eico semi-matt A few boring details first of all!
Areas of usage: Interior paint for woodwork, plaster and metal.
Sheen level: 15
Solvent: Water
Binder: 100 % Acrylic
Drying Time: 2-3 hrs touch dry
Re coating time: 10 - 12 hours
NFEO and Solvent Free.
VOC : very low - less than 5.5%
Eico offer some of the best paints on the market, which are flexible, washable, durable etc etc...but what is it that makes their Semi-Matt worth a mention?
Eggshells are commonplace, and now that everyone is moving away from Oil based paints (less solvents and lower VOC levels) water-based equivalents to the old oil based systems are now taking over the shelves and the market share.
Almost everyone i have ever dealt with (and this is almost in line with the birth of the Farrow & Ball era), when it came to decorating interior woodwork, wanted Eggshell. Eggshell on their skirting, architraves, cupboards, doors etc. If its wood Eggshell it. Gloss is reserved almost exclusively for exterior woodwork and Satin, slightly lost between 'Bathroom wipe clean' or floor paint.
Eggshells soft, velvety sheen is somehow more sophisticated than its cousins Gloss and Satin. Eggshell is educated, well travelled and polite, soft cotton sheets and Italian leather shoes. Gloss is brassy, bold, loud and sticky, a little bit like a Saturday night out in Woking. Satin is suburbia, cul-de-sac, driving gloves and has a 'nice' sheen, like plastic shoes!
Eico Semi Matt looks fantastic on internal joinery, and unlike many flat paints it is durable enough for most high wear areas, and easily wipes clean. It looks especially good on kitchen units and furniture. The finish is essentially a flat Eggshell (which has a sheen of 20), and although you might think those 5 little points make no difference, then think again!
So if you want to be as cool as eggshell but a little more louche - Semi Matt it!
Case Study: This Bespoke Island unit was painted with 2 coats Eico Semi Matt in 'Blue's Blue' by Paint Library. It was primed with ican Grepp V Primer, tinted grey.
For best results. sand with a coarse/medium sanding pad (Oakey Liberty Green or similar - easily available) between the primer and 1st coat. Then a medium/fine sanding pad, before the second final coat remembering to wipe down to remove dust between coats. Apply with a good natural bristle brush, lay off with a sponge roller (Wooster jumbo-koter range are good) and then lastly flatten out 'orange peel effect' with your brush.
Useful Links:
Paint: http://eico.co.uk/
Brushes: http://www.t-class.com/products.asp?areaid=3&brandid=3
Sandpaper: http://www.my-tool-shed.co.uk/m100/Oakey/Sanding_Blocks/f3013/index.html
Rollers: http://www.woosterbrush.com/Catalog/RollerCovers/Minirollers
Eico Sockists:
London: http://www.raymunn.co.uk/
Norfolk/Suffolk: http://www.paintsandinteriors.co.uk/
