When looking at paints for the kitchens, bathrooms, kid’s bedrooms, entrance hallways and other areas of high traffic and wear we need durable paints.
We look at the toughest paints for interior walls for your next DIY painting project.
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The Toughest Paint for Interior Walls
When looking at these paints we were looking at a few factors in determining which was the toughest.
Although we wanted the paint to be super tough we also want a good finish.
Based on these factors the top spot of the paints that we applied was the Dulux Easycare range. These Easycare range paints are also available in specific products designed for kitchen and bathrooms.
Top 6 Most Durable Paint for Internal Walls
| Paint | Coverage Rate (m2 per litre) | Recommended Coats | Tin Size Litres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dulux Easycare Range | 13 | 2 | 2.5, 5 |
| Farrow & Ball Modern Emulsion | 14 | 2 | 2.5, 5 |
| Dulux Endurance Matt | 13 | 2 | 2.5 |
| Johnstones Trade Acrylic Matt Emulsion | 16 | 2 | 2.5, 5, 10 |
| Johnstones Kitchen & Bathroom | 12 | 2-3 | 2.5 |
| Johnstones Washable | 12 | 2-3 | 2.5 |
#1 Dulux Easycare Range
The Dulux Easycare Range is designed to be tough.
Ideal for areas of high traffic and messy hands, this paint can be washed and scrubbed and it will still leave the paint in one piece.
The kitchen option is stain and grease resistant and you are able to clean the surface without the worry of the paint fading.
Available in different sizes and the Dulux colour range.
It is a matt emulsion which is surprising as this gloss level is the least wearing typically but Dulux has developed a product that stands up to grime.
#2 Farrow and Ball Modern Emulsion
The modern emulsion by Farrow and Ball is a matt finish, the typical quality finish expected with this brand.
The paint is durable and can be washed even though it is a water-based product.
It is durable and ideal for kitchens and bathrooms, kid’s rooms and other high traffic areas.
We did find that it needed more than the stated 2 coats but the finish was great.
It is popular as homeowners like the farrow and ball spectrum of colours which has 148 varieties.
#3 Dulux Endurance Matt
Dulux Endurance Matt, excuse the paint-related phrase, is exactly what it says on the tin.
It is an endurance matt emulsion designed for use in high traffic areas.
Suitable for areas such as children’s bedrooms, playrooms, entrance hallways it is a paint designed for markings and dirt left by kids and animals.
The paint is formulated in a way that allows it it be washable without removing any of the paint.
#4 Johnstones Trade Acrylic Matt Emulsion
Johnstones Trade Acrylic is a trade quality product which ideal for areas of the house that have a lot of footfall during the week.
This is an extremely tough durable paint because the paint resists moisture and yellowing.
It is washable which makes it ideal for hallways, kitchens and kids’ rooms and also with the moisture resistance can be used in bathrooms.
#5 Johnstones Kitchen & Bathroom
Johnstone’s kitchen and bathroom is unsurprisingly designed for kitchen and bathroom areas but are equally at home in the hallway, stairs and kid’s playrooms.
This product is a mid-sheen finish and has a low odour when applied.
It has been designed to be used in rooms with high levels of condensation and the paints resists stains, grease and moisture.
Johnstones claim that the product has ten times the resistance when washed than average emulsions, we did not test, however.
The two coats were more than adequate to cover the test wall and it was a nice coating to apply.
#6 Johnstones Washable
Johnstones Washable is a washable grade paint.
This paint is designed to be scrubbed and is stain resistant.
It can be used in all high traffic areas and is great at protection in entrance hallways, stairs, landing and kid’s bedrooms.
It can be used not only on interior walls but also on ceilings, wood, and radiators.
We had to use three coats on this rather than the recommended two but the finish was good.
Conclusion
When looking for paint to cover high traffic areas it is worth spending a bit more to purchase specially formulated paints that are designed to resist stains, be hard-wearing and are able to be washed down.
No matter how hard you try, stains and dirt will appear in the most unlikely of places so instead of recoating the areas, you will have a washable surface without affecting the integrity of the paint.
When it comes to the next DIY project of re-coating a hallway, kid’s room, bathroom or kitchen ensure that you choose the toughest paints for interior walls.