference is durability.

We hope you find this article useful. please contact us if you have any further questions.