There are some other satinwoods that work well on MDF such as Dulux Diamond but I find that the Diamond doesn’t quite lay as flat on the surface as Aqua Guard. Aqua Guard is a lot easier to apply than a lot of other water-based satin products. That said, having the correct tools for the job will help you achieve a good finish, so I thought I’d give my recommendations.

Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard Satin is a fully water-based satinwood designed for internal woodwork. The benefits of this over the Aqua Satinwood are; this is more durable and will not yellow at all. Not that the Aqua is a bad system, but it does come with its problems. 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. You must use the correct system, so bare timber should be primed using an acrylic primer. Then you should use the Johnstone’s Aqua undercoat, followed by at least one coat of Aqua Guard. Previously painted surfaces take a coat of Aqua undercoat, followed by the satinwood. I’ve used Selemix Pro for years and recently gave HMG PVC Pro a shot. But, honestly, it wasn’t up to the mark. I had a tough time achieving a decent spray pattern with my Devilbiss Prolite 1.3mm at 30 PSI. Worse still, the scratch test left me disappointed – I could scratch off the paint with my fingernail 24 hours after spraying.

Visualise Your Colour

Whilst it’s labelled as a semi-matt, I would say it’s somewhere in the eggshell to satinwood range. This means it’s got a lovely sheen whilst being easy to keep clean.

Its coverage is impressive; a little goes a long way compared to cheaper alternatives. This means you’ll need less of it, even for large window sills. It’s even versatile enough to go over old oil-based finishes after a good rubdown. Any bare MDF will need a primer before painting as the MDF will simply drink your paint and leave a terrible finish if you go straight on with your topcoats.

Another interesting point about Pliolite is that despite being solvent-based, it’s VOC compliant, making it a safer choice for your health and the environment.

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.

For window sills that have previously been painted but now have peeling paint, I swear by Johnstone’s Masonry Pliolite.

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. Johnstone's Trade Aqua Guard is our most durable water based satin paint for interior wood and metal. Innovative Surface Protection technology provides the ultimate defence against scratches, wear & tear and greasy finger marks for a long-lasting finish. Johnstone's Trade Aqua Guard also has advanced application qualities, excellent hiding power and long-lasting whiteness.

1 Litre Tinted Colour

Firstly, the Pliolite is self-stabilising so if the root of the problem has been solved then you will be fine with just the Pliolite after your prep work is done. It’s best applied with a mohair or foam roller for optimal results, and I always recommend giving it a good 24 hours between coats. Of course, opacity and finish don’t just apply to painting MDF but it’s worth mentioning nonetheless as it’s a criterion I will be using to score the paints I’ve recommended below. The downside of being a hybrid is that it can ruin your brushes if you’re using the paint for a prolonged period. To combat this, you should keep your brushes wet by swilling them out every hour or so. Running a damp cloth over a surface before you paint it will also help with flow. 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.