
With a water-based emulsion paint in eggshell, silk or matt finishes, they will have less durability than traditional wood finishes, and therefore may be more prone to wear in high-traffic areas such as hallways.


When using emulsion paint on wood, it is important to consider: Things To ConsiderĪs with any decorating project, there are advantages and disadvantages to using a particular paint. However, matt emulsions, with their low sheen levels do not have enough durability for woodwork, which is why acrylic matt emulsions are designed for interior walls & ceilings. There are harder wearing matt emulsion in the form of acrylic matt emulsions that offer a tough, flat matt finish. If this is what you plan to do, do not use a vinyl matt emulsion. One of the reasons people want to use an emulsion on wood is that they want a modern, flat finish that a matt paint offers. As technology in paint has changed and home decor trends have evolved, there is a much greater flexibility on what paint you opt for. This is contrary to traditional decorating, that consists of a white satin or gloss finish on trim and a coloured emulsion on the walls. It has also become extremely popular to use the same colour of paint on interior walls and interior trim, creating a uniform finish across the room. This means that many people will use a water-based eggshell emulsion instead if they want an eggshell finish. We would not recommend using a standard vinyl matt emulsion on interior wood as they do not have the required durability to be able to withstand the knocks that interior wooden trim such as doors and skirting boards can take.Įmulsions such as water-based eggshells are often used on interior trim as the oil-based version of eggshell, as with all oil-based paints, is slow drying and can yellow over time. While emulsions are generally designed for interior walls, some products can be used on both interior walls & on wood.

They come in a range of finishes, such as eggshell, silk & matt, with matt paints being the most popular finish. These emulsions are water-based with vinyl or acrylic added to them to give added durability. When referring to an emulsion paint, many DIY'ers are talking about paint for interior walls & ceilings. To answer this question, it is first important to establish what we are talking about.
