FAQ's

I am decorating my baby's bedroom which paints are safe?

All our paints are non toxic and those marked solvent free are minimal VOC (best E.U VOC level 0-0.29%). If you want bright colours for woodwork try Green?Paints gloss, or Auro for walls as these are particularly natural.

Do I need to treat bare plaster before I paint it?

No, although we recommend adding about 10% water by volume to the paint. This helps it go on more smoothly as the plaster soaks up water very quickly.

I've got flaky/crumbly plaster what can I do?

You just can't paint on flaky or crumbly plaster it won't work and will peel off. Remove any loose material before you paint. You may need to re plaster if the damage is extensive and you want a smooth finish. If you're after a more rustic look then a thick breathable paint could work well.

Can I use your gloss paints on radiators?

AURO 257 is a special radiator paint designed to be long lasting on heated surfaces up to 70oC

I'm repainting previously painted woodwork do I need to scrape back to bare wood?

Make sure all flaking, loose paint is removed. If the previous paint is in good condition then a light rub down with sandpaper to key it off is required. If using Green Paint on interiors wood the undercoat is required especially on acrylic or oil based previous coatings. If the wood external and bare then first use pink wood primer and at least two top coats. AURO Gloss also requires an undercoat - AURO 253 is recommended here. If using Holkham Linseed Paints the wood needs to be stripped bare of all old paint and have a first coat of raw linseed oil.

What can be used to seal stone?

AURO 126 Hard Oil can be used on stone and unglazed tiles, stone, slate and cork. For interior use only though.

Why did my door /floor change colour after it was painted with a clear finish?

Many of our clear finishes are water based. This naturally raises the grain of the wood. Oak and other woods rich in tannins may need to be treated more carefully with special primers first. For example AURO 117 Wood primer is recommended for these woods and stops them going orangey, due to the tannin, when painted with a clear finish. Oil based products naturally ‘fire' the wood and it's difficult to stop this. Always try a test area to ascertain the tone you will get.

I suffer badly from allergies. Can you advise on which paints to use?

This is sadly becoming a more and more frequently asked question. All our paint is non toxic and most are water based. AURO paint is the most natural and has all ingredients fully declared. However if you have allergies we highly recommend that you purchase a tester pot first and try it on the surface you plan to paint. Even if the paint is safe in itself it may combine with elements of the existing surface, for example old wallpaper, and cause an allergic reaction.

I'm mixing my own colour for painting my bathroom what should I use as a medium/binder for the pigment?

We recommend AURO 322 matt emulsion. These paints are suitable for high humidity areas and powdered pigments can easily be added to them if mixing your own colour. Always slake powdered pigments first by adding water and mix to a thick creamy consistency and leave to stand for a couple of hours before adding into a wet base paint.

What's the best wood finish for my kitchen/living room floor?

If you want to use a water based solvent free finish we recommend you look at the AURO 187 floor wax or 267varnish.

I'm painting a wooden toy for a young child - which paints are safe to use?

All AURO gloss, matt silk would all be safe. For natural wood finish use AURO water based clear wood finishes or 160 woodstains (32 colours) if you want the grain to show.

My wooden floor is quite orange and I do not want it to go any darker, but want to use a wax or oil finish. What should I do?

Auro's 126-90 white hard oil finished with their 171 hardwax is an excellent solution. If you simply want to neutralise out the effect of ‘firing' but don't want a limed white effect then Auro's 109-90 is just the ticket.

Whats the best way for me to measure my room to order the right quantity of paint?

For floors and ceilings measure left to right and front to back and multiply one figure by the other to get the "square" area. Add 10 percent to that figure for safety. For walls measure the length of each wall to be painted and add the figures together to give you the perimeter of the room. Measure the height of the room and multiply the two figures together to give you the total area. When calculating the total area of a room, bear in mind that you don't need to include the space taken up by kitchen units, tiling, doors and windows etc.

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