Bedec is a British paint manufacturer, founded in the 1980’s and based in Essex; they specialise in water-based paint technology. This is a full Bedec Paint review and guide, and I’ll go through each product in turn; where more detailed reviews have been written of specific products for Decorators Forum UK, links to these will be included in this article.
Bedec M.S.P (Multi-Surface Paint) Review
MSP is probably Bedec’s best-known paint. It’s been around for as long as I can remember, and as its name suggests, can be used on just about any surface without the need for a separate primer or undercoat.
It’s the classic “Why take two bottles into the shower”?” product, for those of you with enough hair or memory to remember Wash & Go adverts from the 1990s!
Bedec MSP is available in matt, “soft satin” and “soft gloss” finishes in a range of colours (pre-mixed, I don’t think it can be tinted, but I could be wrong), in 250ml, 750ml, 2.5L and 5L sizes, although not all colours are available in all sizes. Bedec Multi-Surface Paint is a really popular product, as it has a lot going for it:
- In most cases, no separate primer or undercoat is needed (which saves time and money)
- It’s water-based, so more environmentally friendly, quicker drying (re-coat after 4 hours typically), less smelly, and it’s easier to clean up your tools
- It can be used inside or out
- It’s heat resistant up to 80° apparently, so suitable for use on radiators
- Can be used over the top of most existing paint coatings
- When it’s fully cured, it dries rock hard, sticks like glue to most surfaces, and being flexible it doesn’t flake, crack or chip easily. The only thing to be aware of is that it takes up to a month to fully cure.
Aqua Advanced is Bedec’s range of water-based paints for woodwork. They’re sold as a system, the recommended process being one coat of the primer/undercoat followed by two top coats.
The top coats are available in Matt, Eggshell, Satin and Gloss, in 1L, 2.5L, and 5L sizes, and either in brilliant white (off the shelf) or tinted to a wide range of colours (NB I’m not sure that all finishes are available in all those sizes).
Being water-based, Bedec Aqua system is quick drying, low odour, and non-yellowing, but unlike some, is suitable for both interior and exterior use.
I’ve only used Bedec Primer-Undercoat a couple of times, but I was quite impressed with it. It certainly did everything I expected of it and went a long way too.
And the topcoats sit nicely on top of it, so it’s definitely a product I will continue to use. I haven’t tried the Matt, Eggshell or Gloss myself, but I’ve heard good things about the Gloss and you can read a full review of it here.
The Satin has a nice consistency to work with, flows nicely for a water-based product, but isn’t so thin that you get drips everywhere. I’d say it’s one of the best water-based satins I’ve tried, the finish is great, opacity and whiteness very good, your brushes wash up easily, and it’s touch dry in 30-60 minutes.
Bedec say 4 hours recoat time, so you can get two coats on in a day. Bedec do say not to use it in really high wear-and-tear areas such as handrails, just as a heads-up, and I have heard other decorators say that the finish isn’t very hard-wearing, but that hasn’t been my experience so far. Read more about Bedec Aqua Advanced Satin here.
Bedec Barn Paint Review
Bedec’s Barn Paint has become really popular in recent years for a whole host of external applications. Again, it’s water-based and can be applied without the need for a separate primer to many different external surfaces, including wood (unpainted, previously painted, or even wood that’s coated with bitumen or creosote), galvanized steel, plastic, concrete and brick.
So, although it’s ideal for barns, it can be used for a wide variety of different external projects such as fencing, sheds and other outbuildings. It’s very flexible so can cope with different substrates expanding and contracting at different rates, without cracking or blistering, and helps protect wood from rot and algae. You can buy it in a variety of colours (pre-mixed) in 2.5L, 5L or 20L sizes (which is dead handy if you’re spraying large areas).
Bedec Acrylic Floor Paint Review
Exactly what it says on the tin! It’s a water-based paint that can be used on either wood or concrete floors to both protect and enhance their appearance, while also adding some anti-slip properties thanks to the inclusion of a “fine aggregate” in the formulation (except for the clear version). Available in a limited range of colours (pre-mixed) in 1L, 2.5L, 5L and 20L sizes and in a satin finish (only).
Bedec Interior-Flex Review
An interesting product in my Bedec paint review, Interior-Flex is an elastomeric matt emulsion paint formulated to coat interior ceilings and walls. It’s a unique product designed to bridge hairline cracks and flex with the substrate where movement causes cracking with conventional paints.
If, like me, you’ve never heard of “elastomeric” before, it means “a substance exhibiting elastic or rubber-like properties”. Bedec Interior-Flex is a water-based emulsion for interior use, and it’s great for covering hairline cracks on ceilings. It can be applied by brush, roller or spray, although Bedec recommend working some of the product into the cracks with a brush before applying the first proper coat. Click here if you want to read more about my experiences using this product.
Bedec Extra Flex Masonry Paint Review
Bedec Extra-Flex Masonry Paint is, again, a water-based product that has elastomeric properties. It’s a smooth finish masonry paint that will bridge hairline cracks and “flex” with the underlying substrate as it expands and contracts in the heat.
