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Johnstone's paint: what should you check before you use it?

Johnstone's is a UK paint brand, and like many brands it sells some ranges for decorators and some for homeowners, so check the product name on the quote. Read the tin and the maker's data sheet for the surface, the finish, preparation, drying and recoat times before you buy.

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By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

What is Johnstone's paint?

Johnstone's is a UK paint brand. Like many brands it sells some ranges for decorators and some for homeowners, so check the product name on the quote. QuoteZila is not linked to the brand and does not recommend one paint over another.

The brand name on its own does not tell you much. What matters is the product: an emulsion for walls, a primer or undercoat, a top coat for woodwork, or a masonry paint for the outside of the house. Each one has its own instructions on the tin and on the maker's technical data sheet.

How do you choose the right product and finish?

Work from the surface you are painting:

  • Walls and ceilings. Usually an emulsion. Flat and matt finishes hide small dents but can mark more easily. A finish described as durable or wipeable suits hallways, kitchens and children's rooms.
  • New plaster. Freshly plastered walls need to dry out and usually need a mist coat or a sealer first. Check the tin for what the maker says about bare plaster.
  • Wood and metal. Usually a primer where the surface is bare, then an undercoat and a top coat such as eggshell, satin or gloss. Some top coats are water-based and some are solvent-based, and they behave differently.
  • Outside walls. Masonry paint is a different product from interior emulsion. Do not swap one for the other.

If you are not sure, take a photo of the surface to the counter, or ask the decorator who will be doing the work.

What should you read on the tin and the data sheet?

The label and the maker's data sheet are the instructions for that product. Before you buy, check:

  • which surfaces it is for, and which it is not for
  • how the surface should be prepared and primed
  • drying time and recoat time, which can change with temperature and damp
  • coverage, so you can estimate how much you need
  • whether it is water-based or solvent-based, and what to clean brushes with
  • any safety wording, including ventilation

Buy enough of the same batch for each room. Small colour differences between batches can show where two tins meet on one wall.

What should you ask a decorator about paint?

A painting quote should say which paint is going on the walls. Ask each decorator to name the brand, the product and the finish, and how many coats they allow for. Ask whether the price includes the paint or whether you are buying it. Citizens Advice suggests getting written quotes from at least three traders [S3]. Quotes that name the same product and the same number of coats are much easier to compare.

What about old paint in older houses?

Preparation is where older houses need care. GOV.UK says lead paint was common before the 1970s, and that several coats of paint in a property built before 1970 can suggest that lead may be present [S1]. The Health and Safety Executive says stripping or preparing leaded paint is a task where significant exposure may be expected, and that leaded paint should not be overheated with blowlamps or gas torches [S2].

If your house is older and the woodwork has many layers, ask the decorator how they will prepare it before you agree a price. Do not dry sand or burn off old layers yourself.

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts. "Repaint a living room and hallway, walls and woodwork. We would like a wipeable finish in the hall." Or: "Paint a newly plastered extension in Crewe, including the mist coat." Or: "Paint the skirting boards and doors in a 1930s house, and tell us how you would prepare the old gloss."

Get quotes from local decorators

Post the job with the rooms, the surfaces and your postcode. Up to five matched local businesses can reply [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1]. QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, and anyone in the UK can post or register.

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

Posting a job is not open yet

See the painters and decorators page, or what goes into the price of painting a room.

Questions about Johnstone's paint

Is trade paint different from the paint in a DIY shop?

Johnstone's is a UK paint brand. Like many brands it sells some ranges for decorators and some for homeowners, so check the product name on the quote. This page does not say one range is better than another. Compare the specific products for your surface, and read the maker's data sheet for each.

Which Johnstone's finish should I use?

That depends on the surface rather than the brand. Walls and ceilings usually take an emulsion, in a matt or a more wipeable finish, while wood and metal usually take an undercoat and a top coat such as eggshell, satin or gloss. Check the tin says the product suits the surface you are painting.

Should I let a decorator choose the paint?

Many decorators have products they know well, which can help. Ask them to name the brand, the product and the finish in the quote, and to say who is buying it. That way two quotes using different paints are still easy to compare.

Is it safe to sand old paintwork before repainting?

Be careful in older homes. GOV.UK says lead paint was common before the 1970s, and that several coats of paint in a property built before 1970 can suggest lead may be present. Ask a decorator how they would prepare it, and avoid dry sanding old layers yourself.

Does QuoteZila check the decorators who quote?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

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Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila terms and matching notes.
  3. S1: Lead: information for the public, GOV.UK (UK Health Security Agency). Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lead-poisoning-advice-for-the-public-and-healthcare-professionals/lead-information-for-the-public
  4. S2: Construction hazardous substances: lead, Health and Safety Executive. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/hazardous-substances/lead.htm
  5. S3: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/