Little Knights Eggshell emulsion | Decorating Naturally

Test and Review - Little Knights Eggshell emulsion

On the interior paint pages on the LK website they list Matte, Silk, Eggshell and Gloss. You wouldn't normally put gloss on walls but the other three are designed to be used as wall/ceiling paints.

The reason I picked the eggshell this time is because eggshell paints can often be suitable for both walls and woodwork. As I had a kitchen job to do (pics to follow) I thought it would be the perfect test but I also tested on a wood sample.

The eggshell, like their other paints, is free from petrochemicals and a good eco option. The amount of solids in this paint is impressive with great opacity. For this job I had lined the walls to give me a perfect base on which to paint. Lining paper, whilst nice and smooth, is a little absorbent which means the first coat of paint doesn't usually glide on as it would over a previously painted surface. Having said that, this paint handled pretty well and benefits from being put on with a fairly soft brush such as Proform Blaze or one of the Oldfield professionals.

I did thin the paint just a little but didn't really need to - I just prefer my emulsion a little thinner than most. As I said, the opacity is excellent and I only really needed a second coat due to me mis-rolling a few areas in the less than perfect light. Even with such good coverage, I would still want to use a second coat simply to give a better build up of paint to protect the walls and optimise the depth of colour. The drying time was quick with this - I did the second coat on the second day but the paint was drying quickly and under the right conditions, recoating could safely be done in three hours.

The finish, for an eggshell, is quite flat and less sheen than I would normally expect. It does feel durable though and looks really good on the wall. The client was very happy with the choice too. I would certainly use this again and I am interested to see how it goes on over previously painted walls.

Interior wood

Just a little about using this product on wood then. I had a small sample tin of 'manor grey' to try and I did my usual test on a piece of new pine trim. But because eggshell paints are often self priming (and Little Knights have told me this is the case) I didn't use a primer/undercoat as I normally would and just painted three coats of the eggshell, sanding gently in between each. The three coats were all applied on the same day so drying time is very good. It flows off the brush really nicely and covers well.

The final result was a lovely rich and even colour with no brush marks. Again, the sheen was less than I expected from an eggshell but it's still very pleasant. I should add that a lot of eggshell paints from other brands can sometimes have too much of a shine almost bordering on satin so I suppose we have just become accustomed to that and this Little Knights is probably more as an eggshell should be. I would be a little nervous using it on wood that might be in a high traffic area but for furniture up-cycling I think it would be perfect. In a house with no children or animals I dare say it would be fine used on general woodwork!

750ml for £24, £40 for 2.5L and £64 for 5L direct from Little Knights.