Little Greene Paint Finish Options & Advice

See our recommended paint finishes by choosing a paint surface below.

What surface are you painting on?

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Matt Yet Washable Finish (3-5% Sheen)

    We recommend Intelligent Matt Emulsion. Intelligent Matt Emulsion is Little Greene’s ground-breaking paint – it’s matt, environmentally-friendly, child-safe and completely washable. This makes it suitable for all areas of your home including kitchens, children’s rooms and high-traffic hallways.

  • Quick Drying Low Sheen Finish (15-20% Sheen)

    We recommend Intelligent Eggshell. Formulated to resist moisture, staining and general wear and tear, Intelligent Eggshell has a tough yet subtle finish and is a superb paint for all woodwork and kitchen & bathroom walls. It will give tremendous service in a busy home and is an ideal solution for those who want durability with a soft, low-sheen finish.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Matt Yet Washable Finish (3-5% Sheen)

    We recommend Intelligent Matt Emulsion. Intelligent Matt Emulsion is Little Greene’s ground-breaking paint – it’s matt, environmentally-friendly, child-safe and completely washable. This makes it suitable for all areas of your home including kitchens, children’s rooms and high-traffic hallways.

  • Traditional Low Sheen Finish (15-20%)

    We recommend Intelligent Eggshell. Formulated to resist moisture, staining and general wear and tear, Intelligent Eggshell has a tough yet subtle finish and is a superb paint for all woodwork and kitchen & bathroom walls. It will give tremendous service in a busy home and is an ideal solution for those who want durability with a soft, low-sheen finish.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Totally Matt Finish (2-3% Sheen)

    We recommend Absolute Matt Emulsion. Our most popular paint, Absolute Matt Emulsion is the classic finish for interior walls and ceilings. It’s a water-based, environmentally friendly paint and dries to an incredibly flat finish that exudes character.

  • Delicate Matt Finish, Not Washable (15-20% Sheen)

    We recommend Distemper. A traditional breathable paint, commonly used in older buildings and loved because of its soft, powdery finish. Water-based and environmentally friendly, our Distemper is strengthened to be wipable but is not recommended for areas of high traffic or condensation.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Traditional High Gloss Finish (85% Sheen)

    We recommend Traditional Oil Gloss which has a classic high sheen finish; very smart on front doors and a popular choice for general interior and exterior woodwork and metalwork.

  • Quick Drying High Gloss Finish (85% Sheen)

    We recommend Intelligent Gloss. A quick drying alternative to our Traditional Oil Gloss, this is used for woodwork and metalwork and has a brilliant high sheen.

  • Matt Finish (10% Sheen)

    We recommend Flat Oil Eggshell. A quick drying alternative to our Traditional Oil Gloss, this is used for woodwork and metalwork and has a brilliant high sheen.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Traditional High Gloss Finish (85% Sheen)

    We recommend Traditional Oil Gloss, which has a classic high sheen finish; very smart on front doors and a popular choice for general interior and exterior woodwork and metalwork.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Matt Yet Washable Finish (3-5% Sheen)

    We recommend Intelligent Matt Emulsion. Intelligent Matt Emulsion is Little Greene’s ground-breaking paint – it’s matt, environmentally-friendly, child-safe and completely washable. This makes it suitable for all areas of your home including kitchens, children’s rooms and high-traffic hallways.

  • Traditional High Gloss Finish (85% Sheen)

    We recommend Traditional Oil Gloss, which has a classic high sheen finish; very smart on front doors and a popular choice for general interior and exterior woodwork and metalwork.

  • Matt Finish (10% Sheen)

    We recommend Flat Oil Eggshell. A quick drying alternative to our Traditional Oil Gloss, this is used for woodwork and metalwork and has a brilliant high sheen.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Traditional Mid Sheen Finish (50% Sheen)

    We recommend Floor Paint. Little Greene’s oil-based Floor Paint is suitable for wood and concrete floors. Available in all our colours, it has an attractive and exceptionally tough mid-sheen finish.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Matt Yet Washable Finish (3-5% Sheen)

    We recommend Masonry Paint. A highly effective, 100% acrylic formulation with a matt finish, providing the best performance on stone, brick and cementuous surfaces.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Traditional High Gloss Finish (85% Sheen)

    We recommend Traditional Oil Gloss, which has a classic high sheen finish; very smart on front doors and a popular choice for general interior and exterior woodwork and metalwork.

  • Traditional Low Sheen Finish (15-20%)

    We recommend Tom’s Oil Eggshell. With a low sheen it’s the perfect complement to a matt wall paint and is tough enough to withstand wear and tear and repeated cleaning.

Finish Options & Recommendation

  • Traditional Low Sheen Finish (15-20%)

    We recommend Tom’s Oil Eggshell. With a low sheen it’s the perfect complement to a matt wall paint and is tough enough to withstand wear and tear and repeated cleaning.

  • Traditional High Gloss Finish (85% Sheen)

    We recommend Traditional Oil Gloss, which has a classic high sheen finish; very smart on front doors and a popular choice for general interior and exterior woodwork and metalwork.

  • Intelligent High Gloss Finish (85%)

    We recommend Intelligent Gloss. A quick drying alternative to our Traditional Oil Gloss, this is used for woodwork and metalwork and has a brilliant high sheen.

  • Inteligent Low Sheen Finish (15-20%)

    We recommend Intelligent Eggshell. Formulated to resist moisture, staining and general wear and tear, Intelligent Eggshell has a tough yet subtle finish and is a superb paint for all woodwork and kitchen & bathroom walls. It will give tremendous service in a busy home and is an ideal solution for those who want durability with a soft, low-sheen finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What’s the difference between Absolute Matt Emulsion and Intelligent Matt Emulsion?

A: Absolute Matt Emulsion is our original classic flat paint for walls, and has the most matt finish of any Little Greene paints. Intelligent Matt Emulsion is the most popular of our ‘Intelligent Paints’ family and is completely washable – so the recommended choice if you have children or pets, and for high traffic areas that are more prone to marking.

Q: What is a VOC?

A: VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compound and these contribute to atmospheric pollution when they evaporate (while you’re painting). There are chemicals used in all industries that are classified as VOCs, from paints and building materials to soaps and cleaning products.

As a rule of thumb, water based paints generally very little VOCs, whilst traditional oil based paints contain some, but in very insignificant levels. If you suffer with asthma it’s definitely worth choosing a zero VOC paint, otherwise the decision is usually just a preference for one type of paint over another.

Q: What do I use to rinse out/clean my paintbrushes?

A: For water based paints, use water and for oil based paints, use white spirit or a specific solvent-based cleaner.

Q: How many coats of paint will I need?

A: There are conditions specific to your project than can affect this, but as a rule of thumb we would always recommend a minimum of two coats. Our paints have an excellent reputation for coverage; they are formulated on a high-opacity base and contain up to 40% more pigment than ordinary decorative paints. Using a tinted primer undercoat will significantly help achieve a full and accurate depth of colour, whilst also priming the surface underneath.