everything you want to know about Farrow & Ball paints

Farrow & Ball offers 11 different paint finishes to cover all your decorating needs. All Farrow & Ball paints are water-based and eco-friendly, with low or minimal VOC content. They dry quickly but last long, and are low odour, which is great for you and the environment. Estate Emulsion: F&B���s iconic chalky, very matt finish. It has a 2% sheen level that works perfectly with all types of light. It���s a very elegant choice for interior walls and ceilings, ideal for less busy areas such as bedrooms and living rooms. You can wipe it, but don���t wash it. Modern Emulsion: durable and versatile matt finish, with a 7% sheen level. It���s washable and mould resistant, perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, and other busy areas. It has excellent scrub and stain resistance. Estate Eggshell: robust and subtle silk finish for interior wood and metal, with a 20% sheen level. It���s washable and highly resistant to lots of stains like wine, coffee, and crayon, and works perfectly on woodwork, kitchen cupboards, furniture pieces and radiators. Modern Eggshell: a mid-40 % sheen that makes it slightly glossier than Estate Eggshell. It���s the toughest F&B product: you can wipe it, wash it, and it���s highly scuff and stain-resistant. It���s ideal for kitchen cabinetry, skirting boards, stairs, floors, and other hardworking interior wood or metal surfaces. Full Gloss: the glossiest water-based finish of all time, with a 95% sheen. Ideal on interior and exterior wood and metal, it���s the perfect dramatic statement for a front door. It���s resistant to water, flaking, peeling, and colour fade for up to 6 years, but don���t use it on exterior plastic or decking. Exterior Eggshell: silk finish with a 20% sheen ideal for your exterior wood and metal. It works on almost anything in your outdoor space, from wooden window frames and cladding to metal guttering and railings ��� but avoid using it on exterior plastic or decking. No flaking, peeling or colour fade for up to 6 years. Exterior Masonry: very flat matt finish with a 2% sheen, ideal for exterior walls and accessories. It gives you the perfect combination of breathability and water resistance, and it won���t peel or fade for up to 15 years. It doesn���t come in all the F&B colours, but only in a few lucky ones. Dead Flat: very flat matt finish with a 2% sheen, ideal for interior wood, plaster, and metal surfaces in less busy areas. It���s the perfect choice for a period property, to recreate an 18^th-century finish, or to make a design statement. Casein Distemper: highly breathable very flat matt finish (2% sheen) for interior plaster walls and ceilings. It���s ideal to recreate an authentic look in historical properties and will let moisture pass through the walls to avoid issues with damp. It���s not available in all the F&B range of colours. Soft Distemper: highly breathable very flat matt finish (2% sheen) for interior walls, ceilings, and plasterwork. It���s highly breathable and can be easily removed to maintain detailing and intricate mouldings. Not all the F&B colours come in this finish. Limewash: highly breathable, very flat matt finish (2% sheen) for interior walls, ceilings, and exterior walls. Historical finish, it bonds to the building itself to protect the walls from elements. It doesn���t come in all the F&B colours, and we highly recommend giving us a call or speaking to a decorator before using Limewash, because it needs some pro skills for the application.

how much Farrow & Ball paint do I need?

Now that you���ve chosen the finish, you need to open your calculator app to get the right quantity of paint. If you hate numbers, don���t panic. We���re going to help you with some fool proof calculations. First, get that tape measure out! If you���re a DIY pro, just measure up your room – we don���t need to tell you what to do. If you���re already confused, here are some ballpark figures:

• small rooms are around 2 x 2 m per wall
• medium rooms are around 4 x 2 m per wall
• skirting boards will need less than 1 litre
• feature walls are usually 2.5 x 2 m
• count the ceiling as a wall, as it will be a similar size.

Now do your maths to get to the total square metres you want to paint, write it down and let���s talk coverage. If you want your freshly painted walls to look flawless and last longer, coverage is key. Good coverage means no waste and no wasted money. That���s why we always suggest TWO even coats for that perfect durable finish. All Farrow & Ball paint is packed with pigment for a great, durable finish. Applied evenly, F&B paint covers on average 12 m2 per litre – so you���ll get 30 m2 from a 2.5L tin. To go back to the ballpark figures:

• a small room (16 m2), feature wall or ceiling? 2.5 L tin
• a medium room (32 m2)? 5 L tin
• the skirting boards of one room? 0,75 L tin

If you���re painting exterior walls, or something more complicated to measure (kitchen cupboards anyone?) or if you���re dealing with a historical property that needs a specific finish, just ask us! All our paint geeks have a paint calculator installed in their brains and will tell you how much paint you need in no time.