Is Farrow and Ball paint good?

[Beth8ny]

I'm hoping to use F&B paint emulsion in my large-ish living room for the first time but I've heard some really bad things about it. Is it really as horrible to use as people say it is (milky, runny, needs 5 coats)?

I'll be decorating with it myself, painting it onto plain wallpaper but haven't chosen the colours yet. Hoping to get away without a primer. Any advice?

I’m going to say it again, don’t buy consumer grade paint. Get trade paint every single time.
Two coats at the most, even with a dark colour.

Never ever regular consumer paint. Alway trade.

And don’t touch Valspar. Go to your local trade place and they will mix the colour.

Why not Valspar?

Because it’s crap.
It fell off the wall when I used it.

I have it in a playroom and so far it's been great, two coats and not chipped or marked. It's pitch blue so quite a royal blue (modern emulsion) Also have denimes in the living room and my wardrobe in their modern eggshell. Kids room is all white and that really was a waste of money.. it's just white. So i would say go for it if it's a statement colour but not if it's just a shade of white or grey.

I've used it and it's worth the extra money! The finish is incredible and is much higher quality than any other paint. Think Joules compared to Primark - that kind of difference!!

So so worth it and cheaper than wallpaper over all....

Ps I've never ever had F&B chip? Perhaps PP painted over something?

B&Q have it on 3 for 2 at the moment

F&B is very hard to patch after, if you have to retouch after, you usually have to paint the whole wall, the numerous kitchens I’ve seen paint with F&B usually rub of easily and you have to repaint often, it just seems a paint that you buy to say you use F&B

Is it just the colours you love? If so go down to a Johnstone's paint centre and they will mix you and EXACT copy for 1/2 the price.

Crown decorating centres will do this for you as well. I had a long chat about paint with the staff at our local one the other day, and they said exactly what PancakeAndKeith - always buy trade paint.

They were pretty scathing about the snobbery surrounding F and B paint, and said that they frequently get requests to make up F & B colours.

I'd agree with the wear aspect of F&B
My dad has it in his house and it's immaculate but his house is like an art gallery and kids tend to stick to outside
My brother has it in his house with kids & dogs and although it initially looked amazing it got grubby very quick

Johnstone's / deluxe trade centre matching service - must be trade not their retail arm as the quality seems to be better - if you like the colour but want something that lasts a bit better.

Not Valspar - I work with decorators and have one decorator who rated it highly so went with his advice after specifying J & DT for years and although they matched the paint colour fine the quality was disappointing and one tin had to be sent back as it didn't match

Our local trade place sells F and B. We choose the colour from the F and B charts. They know the colour numbers to make it in trade without even looking it up.

DH just retouched the hall way where it got scratched by taking some furniture up stairs. You cannot see where he did it.

Trade, trade, trade.
Consumer paint is cheaper but you will need to buy twice as much.

Consumer paint is cheaper but you will need to buy twice as much.

That is exactly what the Crown staff told me.

Valspar smells of cats wee. It was on watchdog.

Evilmorty No it doesn't, cats must Have paint smelling wee

I like F&B and have never had to do more than two coats with one of their paints. I prefer Little Greene though.

With the price of F&b you could afford to put 3/4 coats on and save money

You could also look at Sanderson and Mylands. Little Green too

My decorator only uses Johnstone's, they can colour match

I found Valspar rubbish

We have used two different painter / decorators who have both told me they would never use F and B because the quality isn't good. They both go to the local Dulux centre for a colour match

F&B is great stuff. We repainted most of our house in trade colour-matched paint with a couple of rooms done in genuine F&B. There's no comparison. It's not just about the colour, the 'flatness' of the Matt finish and the chalkiness of the paint just can't be replicated. F&B is on special offer at Homebase at the moment.

If you buy the DIY version of any paint (crown, dulux, Valspar) it will be shit. Valspar trade or the 700 mix is good quality paint. DH is a highly trained decorator and has done heritage work for the NT and EH and if he's happy with the quality of it then it must be alright. He says 9 times out of 10 if someone has used a trade quality paint and says it's shit the problem is with the person, not the paint!

Can anyone tell me what the f&b and Little Green paints are like thickness wise?

I like something that’s about double cream when you pour it.

I bought Dulux Trade and find it too thick and the pure brilliant white is NOT

I’d rather put two coats of a paint that glides on than one of the thick trade paints that go in like treacle.

Thanks.

Oh and if anyone can suggest a genuinely brilliant white that would be great! The close to American Teeth advertising the better 🤣

@Fettfrett. Ok so maybe I’m shit? But the paint is so thick I can’t get it to glide on it just sticks like fecking glue 🤷🏻‍♀️

I’ve decorated loads overseas and never had this problem with paint 🤷🏻‍♀️