Johnstone's Trade Paint for London Decorators: A Professional Review
A professional review of Johnstone's Trade paints for London properties: Acrylic Durable Matt, Stormshield exterior, Joncryl kitchen and bathroom ranges and where each excels.
Johnstone's Trade: The Professional's View
Johnstone's Trade is one of those brands that professionals know well but homeowners sometimes overlook. While Dulux and Farrow & Ball dominate consumer-facing conversations about paint, Johnstone's Trade has a loyal following among London decorators who value consistent quality, strong coverage and competitive pricing. The brand sits within the PPG group and its products are manufactured to professional specification rather than consumer convenience.
This review covers the key Johnstone's Trade products relevant to London residential and commercial projects, with practical commentary on where each product genuinely performs.
Acrylic Durable Matt
Johnstone's Trade Acrylic Durable Matt is the product that earns the brand its reputation among professional decorators. It is a water-based emulsion with exceptional scrub resistance -- tested to significantly higher than the standard required by BS EN 13300 -- and covers consistently at 14 to 16 square metres per litre.
For London properties, Acrylic Durable Matt is particularly well suited to high-traffic interior spaces: hallways, staircases, landings, communal areas in residential buildings and anywhere that walls take regular knocks and need cleaning without marking. The finish sits between a true matt and a flat -- it has very low sheen but is not chalky -- which means it photographs well and does not show brush marks or roller stipple.
Coverage and opacity are two of the product's strongest attributes. On previously painted surfaces in good condition, most mid-tone colours achieve hide in two coats. Strong tints may require a third coat or a tinted undercoat, which your decorator will factor into the quotation.
The white base accepts tinting to most standard colour systems, and Johnstone's Trade is available through most professional paint merchants in London, with same-day tinting in many locations.
Stormshield: The Exterior System
Johnstone's Stormshield is the brand's exterior masonry system and it carries a strong durability claim backed by testing in genuinely demanding conditions. The product is a water-based acrylic masonry paint with a smooth finish and excellent water repellency. It is suitable for brick, render, concrete and most masonry substrates common to London's period and post-war housing stock.
Coverage is 8 to 12 square metres per litre on smooth surfaces, two coats standard. On rougher substrates, coverage will be lower and three coats may be required to achieve full hide and an even finish.
Where Stormshield earns particular credit is in its durability on challenging London exposures -- north-facing elevations, properties in high-pollution areas near main roads and buildings that experience significant thermal movement between seasons. The flexible film resists cracking as the substrate moves, and the biocide content inhibits the algal and mould growth that London's damp, relatively shaded environment encourages.
For London terraced houses where the front elevation faces a busy street and the rear faces a sheltered garden, the specification may differ: Stormshield's anti-pollution and weather performance is most relevant at the front, while the sheltered rear might permit a lighter-duty product.
Joncryl Kitchen and Bathroom
Johnstone's Trade Joncryl is the brand's kitchen and bathroom range, formulated specifically for high-moisture, high-traffic environments. It is water-based, low-odour and dries to a mid-sheen finish that is both practical and contemporary-looking in kitchen and bathroom settings.
The key performance claim is resistance to steam, condensation and cleaning products. In London's older properties -- particularly Victorian terraces without mechanical ventilation in the kitchen or bathroom -- moisture management in the paint system is genuinely important. Joncryl's moisture-resistant formulation reduces the risk of mould growth at the paint surface compared with standard emulsion, provided the underlying damp cause is addressed.
Application is straightforward: two coats over a sealed, primed surface, with good coverage at around 15 square metres per litre. The product is available in white and can be tinted to most standard colours, allowing the kitchen or bathroom colour scheme to be matched precisely to the rest of the property's palette.
For London refurbishment projects where a kitchen or bathroom is being repainted without a full refit, Joncryl provides a practical, cost-effective route to a fresh, durable finish.
Trade Matt Emulsion
Johnstone's Trade Matt Emulsion is the entry-level product in the range -- lower cost than Acrylic Durable Matt, suitable for ceilings and lower-traffic areas. It provides good coverage at 14 to 16 square metres per litre and a flat matt finish. It is not scrubbable and is not appropriate for high-traffic or high-moisture areas.
In a London property, Trade Matt Emulsion is commonly used for ceilings throughout the property and for bedroom walls where cleaning resistance is less important. The cost saving compared to Acrylic Durable Matt is meaningful across a full property, so experienced decorators will often specify the right product for each specific surface rather than applying a single product throughout.
Colour and Availability in London
The Johnstone's Trade colour range is comprehensive but less curated than the premium designer brands. For clients who want to work from a Farrow & Ball, Little Greene or Fired Earth palette, Johnstone's Trade products can be colour-matched through their tinting system, though the depth of pigmentation in the resulting mix may differ slightly from the original.
Johnstone's Trade is stocked by most professional paint merchants across London, including brewers, Decorators' Merchants and National Decorating Centre branches. Order lead times are short for standard colours and most merchants offer same-day tinting for popular colour systems.
Summary for London Projects
Johnstone's Trade is a reliable, professional-grade range that delivers consistent results across a wide range of London property types. Acrylic Durable Matt is the standout product for interior walls where durability and coverage matter. Stormshield provides practical exterior performance without premium pricing. Joncryl solves the specific challenges of London kitchens and bathrooms in older properties. For clients whose primary priority is quality and longevity rather than designer brand identity, Johnstone's Trade represents excellent value for money.