A professional paint finish has very little to do with luck and a lot to do with three decisions: picking the right paint for each surface, preparing that surface properly, and painting in the right order. Get those three right and a DIY room can look like a decorator has been in.
This guide walks through the Johnstone's range we stock at Essentials Fix, what each paint is designed for, and the simple routine professionals follow from first sanding to final coat.
Who makes Johnstone's?
Johnstone's has been making paint in the UK since 1890 and is now part of PPG Architectural Coatings UK and Ireland. The brand comes in two families. Johnstone's Trade is the professional range sold through trade merchants, while Johnstone's retail paint is made for home decorating. The retail range is what we stock, and it covers every room in the house plus exterior woodwork and metal.
Step 1: Choose the right Johnstone's paint for each surface
The most common reason a finish disappoints is using one paint everywhere. Walls, bathrooms, woodwork and exterior doors all take different punishment, so each needs its own product.
Walls and ceilings: Wall & Ceiling Matt
Johnstone's Wall & Ceiling Matt gives a smooth, non reflective finish that helps hide small dents and patchy plaster. It is water based, low odour and wipeable, so it suits living rooms, bedrooms, hallways and ceilings. Johnstone's quotes a recoat time of 2 to 4 hours, which means two coats in a single day is realistic. It comes in 2.5L and 5L tins in Brilliant White, Magnolia and a wide colour range.
Walls that need a little more toughness: Wall & Ceiling Soft Sheen
If a wall gets touched a lot, such as a hallway, stairwell or kids' room, Wall & Ceiling Soft Sheen is the better choice. The subtle sheen makes marks easier to wipe away. Johnstone's quotes up to 31 m² from a 2.5L tin, roughly 12 m² per litre, with a 4 hour recoat time.
Bathrooms and kitchens: Bathroom Midsheen
Steam and condensation are hard on ordinary emulsion. Johnstone's Bathroom Midsheen is made for damp, high condensation rooms, with mould protection and resistance to moisture, stains and grease. It is touch dry in 1 to 2 hours and ready for a second coat in 3 to 4 hours.
Interior woodwork and radiators: Quick Dry Satin
For skirting boards, doors, door frames, stair spindles and radiators, use Johnstone's Quick Dry Satin. It is water based and self undercoating, so on previously painted woodwork you do not need a separate undercoat. Because it is water based it is non yellowing, which matters on white skirting and doors that would otherwise turn cream over time. It is touch dry in 1 to 2 hours. Always check the tin for the recoat time before your second coat.
Exterior doors, windows and gates: Exterior Undercoat and Hardwearing Gloss
Outdoor wood and metal need a proper system rather than a single paint. Start with Johnstone's Exterior Undercoat, leave it 16 to 24 hours, then finish with Exterior Hardwearing Gloss. Used together, Johnstone's says the system gives up to six years of protection and resists blistering, cracking and peeling. Both are solvent based, so clean brushes with white spirit. The gloss comes in classic door colours including Black, Admiral Blue, Victory Red and Sherwood green.
Step 2: Prepare like a decorator
Preparation is where professionals spend most of their time, and it shows in the result.
- Clean first. Wash walls and woodwork with sugar soap to remove grease and dust. Paint will not bond well to a dirty surface.
- Fill and sand. Fill cracks and holes, let the filler dry fully, then sand it flush with fine sandpaper.
- Key glossy surfaces. Lightly sand old gloss or satin so the new coat has something to grip.
- Mask and protect. Use decorator's tape on edges and dust sheets on floors and furniture.
- Seal bare surfaces. Fresh plaster usually needs a diluted mist coat of emulsion, and bare wood needs a primer before topcoats.
Step 3: Paint in the right order
Decorators work from the top of the room down so drips never land on finished work:
- Ceiling first, using Wall & Ceiling Matt.
- Walls next. Cut in around edges with a brush, then roll the main area in sections while the edges are still wet to avoid lines.
- Woodwork last. Paint doors, frames and skirting with Quick Dry Satin once the walls are dry.
- Two coats, not one thick one. Two thinner coats level out better and last longer than one heavy coat.
How much paint do you need?
Measure the height and width of each wall, multiply them, add the walls together, then take away doors and windows. Divide the total by the coverage on the tin and double it for two coats. As a guide, Johnstone's emulsions cover about 12 m² per litre, so a typical bedroom of around 35 m² of wall needs roughly 6L for two coats. Rounding up to a 5L tin plus a 2.5L tin is safer than running out halfway through a wall.
Test the colour before you commit
Colour looks different on a chart, in daylight and under evening lights. A Johnstone's 75ml tester pot lets you paint a patch on two different walls and check it at different times of day before buying full tins.
Quick reference: which Johnstone's paint where
| Surface | Johnstone's product | Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Living room and bedroom walls, ceilings | Wall & Ceiling Matt | Matt |
| Hallways, stairs, busy walls | Wall & Ceiling Soft Sheen | Soft sheen |
| Bathrooms and kitchens | Bathroom Midsheen | Mid sheen |
| Skirting, doors, frames, radiators | Quick Dry Satin | Satin |
| Exterior doors, windows, gates | Exterior Undercoat plus Hardwearing Gloss | High gloss |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an undercoat with Johnstone's Quick Dry Satin?
On previously painted woodwork, no. It is self undercoating. Bare wood still needs a primer first.
How long should I wait between coats of emulsion?
Johnstone's quotes 2 to 4 hours for Wall & Ceiling Matt and 4 hours for Soft Sheen. In cold or damp weather allow longer.
Can I use Wall & Ceiling Matt in a bathroom?
It will go on, but it is not designed for steam and condensation. Bathroom Midsheen has mould protection and resists moisture, so it will last much longer in a bathroom.
Why use undercoat under exterior gloss?
The undercoat builds film thickness and hides the old colour, and Johnstone's six year protection claim applies when the Exterior Undercoat and Hardwearing Gloss are used together.
Ready to start? Browse our full range of decorative paint and decorating tools and preparation to get everything you need in one order.
