When you are choosing which brand of paint to use for the interior of your house it can sometimes be rather confusing. With so many brands out there which one should you choose? How can you get the best value for your budget and the finish that you require?

Harrison Rose regularly use many brands of trade* paint for our customers. We therefore have a wealth of experience in this area and can help you with making your decision. We have listed several brands of trade paints commonly used by Harrison Rose, and we have outlined their price points in addition to their pros and cons.

When evaluating a paint we take several things into account such as:

1. Good coverage. This is important. Thinner (and sometimes cheaper) paints tend to be thinned down so more time and resources will be spent than necessary. This isn't great for you as customer as the more coats required the more expensive the works will be in terms of the labour and materials required. 
2. Good finish. Some paints may cover well but may not leave the most desirable of finishes once they are dry. For example, they may show up roller or brush marks or leave a chalky residue.
3. Price point. There is quite a range in price for paints but does spending more really mean getting a better result? We take a look at some of the top brands from a painter/decorators view to see if they really are worth the additional cost.

We have given each paint a score out of 10 depending on the above criteria, based on our experience of using the paint on live projects.

LITTLE GREENE (£££) - OUR STAR PICK

Our score: 9 / 10

Little Greene is an independent, British paint manufacturer, established in 1773. They are committed to the socially and environmentally responsible production of high quality paints.

Pros:

• Great colour range.
• Excellent quality paint.
• Great opacity and coverage.

Cons:

• Expensive price point. 
  

FARROW AND BALL (£££) - OUR FAVOURITE COLOUR RANGE

Our score: 8 / 10

Founded in 1946, Farrow & Ball are a British manufacturer of paints largely based on historic colour palettes and archives. 

Pros:

• Colour kings - Our favourite palette of colours - so far we've not seen any brands that can match.
• Popular modern chalky matt finish.
• Good quality and finish.

Cons:

• Expensive price point.
• Can lack opacity and require more coats.

CROWN (£)

Our score: 7 / 10

Crown have a heritage dating back to 1777 and have over 200 years of knowledge and experience in manufacturing paint.

Pros:

• Good overall cost value.
• Nice period collection.
• Offer the best exterior wood products (eg. Sandolin).
• Provide the best durable matt that we have tried (Crown Clean Extreme).

Cons:

• To our knowledge, they do not do a fully water based woodwork paint.

JOHNSTONES (£)

Our score: 8 / 10

Johnstones have been around for many years and provide a wide range of paints at affordable prices. 

Pros:

• Best all round value paint.
• Good quality.
• Wide range of colours including Heritage colours.
• Excellent opacity.

Cons:

• Colours not always as popular as other brands.

Our score: 8 / 10

VALSPAR (££) - BEST ALL ROUNDER

Established in 1806, Valspar is a US based manufacturer with employees in over 25 countries. They have Europe's biggest range of pre-selected colours.

Pros:

• Excellent colour range.
• Good colour matching service.
• Large range of products.
• Good cover and opacity.

Cons:

• We struggled to find any - good all rounder!
  

DULUX (££)

Our score: 7 / 10

The brand Dulux was first established in 1931 (to relect a combination of 'Durable' and 'Luxury') and is now an internationally recognised brand. 

Pros:

• Vast range of colours (over 1,200)
• Excellent opacity.
• Large product range.
• Good quality.

Cons:

• The finish can be quite shiny.
• Some of their paints may picture frame (blending issues)
• Expensive compared to other trade brands. 
  

*Retail vs Trade paints:

It is also worth noting the following... There is usually a difference between general retail paint and trade paint. Retail paint may appear cheaper but there is often a reason for this. The paint tends to have a reduced opacity and provide less coverage. The result of this is that more coats will be needed to complete the required finish than trade paints. More coats means more time and labour costs, so this misconception of retail paint can often be a false economy. If you have hired a professional, it is worth asking them to source the trade paint on your behalf as part of the quote price.

Harrison Rose offer painting and decorating, plastering and carpentry services. To see further information please click here. Alternatively, if you would like some advice or to request a free no obligation quote please click here.