What is the best value paint in 2022?
What is the best natural paint in 2022
If you have been wondering how you compare paint brands against each other there are a number of ways. Personally I think the best way to do this is to outline their eco credentials (against a worldwide standard such as Cradle to Cradle) and how toxic the paints are. There are clear winners here, but that is not what the table below highlights.
We also have a great mammouth guide to all the different paint types, and applications
The table shows purely the relationship between the price per metre squared 0f paint, per coat. This way you can ‘look away’ from the eco creds and see how these natural paints stack up.
Finally, the old “Oh yeah I love natural stuff and would love to buy natural paints but they are just SO EXPENSIVE compared to other brands”
Really? No. That’s not true, look below and see for yourself. See any prices that have since changes since this study was created a couple of months ago? Get in touch and I will update.
Who am I to judge?
I started this site almost 10 years ago as a blog to find the best natural paint for me and my family due to breathing difficulties that both my wife and my eldest son have. I did a lot of research and decided that natural paints would help. Natural paints WERE more expensive ten years ago, but not now. The aim of the site was to educate others, and help fellow families that may have the same issues. I ended up starting my own little independent paint company and stocking whichever brand I thought was best at the time.
Got any other paint brands you want to add to this list?
Here we are. Natural and Non-Natural Paints, all available to buy in the UK.
Paint Brands vs Paint Brands per m2
| Price per m2 v Paint Brands | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT | Pot Size | Price per Litre / KG | Coverage per Litre(m2) | Price per m2 per coat |
| Graphenstone Nevada Ultra White | 15L | £ 4.78 | 14 | £ 0.34 |
| Graphenstone GCS Interior | 15L | £ 13.91 | 18 | £ 0.77 |
| Graphenstone GrafClean Matt | 10L | £ 15.00 | 16 | £ 0.94 |
| Dulux Airsure Diamond Matt | 5L | £ 15.11 | 16 | £ 0.94 |
| Graphenstone Ecosphere | 15L | £ 17.08 | 18 | £ 0.95 |
| Fired Earth | 5L | £ 13.25 | 14 | £ 0.95 |
| Graphenstone Ambient Pro+ | 15L | £ 17.72 | 18 | £ 0.98 |
| Farrow & Ball Estate Emulsion | 5L | £ 14.83 | 14 | £ 1.06 |
| Lick | 2.5L | £ 12.67 | 12 | £ 1.06 |
| Little Greene Absolute Matt | 5L | £ 15.00 | 14 | £ 1.07 |
| Little Knights Matt | 5L | £ 12.99 | 12 | £ 1.08 |
| Graphenstone GrafClean Eggshell | 10L | £ 19.91 | 18 | £ 1.10 |
| Edward Bulmer Matt | 5L | £ 15.17 | 12 | £ 1.26 |
| Coat | 2.5L | £ 14.00 | 10 | £ 1.40 |
| Earthborn Clay paint | 5L | £ 14.67 | 10 | £ 1.47 |
| Lakeland Washable Matt | 5L | £ 22.67 | 13 | £ 1.74 |
| Eico Helmatt | 4.5L | £ 14.32 | 10 | £ 1.43 |
| Benjamin Moore Natural Matt | 4L | £ 18.69 | 10 | £ 1.87 |
| All prices based on RRP, Ex VAT, and correct as of 01/02/2022 *All prices based on coloured products unless specified. **Largest sizes generally available at the time |
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First of all let me caveat something, the following chart is just not fair if you measure the value of a paint brand in terms of eco credentials, sustainability, use of ecological manufacturing techniques, and the Cradle to Cradle standard of paint production. Graphenstone Paint wins hands down, but a massive margin. Before you say that I’m biased to Graphenstone, then yes, I am. I’m an independent supplier of Natural Paints in the UK, and have no ties or affiliations with any company, and have supplied a number of brands over years. My aim here on this site / shop was to suggest the BEST natural paints that I use myself, and that right now, from my research is Graphenstone. Why bother stocking 5 different brands when this is the only one that ticks the boxes?!
But if you are someone that’s purely motivated by how much it costs to paint a room, and coverage per litre, this is the chart for you.
However, if you look at the results you can have your (vegan) cake AND eat it. You can have high Cradle to Cradle standards and get a great price per m2 per coat.