It can be applied by brush, roller, or spray, and is available in white, black and a limited range of pre-mixed colours in 5L size only. Interestingly, it only seems to be available in a “smooth satin” finish (according to the Bedec website, although Brewers describe it as a matt finish – I’ll try some and let you know how I get on with it and what the finish is like). For use on roughcast, pebble dash, brick, concrete and rendered surfaces.
Bedec Spray Daylight Review
The first thing to overcome with the product is the name. It is not exclusively for use by spray application – it works just as well by brush and roller. And what does “Spray Day Light” actually do? The answer to that is easy to work out from a few key phrases on the front of the tin:
- Flat Matt (2%)
- Anti-Reflective
- Low Flashing
- Bright White
In other words, it’s a white (although apparently it can be tinted to pastel shades) ceiling paint with similar properties to Tikkurila AR2 or Teknos Teknoceiling. You can read a full review of Bedec Spray Daylight here, but to sum it up I’d say that if you mix it really thoroughly (and possibly thin it with a drop of water if you feel it needs it), and don’t spread it too thinly it goes on really nicely and gives a lovely flat matt finish.
For those of you who prefer to spray, there is plenty of information on the back of the tin on recommended spray tips, pressure, fan width etc, which is nice to see a paint manufacturer moving with the times in this way. It’s touch dry in 2 hours, and recoatable in 4.
I tested the product by painting the ceiling in a large living room with a big bay window at the front, patio doors at the back and another window on one side, so light comes in from almost every direction, which would highlight any imperfections in the finish. But there wasn’t a brush mark or roller mark in sight, just solid, flat matt whiteness! This really is a premium paint product!
Bedec Super-Flex Review
Another interesting product in my Bedec paint review, Super-Flex is another highly elastomeric water-based paint. It’s designed to give both waterproofing and ultra-violet protection to exterior surfaces, primarily roofs and walls. You can buy it in 2.5L, 5L and 20L sizes, in black, white and about half a dozen pre-mixed colours. It’s easy to apply by brush, roller or spray, and dries to form a high build, seamless waterproof membrane. Super-flex remains flexible and elastic to allow for movement of the substrate, forming a long-life protective coating for weatherproofing roofs and walls.
Bedec Stain Block Review
Exactly what you would expect from reading its name! Bedec Stain Block is a water-based paint designed to hold back commonly-encountered stains such as nicotine, water marks, smoke, marker pen, tea, coffee, crayon, etc., preventing them from bleeding through to the finish coats.
Being water-based, it’s quick-drying, but can be used both inside and out. Unusually, it’s only available in light grey, and you can buy it in 250ml, 750ml, 2.5L and 5L sizes. I’m keen to give this product a try, but just a bit nervous about how many coats of white emulsion I might need to apply over it to hide the grey colour. Only one way to find out, I guess….
Bedec Metal Primer Review
Bedec’s Metal Primer is water-based and suitable for all metal surfaces. It’s rust-resistant and can be used inside and out on virtually any type of metal, prior to overpainting with your chosen topcoats. You can buy it in 250ml, 750ml, 2.5L or 5L sizes, and it’s available in either Red Oxide or Phosphate Grey.
My experience of using this is quite limited (not enough for a full review yet), but so far it hasn’t let me down. I’ve used it on copper radiator pipes about half a dozen times, giving them a thorough clean first and then one coat of the red oxide (the two colours are the same product, just a different colour; I just happened to have a tin of the red oxide one). Because the red oxide is quite a strong colour, I’ve then put a quick coat of white grip primer on (purely because I was using it elsewhere in the room at the time, with the objective of trying to hide the red colour), and then two coats of water-based satin, and that’s been enough to hide it.
And so far, it’s stuck like glue without any sign of any discolouration. Like most Bedec products, it can be applied by brush, roller or spray, and is touch dry in 2-4 hours, and recoatable after 4.
This is a brand-new product, and I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet, but a full review will follow soon.
This sounds like it could be the “BIN of the future”. You know how whatever the problem is, the answer is usually a coat of BIN? If this product does everything it claims to, it may just take that position in every decorator’s van. And it’s water-based, so no need for specialist brush-cleaning products (and yes, it can be sprayed as well as brush or roller application)!
Apparently, it is an all-purpose primer that will stick to almost any surface (interior and exterior, wood, plaster, MDF, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, concrete, glossy paints and varnishes, glass, tiles, etc); it blocks stains, traps tannins, is alkali-resistant and inhibits rust.
That’s quite a list of claims! Some stains, and very porous woods, may require a second coat. It’s typically touch dry in 2 hours, and topcoats should be applied between 4 hours and 30 days from when the primer was applied. It’s available in white (only), and in 750ml or 2.5L tins. Can’t wait to put this stuff through its paces!
Brand Summary
Bedec Paint Review and Guide - Decorator's forum UK
Bedec is an independent paint manufacturer with their own team of Chemists. They’re known for their innovative water-based products.
Product Brand: Bedec
4.8
Pros
- All the products are good in different ways.
- Professional Decorators all know and love this brand.
- Bedec seem to push the boundaries when it comes to paint technology.
Cons
- Sometimes you are restricted when it comes to colour choices.
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