Painting is a love-hate activity for a lot of homeowners. Creative individuals are more likely to enjoy shopping for bargain paint cans in aesthetic colours that they would like to use in their home, but other homeowners may seem painting as a messy chore that is far too expensive.
Paint deals: the best places to buy cheap paint for your DIY projects
These paint deals are sure to make all your DIY projects a whole lot cheaper.
(Image credit: Cox & Cox )
published 21 July 2020
We are here with all the best paint deals so that you can save £££s when doing all those summer DIY projects. Sure you might not quite have finished any of them during lockdown because you are trying to home school, look after your sourdough culture and do a Joe Wicks work out every day but we aren’t judging – we’re just here to help you find the best bargains so you can carry on DIYing post lockdown.
Wondering where to buy paint to update your garden perhaps? There are great outdoor paints on offer right now. Or maybe you finally want to upcycle that furniture you bought in a charity shop and are determined to make work? There’s some furniture paint bargains to be had too!
Scroll down to see al the latest sales on paint, then if you’re after some decorating advice, head to our paint hub.
The best paint deals
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Shop 25% off Cox & Cox paint
Yes, Cox & Cox make paint now and it’s as every bit as dreamy as you would expect. So many gorgeous creamy colours, all with a very stylish chalky finish. Get them while they are on offer!
Rust-Oleum Chalky Finish Furniture Paint – Winter Grey, 750ml |RRP £14, now £12 on Argos
With a flat matt finish, this furniture paint can be used for a number of home makeover and upcycling projects. The neutral grey colour will work in any scheme and most surfaces should not need priming or sanding prior to application.
Ronseal Fence Life Plus Matt Shed & Fence Treatment | Was £16 now £12 at Wickes
Give your sheds and fences a spruce up with this fab paint. It would protect the wood from rain, frost, snow and won’t fade in the sun either. Perfect Bank Holiday Weekend project.
Dulux Light & Space Matt Emulsion Paint For Walls And Ceilings – Soft Coral 2.5L | Was £33.03, now £25.73 on Amazon
If you want to make any room feel lighter and brighter, then this Dulux emulsion is the one to go for. It’s designed for interior walls and ceilings where you want to make a room feel more spacious. The formula is also quick drying, so you can do two coats in one day.
Sandtex Ultra Smooth Masonry Paint – Plymouth Grey, 10L | Was £38, now £30 on Wickes
Exterior in need of an update? Give it a fresh coat of paint with this high-quality masonry paint from Sandtex. There is plenty in stock with next day delivery available.
How to buy the best paint
Paint buying guides:
For exterior jobs you need paint that can tolerate rain and colder conditions, and for fences and sheds you need a paint that works to preserve the wood. Inside you will mostly be using paint for walls or woodwork. Walls tend to be painted with emulsion paint – usually matt, although some people like a silk or paint with a slight sheen for high traffic areas of humid rooms like the kitchen and bathroom. Lots of companies produce paints that are designed to be more durable and can be wiped clean, great for kid’s rooms and hallways.
Where to buy paint online
For wood you will need a specialist wood paint and these come in eggshell, satin and gloss. Eggshell is more popular these days, but some still prefer to use a higher gloss paint for areas that need wiping down. Chalk paints are very popular and can be used for walls or furniture. You can also get specialist paints for floors and cupboards.
Paints tend to be water based or oil based. Modern paints are far less toxic than the lead paints of the last century, but you should still look out for those that claim to be low VOC (volatile organic compound) as they emit lower levels of potentially harmful gasses.
High quality paints tend to cost more as they have a lot of pigment, meaning a richer colour that is easy to work with. These can cost upwards of £25 a litre so we are always glad to see paint deals on these.
Wickes
If you only need a small amount of paint, you might find that it’s more cost effective to buy one of Wickes’ tester pots. These come in a huge range of colours, and include wall and ceiling paint, as well as washable paints. You can even grab a tester pot of moisture-resistant bathroom paint.
Tester pots at Wickes are just 50ml of paint, which is perfect for touching up existing paint jobs or for adding small pieces of detailing to your home. They’re also cheaper than the Dulux version (also sold at Wickes), which has less paint but costs more.
When painting a large area, you might consider splashing out on a large 10-litre pot of paint – Wickes doesn’t carry their own store brand in these pots, but they do stock Dulux’s version. The largest paint pot you can get under the Wickes brand is five litres of tough and washable paint.
To give you an idea of prices, at the time of writing, Wickes tester pots are £1.49, and their 5-litre tough and washable paint is £24.
B&Q
Though the tester pots at B&Q are slightly more expensive, this is because they largely sell premium paint brands. At B&Q, you’ll come across Dulux, Farrow & Ball Estate, and GoodHome (which is B&Q’s brand of paint).
A tester pot of Farrow & Ball Estate will set you back £5 for 100ml, or around £1.79 for 30ml of Dulux. This is based on tester pots for wall and ceiling paint (interior emulsion).
The GoodHome paint is anywhere from £7 to £28, depending on the size of the paint pot you choose. However, £28 for 10 litres of paint is a bargain, even if you can only buy it in white. Other than white, you can find a lot of other colours of emulsion paint at 5 litres for a max of £27.
Homebase
Homebase is known for having an extensive range of paints for the home. They stock Dulux, Farrow & Ball Estate, Crown, and their own Homebase brand of paint. Again, we’re focusing on wall and ceiling paints to keep the comparison fair.
Homebase’s tester pots are a very fair £1 per 90ml. The next cheapest is Crown, but you only get 40ml per tube. Saying that, Crown is considered a higher-end paint brand.
Some of the most expensive paints that Homebase stock are from the Craig & Rose range. These paints cost upwards of £50 per 2.5-litre pot. Which, honestly, is only a little pricier than the same amount of paint from Farrow & Ball Estate.
Thankfully, Homebase’s own brand can be purchased for between £20 and £26, and that’s for double the amount of paint – 5 litres, rather than 2.5 litres. These include basecoats and tough and durable paints. Silk and matt paints are even less expensive.
