---
title: "Paint — which one for which job"
description: "14 answers on choosing the right paint for the material, with the reason behind each and what fails."
url: https://atoneplace.net/which/paint/
site: "At One Place"
---

# Paint

14 materials and what works on each.

| For | Use | First alternative |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Previously painted wood | Clean it, key it and spot-prime bare areas — and find out first whether the existing paint is oil or water based. | Oil-based (alkyd) gloss |
| Bare wood | Knotting solution on the knots, a wood primer, then your topcoat — and prime end grain twice. | Water-based wood primer |
| Plastic | Any paint, provided an adhesion promoter goes on first — and on polypropylene or polyethylene, the promoter is not optional. | Plastic-specific spray paint |
| Kitchens | A scrubbable acrylic eggshell or satin on the walls — and for cabinets, degrease, prime and use a proper cabinet enamel. | Cabinet or furniture enamel |
| Bathrooms | A moisture-resistant acrylic in a satin or eggshell sheen with a mould inhibitor — but ventilation, not paint, is the actual fix. | Acrylic eggshell or satin |
| Metal | Remove the rust, apply a rust-inhibiting primer the same day, then an alkyd or a direct-to-metal acrylic. | Epoxy primer |
| Ceilings | A flat matt emulsion — and if there is a water stain or nicotine, seal it with a shellac-based stain block first. | Shellac-based stain block |
| Tiles | Tile paint over an epoxy or adhesion primer on a thoroughly degreased and abraded glaze — and expect a limited life in a shower. | Tile paint with adhesion primer |
| Fences | A penetrating stain or fence treatment rather than a film-forming paint — and let new pressure-treated timber weather first. | Solid colour wood stain |
| Floors | Two-pack epoxy on concrete after a moisture test and a proper grind; floor-grade varnish or floor paint on timber. | Single-pack polyurethane floor paint |
| Radiators | A radiator enamel — water-based acrylic ones no longer yellow, which ordinary gloss on a hot surface always will. | Solvent-based radiator enamel |
| Exterior masonry | A breathable mineral or masonry paint — and on an old solid wall, breathability matters more than any durability claim. | Breathable acrylic masonry paint |
| Galvanised metal | A mordant wash, a self-etch primer or a purpose-made acrylic primer for galvanising — ordinary oil-based primer peels off in sheets. | Self-etching primer |
| UPVC | A uPVC-specific paint or an adhesion promoter with an acrylic topcoat — and avoid dark colours, which can distort the frame. | Adhesion promoter plus acrylic |

- [Which paint goes over previously painted wood?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-painted-wood/) — Clean it, key it and spot-prime bare areas — and find out first whether the existing paint is oil or water based.
- [Which paint should I use on bare wood?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-bare-wood/) — Knotting solution on the knots, a wood primer, then your topcoat — and prime end grain twice.
- [Which paint sticks to plastic?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-plastic/) — Any paint, provided an adhesion promoter goes on first — and on polypropylene or polyethylene, the promoter is not optional.
- [Which paint should I use in a kitchen?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-kitchen/) — A scrubbable acrylic eggshell or satin on the walls — and for cabinets, degrease, prime and use a proper cabinet enamel.
- [Which paint should I use in a bathroom?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-bathroom/) — A moisture-resistant acrylic in a satin or eggshell sheen with a mould inhibitor — but ventilation, not paint, is the actual fix.
- [Which paint should I use on metal?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-metal/) — Remove the rust, apply a rust-inhibiting primer the same day, then an alkyd or a direct-to-metal acrylic.
- [Which paint should I use on a ceiling?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-ceiling/) — A flat matt emulsion — and if there is a water stain or nicotine, seal it with a shellac-based stain block first.
- [Which paint can I use on tiles?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-tiles/) — Tile paint over an epoxy or adhesion primer on a thoroughly degreased and abraded glaze — and expect a limited life in a shower.
- [Which paint should I use on a fence?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-fence/) — A penetrating stain or fence treatment rather than a film-forming paint — and let new pressure-treated timber weather first.
- [Which paint should I use on a floor?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-floor/) — Two-pack epoxy on concrete after a moisture test and a proper grind; floor-grade varnish or floor paint on timber.
- [Which paint should I use on radiators?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-radiators/) — A radiator enamel — water-based acrylic ones no longer yellow, which ordinary gloss on a hot surface always will.
- [Which paint should I use on exterior masonry?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-exterior-masonry/) — A breathable mineral or masonry paint — and on an old solid wall, breathability matters more than any durability claim.
- [Which paint sticks to galvanised metal?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-galvanised-metal/) — A mordant wash, a self-etch primer or a purpose-made acrylic primer for galvanising — ordinary oil-based primer peels off in sheets.
- [Which paint can I use on uPVC?](https://atoneplace.net/which/paint-upvc/) — A uPVC-specific paint or an adhesion promoter with an acrylic topcoat — and avoid dark colours, which can distort the frame.