Fleetwood Paints Extra Plus Vinyl Matt Review

I’ve been trying out Fleetwood Paints’ “Extra Plus” Vinyl Matt over the last couple of weeks, and thought I’d post a brief review to let you all know how I got on with it.  I tried Fleetwood’s Advanced Quick Dry Undercoat and Satinwood a few weeks ago and it was brilliant, so I thought I’d use their Vinyl Matt next.

Extra Plus is described by Fleetwood as one of their “flagship” products, and I’m guessing it’s something they do a lot of volume of. It’s available off the shelf in Pure Brilliant White and Magnolia, but can also be tinted – just FYI, there is also an Extra Plus Vinyl Soft Sheen available, but my comments will focus only on the vinyl matt. Both are available in 2.5L, 5L, 10L and (if you’ve been kept up your gym membership) 17.5L sizes.  They have a coverage rate of 12m² per litre, and a recoat time of 4 hours.

What did I Think of Fleetwood Paints Extra Plus Vinyl Matt?

First Impressions

Being a vinyl matt, the product is obviously designed for use on interior walls and ceilings, and as I had a few ceilings to do and a nice new 10L tub of paint, off I went.

My first impression on opening the vinyl matt and pouring it out was that it seemed a bit “sticky”.  Yes, it definitely looked a very pure white, but there was something about the consistency of the product as I was pouring it out that set off a small alarm bell.

In Use

I must be honest, I nearly gave up on this product after the first use, but I’m glad I persevered with it. The first time I used it I found it “tacky” – I could feel it “pulling” as I rolled over the cutting in around the edge of the ceiling.

It wasn’t a particularly hot day, I wasn’t painting new plaster, just a regular previously painted ceiling, but it dried really quickly and I struggled at times to keep a wet edge.  With the amount of choice there is available on the market, the easy thing to do would have been to just bin it and use something else for the rest of the job. 

Good and Bad Points

Good points:

• Nice matt finish – not an “AR2” flat matt, but at the more matt end of the spectrum for a vinyl matt product. It’s great for hiding imperfections in the surface, and really does give a lovely smooth finish.  I tried to take photos, but it was such a dull miserable day, I couldn’t get one that really showed off the finish as I would have liked.
• Easy to touch up
• Very quick drying – with or without water added I was surprised at how quickly this paint was touch-dry. The recommended recoat time is 4 hours; I would never claim to have more knowledge than the manufacturers, especially only having used the product a few times, but I reckon if you needed to get a second coat on quickly, you could probably get away with it.

Bad points:

• I found it “tacky” straight out of the tub, and needed to thin it slightly to make it easier to work with. HOWEVER, don’t write this product off on that basis. All you need to do is add a drop of water and you’re way.

Final Thoughts on Fleetwood Extra Plus Vinyl Matt

At the end of the day, we decorators are employed to improve the appearance of the buildings we are working on.  This definitely gives a really nice finish, and my customers were delighted with it (which is what really matters), so it did its job. It’s a fantastic product, and certainly worth a try.