additive to create silk finish emulsion

Joined
20 Jan 2014
Messages
9
Reaction score
0
Location
Yorkshire
Country
United Kingdom
I bought a 10 litre pot of matt white emulsion. I wanted silk finish but couldn't take it back because I'd opened it. What can I add to the paint to make it silk finish?
 
Sponsored Links
Many thanks for that Robbie, I'll give that a go. Any idea how much I should use- roughly- to get a similar finish to the commercial stuff? Thanks
 
That's the hard part !! LOL To be honest I wouldn't know. Ive done it years ago but not sure, trial and error really.
 
Sponsored Links
FFS don't add PVA.

Use the matt for your base coats, opacity and colour levelling, then apply silk emulsion for your finish coat.

White emulsion is very cheap. You can use up the matt on your ceilings.
 
PVA is in emulsion, that's what makes it shiny. He isn't talking about putting it on raw plaster which is a totally different thing. Putting PVA into emulsion will not cause the problems ascociated with putting it on raw plaster.
 
Good morning,

Thanks to everyone who responded, I will try adding pva to a small amount of matt emulsion. I can't lose much if I keep quantities small.
I'll get back on here with the results in due course. :D
 
Try a small amount on a scrap piece of wood or something by all means,

but

isn't life too short to be experimenting with something that might not work as you would like?

Go on, buy some more paint, and put it down to experience.

Have you tried cleaning up the paint tin and taking it back?

You could probably find someone to buy the old paint, matt white emulsion is always needed by somone.
 
Hi all,
Just an update: I tried mixing about 25% PVA with the paint- it didn't make any difference to the finish, it's still matt. :cry: :?:
 
Hi all, I wrote to McPhersons (Crown) the makers of my paint and this is the reply I received:

With reference to your enquiry, unfortunately MacPherson Eclipse is a breathable matt finish designed to be used on new plaster which has not dried in depth unfortunately you cannot make this product in to a silk finish, we can only advise returning the product back to store and purchasing a Vinyl Silk paint however there is likely to be a price difference.

Looks like its the end of the matter. As I'm a bit short of cash, I'll just have to put up with the matt finish.

Thanks to all who responded. :eek:
 

DIYnot Local

Staff member

If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.

Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.


Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local

 
Sponsored Links
Back
Top