For many of us, refreshing woodwork with a coat of crisp, white gloss paint is far from our favourite job on the decorating to-do list. Intricate details and a messy clean-up, plus a finish with a tendency to turn yellow all too quickly make for an unappealing task. But now that the traditional oil-based formulas have been updated with more environmentally (and DIYer friendly!) water-based options, it’s time to revisit this unavoidable task.
We’ve tested five of the more affordable water-based gloss paints, ranging from Wilko and Homebase, through to Crown, Dulux and Valspar. With prices starting at £11.50 per 750ml up to £30 per litre, all offer a brilliant, high shine and durable finish - and the clean-up with each was a breeze.
Individually they boast their own selling points - whether that's super quick drying times, scrubbability or minimal VOCs - all of which showcase them as great alternatives to the more expensive brands, providing that crisp, white glossy finish to the woodwork throughout your home. Read on to find out which ones impressed us the most...
Tried and tested | Which is the best water-based gloss paint?
How we tested the water-based gloss…
We went for white gloss across all the top brands, and considered everything from the odour to the VOCs in the paint, the coverage and application as well as if they lived up to the claims and the durability. Plus, if the product represented value for money.
We applied two coats to plywood, which had already had two coats of primer, then we tested it by smearing on mud to see how well it performed after being scrubbed and cleaned.
- Features (6 points): Odour/ chemical free/ low VOCs/ water-based | Any USPs | Coverage
- Results (3 points): Application consistency | Finish - even or streaky, high shine etc | Durability: does it scuff or fade after cleaning
- Value for money (1 points): Price | Quality
The best water-based gloss paints on the market - tested!
Crown Non Drip Gloss Paint Pure Brilliant White - 750ml
Score 10/10
This is the very latest offering from Crown (it launched August 2023) - a quick dry high shine water-based gloss paint that can be applied with a brush or roller and the 750ml tin offers a coverage of up to 8m2.
What's different about this water based gloss paint?
It’s touch dry in one hour and ready for a second coat after six hours. It also claims to boast long lasting whiteness, as well as being tough and durable.
The minimal VOC levels, quick touch dry and impressive coverage and colour make this a great go-to, let alone its durability when tackled with a muddy clean up.
It can be used on wood, metal and PVCu providing it’s been suitably primed beforehand.
This new gloss paint has been accredited with the ‘Minimal’ VOC grading and Crown also highlights that it is 99% solvent free with its breath easy logo. To keep up the credentials, the paint has also been ‘vegan verified’.
Is this water based gloss paint any good?
Once stirred through the paint had good consistency which made application smooth and effortless.
There was only a slight odour to the paint in the tin, which thankfully wasn’t noticeable while decorating.
Crown’s quick dry gloss also lived up to its claims and was touch dry after one hour from application, which is great with number of children running around while I’m trying to get the job done.
Once the two coats had been applied and dried, I added my muddy finger prints to the finished paint work and left the mud to dry for six hours before attempting to clean it with a warm, wet cloth. The mud came away easily, with a few patches that need more of a scrub, but otherwise the paint was left unmarked, and the high shine finish remained untouched.
Is it good value for money?
Following our tests I believe Crown’s new quick dry high shine water-based gloss paint is great value for money. It’s a versatile paint, as it can be used on PVCu, as well as wood and metal, which none of the competitors claim to do.
The minimal VOC levels, quick-touch dry and impressive coverage and colour make this a great go-to, let alone its durability when tackled with a muddy clean up.
A great all-rounder in this more affordable gloss paint category.
Pros: Vegan verified, quick dry, can be used on PVCu, as well as wood and metal
Cons: None!
Dulux Quick-Dry Pure Brilliant White Gloss Metal and Wood Paint
Score 9/10
Dulux’s quick dry water-based high sheen white gloss paint is specifically for wood and metal. It boasts a quick dry time of one hour and will be ready for a second coat after six hours.
What's different about this water based gloss paint?
The 2.5 litre tin offers a coverage of up to 40m2 and can be applied with a roller or brush, once the surface has been adequately prepared.
The British Coatings Federation LTD has given this gloss a VOC level of ‘Low’, meaning the VOC content is between 0.30%-7.99% - this wasn’t the lowest among the white water-based gloss paints I tested, but it wasn’t the highest either.
I was also impressed with the one hour drying time, that it was actually dry after one hour - which, if you’re decorating in a house with children or pets who like to challenge your decorating skills, is the biggest selling point of this gloss paint.
The tin states this gloss paint is self-undercoating (but a primer is advised for use on bare wood - here are some of our favourite wood primers), wipeable, non-yellowing and suitable for inside and outside use.
Is this water based gloss paint any good?
Despite Dulux’s quick dry high sheen gloss being classified as ‘Low’ VOC, which was slightly higher than some of the gloss paints I tested, the smell wasn’t overpowering or more noticeable than the others.
The paint went on really well to the plywood, giving an instant, even coverage of brilliant white to the surface. It didn't streak or give an uneven finish, and once dry gave a great sheen that reflected the natural light well. Interestingly, Dulux highlight this water-based gloss paint as being ‘high sheen’, while the finish was impressive, I didn’t notice it to be shinier than the others I tested.
Once I had applied the two coats, with at least six hours drying time in between, I added a handprint of mud to the smooth, clean surface. I then left the mud to dry before attempting to clean it with nothing more than a clean cloth and warm water. Impressively, the mud wiped away with very little effort - no scrubbing or elbow grease required. The brush strokes of the paint were unaltered, and the ‘high sheen’ remained intact - as if the dirt had never been there.
