Our Paint Team are always happy to give advice over the phone, however please look through the FAQ's below to see if any of these offer you the desired solution to your query. Please also note that the colours viewed on your computer monitor may not be wholly accurate as every monitor is different, these are here as a guide only, please ask for one of our paint catalogues, or better still we have hand painted charts for Green Paints, Earthborn Clay Paints and Lime Earth Paints which we can send out free of charge. We always recommend buying enough paint in the same batch to complete a job as some small variation may be apparent between different batches. Natural paint emulsions are applied and behave exactly the same as petro-chemical paints so treat them the same, however wood surfaces may need to prepared a little bit more especially if previously painted with acrylics or PU varnish.

 I am decorating my baby's bedroom which paints are safe?

All our paints are non toxic and those marked solvent free are minimal VOC (best E.U VOC level 0-0.29%). If you want bright colours for woodwork try Green Paints gloss, or Auro for walls as these are particularly natural.

 Do I need to treat bare plaster before I paint it?

No, although we recommend adding about 10% water by volume to the paint. This helps it go on more smoothly as the plaster soaks up water very quickly.

 I've got flaky/crumbly plaster what can I do?

You just can't paint on flaky or crumbly plaster it won't work and will peel off. Remove any loose material before you paint. You may need to re plaster if the damage is extensive and you want a smooth finish. If you're after a more rustic look then a thick breathable paint could work well. For example EarthBorn Claypaint or Lime Earth Paint.

 Can I use your gloss paints on radiators?

AURO 257 is a special radiator paint designed to be long lasting on heated surfaces up to 70oC. Make sure radiators are off for at least 3 days after painting.

 I'm repainting previously painted woodwork do I need to scrape back to bare wood?

Make sure all flaking, loose paint is removed. If the previous paint is in good condition then a light rub down with sandpaper to key it off is required. If using Green Paint on interiors wood the undercoat is required especially on acrylic or oil based previous coatings. If the wood external and bare then first use pink wood primer and at least two top coats. AURO Gloss also requires an undercoat - AURO 253 is recommended here. If using Holkham Linseed Paints the wood needs to be stripped bare of all old paint and have a first coat of raw linseed oil.

 Which paint lasts longest on window frames?

Holkham Linseed Paint was developed specially by its Swedish manufacturers to last up to 15 years, typically about three times longer than gloss paints. The linseed oil penetrates and nourishes the wood rather than forming a waterproof covering like conventional paints.

The wood finishes like those from OSMO Country Color that penetrate the wood also last a long time and won't flake or peel but generally these need to go on to bare wood.

 What can be used to seal stone?

AURO 126 Hard Oil  and OSMO Polyx Oil can be used on stone and unglazed tiles, stone, slate and cork. For interior use only though.

 Why did my door /floor change colour after it was painted with a clear finish?

Many of our clear finishes are water based, this naturally raises the grain of the wood. Oak and other woods rich in tannins may need to be treated more carefully with special primers first. For example AURO 117 Wood primer or Osmo Extra Thin Oil is recommended for these woods and stops them going too orangey, due to the tannin, when painted with a clear finish. Oil based products naturally ‘fire' the wood and it's difficult to stop this. Always try a test area to ascertain the tone you will get.

 I suffer badly from allergies. Can you advise on which paints to use?

This is sadly becoming a more and more frequently asked question. All our paint is non toxic and most are water based. AURO paint is the most natural and has all ingredients fully declared. However if you have allergies we highly recommend that you purchase a tester pot first and try it on the surface you plan to paint. Even if the paint is safe in itself it may combine with elements of the existing surface, for example old wallpaper, and cause an allergic reaction.

 I'm mixing my own colour for painting my bathroom what should I use as a medium/binder for the pigment?

We recommend either Green Paint white satin emulsion or AURO 322 matt emulsion. These paints are suitable for high humidity areas and powdered pigments can easily be added to them if mixing your own colour.

 A more traditional approach with pigment is to use Casein Powder, which works beautifully. Unfortunately Casein is not suitable for bathrooms or kitchens where there is a higher moisture content than other rooms.

Always slake powdered pigments first by adding water and mix to a thick creamy consistency and leave to stand for a couple of hours before adding into a wet base paint.

 I want to use Holkham Linseed Paint to repaint my window frames so they'll last longer before repainting. Will it go over the old paint or do I need to strip it right back to bare wood?

Holkham Linseed Paints need the wood to be stripped bare of old paint and have a first coat of raw linseed oil applied as a primer. If there is old paint on the wood it will prevent the linseed oil from penetrating and is likely to flake off so it is not worth the expense of the paint. Please remember, Holkham paint takes 24 hour to dry between coats, we recommend applying this only in good weather during summer months.

 What's the best wood finish for my kitchen/living room floor?

We would generally recommend OSMO Polyx Oil which is long lasting, water repellent, dirt resistant and easy to clean. Polyx Oil does however contain a white spirit solvent and is slow drying. If you want to use a water based solvent free finish we recommend you look at the AURO 187 floor wax or 267varnish. Treatex Hardwax Oil is a good solution if you need the product to be quick drying.

I want an emulsion paint, how do I choose between Auro and Green Paint?

They both do the same thing it depends on how natural you want to be. For 5 litres of matt emulsion the price is similar. AURO has very good environmental credentials being carefully formulated and produced in an accredited CO₂ neutral factory. However it is imported from Germany whilst Green Paint is made in the UK. They vary in other ways too, the colour ranges are quite different, AURO being more muted and pastel using only plant and mineral pigments. Green paint have some non toxic synthetic pigments in them to ensure much deeper and more varied colours. Both are minimal VOC (volatile organic compounds).

Do you do colour matching?

No, I'm afraid not, because our paints use natural pigments we often cannot acheive the intensity of some paints using acrylic colourants.

I'm painting a wooden toy for a young child - which paints are safe to use?

All OSMO oils, Green Paint gloss or AURO gloss, matt silk would all be safe. For natural wood finish use AURO water based clear wood finishes or 160 woodstains (32 colours) if you want the grain to show.

My wooden floor is quite orange and I do not want it to go any darker, but want to use a wax or oil finish. What should I do?

OSMO make a white primer for Polyx Oil which gives a white limed effect to the surface. This is an ideal light base for a Polyx Oil top coat. Similarly Auro's 126-90 white hard oil finished with their 171 hardwax is an excellent solution. If you simply want to neutralise out the effect of ‘firing' but don't want a limed white effect then Auro's 109-90 is just the ticket.

Whats the best way for me to measure my room to order the right quantity of paint?

For floors and ceilings measure left to right and front to back and multiply one figure by the other to get the "square" area. Add 10 percent to that figure for safety.