OK, we’ve talked about the prep and the undercoat, let’s have a look at the main product. The Aqua Guard is easy to use, has great opacity and will not ruin your brushes. One of the issues you experience when using most water-based satinwood products is visible brush and roller marks. Not with Aqua Guard!! Anyone can achieve a great finish with this paint!! Brush marks just seem to melt away. Perhaps my favourite feature of this paint is how it levels beautifully during application. This is key when it comes to painting MDF as MDF is typically so smooth that brush marks are easy to leave. Fortunately, the Aqua Guard gives a finish that’s comparable to spray painting even when using a paintbrush.

I tried it with undercoat first, then without undercoat over keyed old oil-based gloss doors and skirts. It adhered just the same on both. Not just that, but the finish looked pretty much the same too. Albeit the 2 x satin compared to 1 x u/c & 1 x satin maybe had a slightly better sheen? It wasn’t really that noticeable though. In terms of application, Clean Extreme is one of the best durable matts on the market. It flows on so easily, especially the second coat. In terms of usage, any MDF is fair game. including skirting boards, furniture and kitchen cupboards.Some MDF surfaces, such as MDF panel feature walls, will barely be touched by anything and thus won’t need paint that’s highly durable. Conversely, kitchen cabinets require cleaning on a regular basis so you’ll want paint that doesn’t wear down or discolour too easily. While Superdec is a good performer, it sometimes requires three coats to bring out its best. I normally apply the first two coats one day and finish off the third the next to allow curing time. The wait is worth it though, especially considering its impressive 10-year lifespan on wood.

It’s also akin to Allcoat in performance. With the right colours, it provides excellent coverage. One of the hidden features of Superdec, not mentioned on the tin yet, is its suitability for UPVC surfaces, thanks to its new formula with improved adhesion. First off, Superdec is self-priming, which makes the application process simpler. You only need to take care of any flaking or loose bits with a good rub down before you start painting.

The finish of Johnstone’s Aqua Guard is amazing! So much better than even the old-fashioned oil-based alternatives. It doesn’t matter whether you apply it via brush, paint roller, or both. It settles so that roller and brush marks melt into each other. Johnstone's Trade Aqua Guard Satin - Brilliant White is available in 3 sizes including, 1L, 2.5L and 5L and delivers long-lasting durability with a touch dry time of 1-2 hours and is recoatable after 4 hours. When it comes to painting wooden window sills, Sadolin Superdec is my top recommendation. This product is often underrated, but in my experience, nothing can match its longevity and flexibility. Compared to that, Selemix Pro holds its own beautifully. It’s significantly cheaper than Kolorbond, and the finish is superior. I apply it with a sprayer, and the finish is pretty much unbeatable. To achieve the perfect finish, the magic ingredient is 1-490 thinners. Just remember to thin the Selemix to a maximum of 25%; any more and the opacity suffers.