Just finished my house refurb and I have miles of new mdf skirting and architrave to gloss. Can anyone recommend a decent non yellowing gloss that’s not too dear as I’m skint and then some.
You won’t find any consensus on what’s best here. Like everything else in life, for a given price point, everyone has their own favourite. that said, acrylic formulations that are water based tend to be hard wearing and non yellowing but rarely have high gloss finish, more usually silk at best or eggshell. high gloss formulations are usually (but not exclusively) solvent based which will go yellow but give very good finish. I used to use Dulux diamond range but switched to johnstones as Dulux seem to be pricing themselves out of the market. A full time painter I know swears by crown. Others here like Bedec. Most will also agree to avoid own brand stuff but some have had good results with wickes let’s see what Astramax and others recommend here
All the good stuff cost way over what most want to pay so your stuck with the midrange paints. Water based alkyd like crown fastflow will be easier to apply and resist the problems with skin oils on hand rails. Will discolour over many years very slowly though, but the trade off is the advantages of an alkyd. May cost more than you want to pay though. If you want it to stay white pick one of the many acrylics... Probably the bedec will be best.
I’ve not heard of bedec before. I was looking at the dulux trade waterbased gloss but only because I’ve heard of dulux. Is this stuff much better than dulux.
I would say yes, Bedec Advanced Aqua is available from Toolstation, Brewers as a stock item. (T/Station has the best price).
( yesterday I looked at some windows and doors , sun facing , that I Bedec painted two years ago, looking uncracked or blistered . Recommended by the gent above. )
I have used acrylic paint on new MDF skirting with good results, it’s not a “glossy” finish, but seems to hold the white colour. Also a bit quicker & easier to work with, doesn’t have much odour, dries in a couple of hours & easier to clean up after than solvent based. You can wash your brushes in a detergent solution, great if on a budget, no need for white spirit/brush restorer. I’ll throw in a curved ball now because I reckon price is important to you, but I really like Wilko’s quick dry wood satin paint in intense white - a customer provided it & I tried not to roll my eyes, or sigh! But honestly, for the price (about £12 for 2.5L) I thought it was good stuff & I would use it again. Take what you want from that! Good luck.