Contract matt is often used as a finish coat on newbuilds for a few reasons. The first being it’s cheap, but it tends to have better opacity than vinyl matt which means fewer coats. Some brands touch up well, which is ideal for snagging and homeowners tend to paint over a “builders finish” anyway.

For all of your decorating needs, we have a selection of decorating tools and supplies. Whether it’s for a domestic or commercial project, find everything from abrasives to dust sheets. Without the proper preparation as mentioned before even Dulux supermatt would not stop the staining from returning. The original decorator must prepare all walls again by filling and sanding, then apply a full coat of oil based undercoat or B.I.N primer then apply the finished emulsion (2 full coats) be this with contract emulsion or the most expensive emulsion available. Trade quality contract matt emulsion is something that comes up on the Decorators Forum UK on a regular basis and everyone seems keen to work out which is the best on the market. I regret to say, there are many I have yet to use, but I can take you through the ones I have.

Kitchen has an extractor fan and the paintwork is still OK 2 years later. Stair walls have a few minor scuffs.

Valspar Trade are going from strength to strength with their new and improved reformulated paint products. Their contract matt can be used on bare plaster without the need to thin the product prior to use. Using contract matt as a mist coat is a bit “old school”. There was a time when every decorator was taught to use a coat of contract matt, and it can still be effective now. However, a lot of manufacturers will either advise you use a specialist primer, or just heavily dilute the same product as you’re using as a topcoat and apply directly to the plaster. Contract matt is often used as a “builders finish” on a lot of newbuilds. This is mainly due to price!! But other factors include the breathability of contract matt, meaning it can be applied to bare plaster walls which are not fully cured or dried out. Certainly not a matt emulsion, at the very least an emulsion with vinyl in it is needed - the vinyl makes it wipe ableI've got leyland contract matt emulsion on my entire 4 bed house including hall, stairs, kitchen (but not bathroom). Our trade paint emulsion is available in a selection of neutral colour choices ranging from pure brilliant white to magnolia and classic grey. With tin sizes ranging from 2.5L to 15L, choose the right size for the job in a range of finishes including eggshell, gloss, matte, satin and silk. When it comes to trade wood and metal paints our choice of fast drying, non-drip and high gloss paint finishes come in a range of colours and are suitable for multiple uses. Too many decorators are still using cheap contract matt to prime bare plaster. It’s an old-school approach and you shouldn’t do it in modern decorating. There’s no need.