Is it good value for money?
I thought Dulux’s quick dry water-based pure brilliant white high sheen gloss paint offered great value for money . The instant colour coverage, smoothness and easy clean features are key highlights.
I was also impressed with the one hour drying time, that it was actually dry after one hour - which, if you’re decorating in a house with children or pets who like to challenge your decorating skills, is the biggest selling point of this gloss paint.
Pros: Durable, cleans well, dries in one hour
Cons: VOC level
Homebase Interior Quick Dry Gloss Paint Brilliant White
Score 7.5/10
What's different about this water based gloss paint?
Homebase’s own brand of pure brilliant white gloss paint for wood and metal is a water-based formula, boasts a stay white formulation, offers high sheen and will be touch dry in one to two hours, while you can recoat in six.
Two coats are recommended with this gloss in order to get the best finish and the 750ml tin can cover up to 9m2. Its VOC grading is ‘Minimal’, which means its VOC content level is between 0-0.29%, which is reassuring when using the product.
Is this water based gloss paint any good?
When opening the Homebase pure brilliant white gloss paint, I was aware of the very watery consistency, which is often to be expected, and the colour wasn’t as ‘brilliant white’ as I’d hoped. Thankfully, after giving it a good stir you could see it had noticeably thickened up. However, when I applied the paint to the primed plywood it still felt very thin and there wasn’t much difference between areas I’d painted with this product to the areas that had purely been primed.
I also felt that the paint needed stirring frequently during use to stop it from quickly separating. The second coat did improve the coverage slightly, but it didn’t get up to the brilliant white of some of the other products I’d tested which was a shame.
Its quick dry, sheen and durability make it a good budget option if the colour can be overlooked.
This gloss gives a lovely glossy shine and a smooth finish. Tackling the mud was a breeze, a clean wet cloth simply wiped away the dirt without any need for scrubbing and the high sheen finish remained the same without any traces of the dirt - hooray!
Is it good value for money?
Although Homebase’s pure brilliant white high sheen gloss was quick dry, offered a great finish and was durable enough to tackle the dried-on dirt making it an easy clean up job, I was a little disappointed in the colour and consistency. It was very thin and required stirring beforehand and during use, I would also describe the colour as slightly off white when compared to other brands’ brilliant white.
But if you’re using this product on wood or metal alongside a wall of a different colour then this white may not be an issue.
Its quick dry, sheen and durability make it a good budget option if the colour can be overlooked.
Pros: Easy clean
Cons: Very thin consistency, not as white as others on test
Wilko Quick-Dry Interior Wood Pure Brilliant White Gloss
Score 7.5/10
The cheapest of the more affordable water-based gloss paints I tested, I was instantly impressed with the consistency and colour of this product making it a top contender on the list.
What's different about this water based gloss paint?
Wilko’s own brand of water-based quick dry interior wood gloss paint claims to be touch dry in two hours, stays whiter for longer and can also be used on metal, such as radiators.
Its VOC grade is ‘Medium’, showcasing the VOC content as between 8-24.99% which was the highest amongst the five water-based gloss paints I tested.
The 750ml tin will cover approximately 7m2 after two coats - roughly the size of two standard doors.
Is this water based gloss paint any good?
This quick dry gloss had a great consistency once stirred and the brilliant white colour was very impressive. I definitely noticed the difference in odour between this product and the other paints, with the highest VOC level grading amongst those tested the smell was quite strong, so you’d definitely want to be in a well-ventilated space while decorating with this one.
The gloss gave a great sheen on the primed plywood even after just one coat, and it lived up to expectations of being touch dry after two hours.
When it came to the mud test, I was a little disappointed, I had been loving this budget offering and had high hopes of it being easily cleanable too: while the mud wiped away with ease with the white cloth and water, I did notice that some faint fingermarks remained on the paintwork. I used good old-fashioned elbow grease to dry and get rid of those last marks, but they wouldn’t budge. Despite the scrubbing the finish of the paint work was still impeccable, no paint came away and the high sheen finish remained.
Is it good value for money?
The cheapest of the more affordable water-based gloss paints I tested, I was instantly impressed with the consistency and colour of this product making it a top contender on the list.
For me the paint’s let downs where its VOC levels, making it quite a pungent product, and the faint muddy finger marks I just couldn’t shift. So, if you live in a household where the wood work could be frequently put to the test with mud and crayon, then this might not be the best option for you.
Pros: Quick dry, good colour
Cons: Odour, dirt left a mark after cleaning
Buy now from Wilko (£20.99 for 2.5l)
How do you get a good finish with water-based gloss paint?
Achieving a pristine finish with a water-based gloss paint is often harder than with the previous solvent-based solutions, this is largely because the brushstrokes remain more obvious even after drying.
Preparation is key to getting the best finish possible, sanding down previously painted surfaces, and using a primer can all help towards this.
A premium synthetic paintbrush should be your decorating tool of choice and the paint should be applied quickly, moving in one direction and avoid going back over recently applied paint so as not to disturb the finish.
If a second coat is required, make sure you allow adequate drying time between applications, to have your doors and skirting boards looking their best in no time.
Top tip:
Wet the prepared surface, such as skirting boards, using a clean, damp cloth - this will help the paint adhere to the surface and minimise brush marks as you go.
We've also been busy testing the best paint brushes, best primer, best washable paint and best budget white emulsion. And check out our buyer's guides to find the best anti-mould paint, best exterior wood paint, and best paint for kitchen cabinets. And just click to explore all our paint content.
