Indoor Wall Paint: Washable Finishes, Grades and Prices

The right indoor wall paint depends on the room. A bedroom ceiling needs nothing more than a good matt PVA, while a kitchen wall near the stove, a passage that catches school bags and a child's room with crayon on it need a washable acrylic that can be scrubbed without leaving a shiny patch. This page goes room by room, covers primers and odour, and explains interior paint prices for 20 litre and 5 litre tins. Send one free request and paint shops near you will quote you directly, with no obligation.

Room by room: which inside wall paint

Ceilings: a flat white PVA or ceiling paint; it hides board joins and hardly gets touched.
Lounges and bedrooms: a matt or low-sheen acrylic. Matt hides old plaster; low sheen wipes clean.
Passages and children's rooms: a washable low-sheen acrylic that takes scuffs, fingerprints and crayon.
Kitchens: a scrubbable sheen acrylic that sheds grease and steam.
Bathrooms and laundries: a sheen acrylic with a mould inhibitor, plus a fan or an open window to clear steam.

What makes the best interior wall paint

Good interior paint comes down to the binder and the solids. A premium acrylic hides in two coats, spreads further and survives repeated washing. A cheap paint may look the same in the tin but need a third coat and show marks when wiped. When you compare, read the data sheet for the spread rate, the washability or scrub rating and the recoat time. Low-odour, low-VOC paints are worth asking for in bedrooms and nurseries, and in offices that stay in use while painting. Sample the colour first: our paint colours page explains how.

Preparing inside walls

Wash greasy kitchen walls with sugar soap and rinse. Fill cracks and nail holes, sand the filler flush and dust off. Treat mould with a fungicidal wash and let it dry. Prime new plaster once it has cured, often about four weeks, and spot-prime filler so it does not show through as dull patches. If the old coat is a glossy enamel, sand it and use a suitable undercoat, or the new acrylic may peel. In houses built before the 1970s, do not dry sand old gloss paint, as it may contain lead: ask about lead-safe preparation.

Interior paint prices and how much you need

A 20 L tin of interior wall paint costs about R570 to R3,100 and a 5 L tin about R160 to R1,100, from contractor grade to premium. Data sheets give about 8 to 12 m² per litre per coat, and two coats is normal. A typical bedroom with about 40 m² of wall takes 7 to 10 litres for two coats, so a 20 L tin often does two bedrooms in the same colour. Measure ceilings separately. For a full painted job, see interior painting.

What to include in your request

Rooms to paint and the wall area in m²
Ceilings as well, and in what finish
Matt, low sheen or sheen per room
Colours, or white
New plaster or previously painted

Interior Paint for different clients

Homeowners: washable walls in the lounge, bedrooms and kitchen, with PVA on the ceilings
Landlords and sellers: a durable colour that is easy to touch up and survives tenants and inspections
Body corporates and estates: a standard interior colour for units and passages, kept on record for touch-ups
Shops, offices and restaurants: scrubbable paint for offices, shops, restaurants and guest house rooms
Factories, farms and mines: washable acrylic for canteens, offices, change rooms and ablutions in factories
Builders and developers: primer and two coats in every room, bought in bulk for a whole project
Schools, churches and public buildings: tough washable paint in classrooms, wards, halls and church interiors
Painters and contractors: interior grades from contractor to premium, tinted in 20 L tins for each job

Frequently asked questions

Is washable wall paint worth it?

In busy rooms, yes. A washable or scrubbable acrylic lets you wipe off fingerprints, food splashes and scuffs without repainting. Cheap matt paint tends to burnish, leaving a shiny patch where it was rubbed. In a spare room or on a ceiling the extra cost buys little, so many people mix grades: PVA above, washable acrylic on the walls.

Matt or low sheen for a lounge?

Matt gives a soft, even look and hides dents and uneven plaster, which suits older houses and walls lit from the side by a window. Low sheen has a slight glow and is easier to wipe, which helps with children and pets. If your walls are not perfectly smooth, a washable matt is the safer choice.

How soon can I use a freshly painted room?

Most water-based interior paints are touch dry within an hour or two and can be recoated after the time on the tin, often a few hours. The film keeps hardening for days after that, so avoid scrubbing the walls for a while. Keep windows open to clear the smell, especially in bedrooms and nurseries.

Can WallPaint.co.za recommend a paint?

We are a quote service, not a paint shop, so we do not push any product. Describe the rooms, the finish and the area in one free request, and paint shops near you will quote and recommend grades. Their staff can tint sample pots and explain the data sheets. Compare the quotes and buy where it suits you.

Inside wall paint, room by room

Room by room: which inside wall paint

What makes the best interior wall paint

Preparing inside walls

Interior paint prices and how much you need

What to include in your request

Interior Paint for different clients

Frequently asked questions

Interior Paint by province and city

More painting services and supplies

Painting services

Wall paint & coatings

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