When it’s time to paint your interior walls, there are a few types of paint to choose from.
This may be one of the simplest painting projects you can do, and one of the first we recommend for beginner decorators, but with so many options available, picking the perfect paint isn’t easy.
Today we’re tackling two of the most popular interior paints: distemper and emulsion. We’ll explain the pros and cons of each, so you can decide which is right for your walls.
What is Distemper Paint?
Distemper paint is old school; it has been a popular interior painting option for a long time. It’s popularity is mostly down to the price as it’s one of the cheapest options available. This makes it ideal for people with a tight decorating budget who just want to freshen up their walls.
It has a naturally chalky texture, which adds to the matt finish it produces. A lot of interior paints, including one we’ll talk about soon, are completely smooth once dry. Some people think this looks very flat, whereas the slight roughness of distemper paint can be more visually appealing in the right colour.
What is Emulsion Paint?
Emulsion paint is the most popular interior paint by a long way. Browse any interior design catalogue and you’ll see emulsion paint on almost every wall they showcase.
Why? It’s because emulsion paint covers all bases. It’s durable, washable, easy to apply, and comes in a wide range of colours and sheens.
Simply put, you can’t go wrong with emulsion paint.
Emulsion Paint Vs Distemper Paint
So which is best? Well the easy answer is that it’s all down to personal preference. If you like the advantages of emulsion paint more than distemper, that’s the one to go for and vice versa.
But if we left it at that this would be a very short blog, so let’s dive a little deeper and see what these advantages are.
Choosing the Right Colour for Distemper and Emulsion Paint
We spend a lot of time looking at our walls. Not only that, they also set the tone for each room. If you have bright orange walls in your kitchen, but granite and grey for your worktops and kitchen cupboard paint, they’ll certainly catch the eye!
Sometimes this is great, bold walls can be the centrepiece of a room. But with furniture and other surfaces that should also stand out, you want a balance of colour. A more muted shade will make the rest of the room look bolder, and there are many ways to complement your theme.
Painting your home is the best way to showcase your personality. If you’re a bright and colourful person, but your walls are plain white, does your home really represent ‘you’?
Texture is a big thing to consider too. If you do choose distemper paint, its chalky texture will determine whether some colours look right. Very pale shades like beige and white may suit better than a bolder colour that suits the smooth look.
We always recommend emulsion if you want bold colours for your walls. Our interior emulsion paint is part of our Colour System, meaning we can create any colour you can imagine. Simply enter a British Standard or RAL code at checkout and it’ll be on its way in no time.
Choosing the Right Sheen for Distemper and Emulsion Paint
We can’t deny that the colour of your paint is one of the most important things to consider when planning your next project, but sheen isn’t far behind.
Lower sheen paints reflect very little light, with a matte (or matt) finish reflecting none. These suit more muted colours, and mean you don’t have to worry about glare or light reflection at any time of the day,
Higher sheen paints give you more flexibility. Satin is a nice midpoint, a mild sheen that enhances colour in all lights. You can even take it up a notch and use a glossy paint, which gives your walls a shiny look that makes a lot of colours stand out more, especially darker shades like blues and purples.
If you prefer a certain sheen, it makes the job of picking your paints much easier. Distemper paint’s chalkiness means it’s only available in a matte finish. Emulsion paints, on the other hand, can be a wide range of sheens, from barely shiny eggshell paint all the way up to gloss.
The Best Paint for Interior Walls
When you start to consider colour and sheen, the differences between distemper and emulsion become a lot clearer. But before we sum up, here’s one more thing to keep in mind.
One of the main downsides of distemper paint is that it isn’t water-resistant. This is mostly fine for interior walls, provided you don’t use it in humid areas like kitchens and bathrooms. However, one thing you want from your interior paint is the ability to maintain it easily.
Because distemper paint isn’t water-resistant, it isn’t washable. Any stains or marks are there to stay until you paint over them or find a way to cover them up. If you chose distemper paint because it’s cheap, you may find yourself spending more money on future touch-ups, and suddenly realise emulsion would’ve worked out cheaper in the long run.
This can be a deal breaker for a lot of people; thankfully, there’s a solution. Emulsion paint’s tough, water-based compound means it can be cleaned with soap and water any time you need it to, without ruining its longevity. So in high traffic areas with a lot of pets and people passing by, emulsion is the way to go.
So, for the reasons we’ve discussed today, it looks like emulsion paint is the clear winner. However, if you have your heart set on that textured matte finish, distemper will still look fantastic, just be careful where you use it!
The UK’s Most Trusted Paint Supplier
As winter closes in, we become less keen on going out and about. But if you’re spending those cosy evenings looking at drab, worn-out walls, now is the best time to do something about it.
Knowing about the best interior paints for walls gives you the confidence to pick up a brush and place an order with Paintmaster.
We’re the no.1 choice for tradespeople, with large quantities of paint available at competitive prices, and we’re loved by domestic painters too!
Check out our blog for more information, advice and guides about all things painting. If you have any questions about any of our products, please get in touch.
We look forward to hearing from you.
FAQ's
How to identify distemper paint?
Distemper paint is an older more traditional paint made with chalk or lime powder. The best way to identify distemper paint is to rub your hand against the painted wall and if it leaves a chalky/powder residue on your hand then it is likely to be distemper paint.
Is distemper paint dangerous?
Distemper paint is a water-based paint made from made from ingredients like chalk, lime, and of course water. This means that the paint is eco-friendly, non-toxic and breathable making it a safe paint to use.
