Kitchen paint and shiny worktops

[Mungo "two sheds" Toadfoot]

Is so-called kitchen paint really any different to a decent vinyl silk?

And...are those highly glossy marble-imitating worktops any good or do they scratch easily?

Si

[Christian McArdle]

It is, but Vinyl Silk isn't too bad for kitchens either, unless you use it for a splashback.

Christian.

[BillR]

Avoid any metallic type worktop finish. The effect is made just the same as in car metallic paint. i.e. light undercoat with colour finish on top. So any little scratch shows up really well on a darkish metallic finish ...

[RichardS]

Dunno. I've always used vinyl silk, and by the time it's deteriorating then I'm ready to give it a quick refresh or colour change anyway. If you want super-lasting ability, use eggshell. You may curse somewhat if you ever want to get it off though.

I installed one of those in a previous flat. Duropal or Resopal I think it was. John Lewis tried to dissuade me from going with high gloss on the grounds that scratches showed up, but when I left the place three years later (the flat, not JLP) it still looked good as new. I'd go with it again. Looked like 10x the cost, too.

-- Richard Sampson

email me at richard at olifant d-ot co do-t uk

[anthony james]

We've used Dulux Kitchen and Bathroom in quite a few places now and it's noticably more resilient than anything else i've used. It's a lot more 'plastic' and wipes down well - we used it on the hall stairs up to a first floor flat and i'm tempted to use it in all of the hallways in the new place.