Price comparison Graphenstone vs Keim
| Price comparison Graphenstone vs Keim | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT | Pot Size | Price per Litre / KG | Coverage per Litre(m2) | Price per m2 per coat |
| Interior | ||||
| Graphenstone GCS Interior | 15L | £ 13.91 | 18 | £ 0.77 |
| Grafclean Matt White | 10L | £ 12.95 | 16 | £ 0.81 |
| Keim Optil | 15L | £ 8.95 | 9 | £ 0.99 |
| Keim Innostar White | 5L | £ 10.80 | 8 | £ 1.35 |
| Exterior | ||||
| Graphenstone GCS Exterior | 15L | £ 15.64 | 18 | £ 0.87 |
| Keim Soldalit | 18 Kg | £ 16.16 | 4.5 | £ 3.59 |
| Air Purification | ||||
| Ambient Pro+ | 15L | £ 17.72 | 18 | £ 0.98 |
| Keim Soldalit ME | 25 Kg | £ 17.50 | 4.5 | £ 3.89 |
| Primers | ||||
| Ambient Primer L42 | 4L | £ 11.56 | 35 | £ 0.33 |
| Keim Dilution/Fixativ | 20L | £ 12.75 | 10 | £ 1.28 |
| All prices based on RRP, Ex VAT, and correct as of 01/02/2022 Keim Prices coverage /kg. Based on Group 1 colours Graphenstone prices based on colour unless otherwise specified |
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Comparison of Heritage Paints vs Graphenstone GCS Paints
| Price per m2 v other heritage paints | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PRODUCT | Pot Size | Price per Litre | Coverage per Litre(m2) | Price per m2 per coat |
| GCS Interior | 15L | £ 15.00 | 18 | £ 0.77 |
| Traditional Limewash (interior) | 5L | £ 3.00 | 7 | £ 0.43 |
| Keim Optil (interior)* | 15L | £ 8.95 | 9 | £ 0.99 |
| Beeck Insil (interior) | 12.5L | £ 8.92 | 8 | £ 1.12 |
| Earthborn Clay paint (interior) | 5L | £ 14.67 | 10 | £ 1.47 |
| Zinsser Grade 1 (interior) | 5L | £ 15.33 | 10 | £ 1.53 |
| Classidur Tradition (interior) | 12.5L | £ 16.8 | 10 | £ 1.68 |
| GCS ExteriorGCS Exterior | 15L | £ 12.99 | 18 | £ 0.87 |
| Biosphere White (exterior) | 15L | £ 14.58 | 14 | 1.04 |
| Traditional Limewash (exterior) | 5L | £ 3.00 | 7 | £ 0.43 |
| Keim Soldalit (exterior)* | 5L | £ 15.17 | 4.5 | £ 3.37 |
| Beeckosil silcate (exterior) | 12.5L | £ 17.20 | 8 | £ 2.15 |
| Earthborn Silicate (exterior) | 10L | £ 17.77 | 7 | £ 2.54 |
| All prices baseed on RRP, Ex VAT, and correct as of 01/02/2022 All prices based on coloured products and may require a separate primer *Keim prices based on pastel/Group 1 colour only |
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What about brand vs brand overall?
Graphenstone vs Dulux Paints
Which is better, Graphenstone or Dulux? In terms of Eco Creds, Graphenstone wins hands down. In terms of coverage, Graphenstone GCS interior covers at 77p per m2 as compared to the 94p per m2 from Dulux.Â
Graphenstone vs Edward Bulmer Paints
Which is better, Graphenstone or Edward Bulmer? Edward Bulmer’s paints are mostly made up of Auro’s natural bases so not bad for general eco creds, however they don’t have any Cradle to Cradle eco credentials that match Graphenstone authority here. Regarding coverage, the Graphenstone Grafclean covers at 94p sqm as compared to the £1.26 per square metre from Bulmer’s.Â
Graphenstone vs Farrow and Ball
Farrow and Ball Estate emulsion covers at 98p m2, whereas the Graphenstone GCS covers at 77p, or the Graphenstone Grafclean covers at 94p. Farrow and ball do not have the eco credentials that Graphenstone paint has.Â
Graphenstone vs Lick
Lick isn’t natural or have fundamentally good eco creds, and also use a plastic adhesive on the back of their tester samples. Lick has the coverage of £1.06 per m2 as compared to the 94p per m2 of the grafclean, or even 77p from the GCS interior paint from Graphenstone.Â
Graphenstone vs Little Greene
Which is better, Little Greene or Graphenstone paint? Graphenstone comes out on top for eco credentials, as well as having better coverage at 77 – 94p per m2 compared to the £1.06 per m2 from Lick.Â
Graphenstone vs Little Knights
Little Knights Standard Matt covers a £1.08 per m2 per coat, compared to the 77—94p per m2 per coat from Graphenstone. Graphenstone has a better eco profile than Little Knights here also.Â
Graphenstone vs Coat Paints
Coat Paints at a much higher £1.40 per m2 per coat, compared to Graphenstone’s 77p – 94 per m2 per coat. Coat Paints don’t have the natural and eco credentials that Graphenstone offer.Â
Graphenstone vs EarthbornÂ
Earthborn is usually the main brand that gets compared agains Graphenstone, but there is little to compare in reality. Graphenstone has a much better set of eco credentials, as well as published sustainability records and better overall green certification than Earthborn. Earthborn Clay paint covered and £1.47 per m2 per coat compared to the £0.77 – £0.94 from Graphenstone.Â
Graphenstone vs Lakeland Washable
I have yet to see a full ingredients from Lakeland, no matter how many times I ask. They have no published eco credentials that come anywhere near Graphenstone, and don’t mention anything to do with Cradle to cradle certification. Lakeland washable matt covers at a whopping £1.74 per m2 per coat as compared to Graphenstone’s Washable matt which comes in a £0.94 per m2 per coat.Â
Graphenstone vs Eico Helmatt
Eco Helmet comes in a £1.43 per m2 per coat as compared to Graphenstone’s Ecosphere at £0.77 per m2 per coat
Graphenstone vs Benjamin Moore
Benjamin Moore is the most expensive on our list at a monster £1.87 per m2 per coat as compared to top selling Graphenstone Grafclean which comes in at £0.94 per m2 per coat
Graphenstone vs Fired EarthÂ
Fired earth don’t have a huge range these days, however they do cover at £0.95 per m2 per coat, so pretty reasonable. However they have no eco creds that come close to Graphenstone either.Â
