I’ve been meaning to write a new Johnstone’s Aqua Guard review since PPG updated and added to the range a while ago. So, I’ve come back to an older blog to update it, rather than starting again.
Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard is a range of water-based paints used to coat interior woodwork such as doors, windows, skirting board, and other trim. It’s an upgrade on Johnstone’s Aqua (which I know is a bit confusing).
This range is mostly used by Professional Decorators, but it’s available to anyone. All these paints are available from Johnstone’s Decorating Centre, but unless you’re entitled to a trade discount, it’s probably cheaper to buy them online.
A Brief Overview of Each Product in the Range
- Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard Primer Undercoat– A fully water-based adhesion primer. This should be used as a base coat before applying any of the topcoat paints in the range.
- Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard Matt – A fully water-based matt finish.
- Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard Satin – A fully water-based satin finish, and widely regarded as the best water-based satinwood on the market.
- Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard Gloss – A hybrid gloss paint
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Primer Undercoat Review
This paint is touch dry after 1 – 2 hours (depending on conditions).
The recoat time is 4-6 hours, so you can apply multiple coats in a day.
Until they added to the range, we were using Aqua Undercoat as the base coat. At the time of writing this review, Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Primer is a brand-new product. You can apply it via brush or roller. It’s available in white or tinted colours, it adheres well to old oil-based paints, and it even blocks tannins from bleeding through your paint finish. It’s great for priming bare wood, or previously painted surfaces.
It’s a good primer; it has great opacity, meaning you don’t need to apply as many coats of paint, and it doesn’t wreck your brushes like some adhesion primers do.
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Primer has a good open time in normal conditions, but I’ve found that if you’re using it in a hot room, then a few drops of Smith and Rodger Flow and Bond helps.
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Primer flows brilliantly, so it flies on. This is important for me as a Painter and Decorator. It doesn’t craze over caulk either. It’s a little bit on the pricey side compared to other primers, but I don’t mind that if I’m getting quality, and this is quality.
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Matt Review
Touch dry in 2-4 hours.
The recoat time is 4-6 hours.
Matt on woodwork is a growing trend. I’ve seen people using durable matt emulsion on woodwork, particularly when painting media walls. It’s contemporary and trendy but does come with a bit of an issue; most matt paints aren’t particularly durable. This makes them no good for painting doors and windows.
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Matt is. Well, it isn’t as durable as the satin or gloss, but it’s still more durable than most of the other water-based paints I’ve used on woodwork. It flows well, has great opacity, good open time, and settles down to a lovely matt finish.
It’s very easy to avoid defects when using this paint. Brush marks seem to settle, you don’t need to worry about your open time, and it doesn’t sag or run. If I had to describe Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Matt in one word, it would be, ‘lovely’.
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Satin Review
This is a standout product for me. Not just from the Aqua Guard range, but out of all water-based satinwood paints on the market. I have conducted research on Decorators Forum UK, and the overwhelming consensus amongst Decorators is that this is the best satinwood available. I must agree!
Johnstone’s Trade Aqua Guard Satin has a great working time, and you don’t see any brush marks. The finish is gorgeous. Absolutely flawless every time!
But the best thing about this satinwood is its durability. Once cured, it’s as durable as oil-based paints. It doesn’t seem to scratch or scuff, let alone chip. If durability is a concern, then this is the paint you need.
You do need to be a little bit careful on application. If you apply the paint too generously or uneven, you will experience runs and sagging. You soon get used to applying it.
I paint something, then move on and paint something else, before going back and casting my eye over everything I’ve just painted. If there are any runs, I just knock them out with a dry paintbrush.
Don’t let that put you off though. There’s a reason Decorators voted it the ‘best water-based satinwood.’ I think it’s brilliant.
Brand Overview
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard is one of the best water-based ranges out there. No “off the shelf” product comes close. The overall finish and the long-lasting durability are the only things you need to consider. Everything else is a bonus!!
Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Review - Decorator's forum UK
A fully water-based satinwood paint used to coat interior woodwork. This product can be tinted to any colour but is mostly used in Brilliant white.
Product Brand: Johnstone’s Trade
4.8
Pros
- Very durable.
- Gorgeous finish with no defects.
- Fairly easy to apply.
- Good opacity.
- Genuinely one of the best water-based systems available.
Cons
- You do get paint runs on application of the satin, so you need to look back over your work and knock them out.
Best Tools to Apply Johnstone’s Aqua Guard
Aqua Guard is a lot easier to apply than a lot of other water-based satin products. That said, having the correct tools for the job will help you achieve a good finish, so I thought I’d give my recommendations.
The Two Fussy Blokes is a great roller for this sort of paint. Using a roller like this will allow you to apply even coats with no orange peel. Moreover, if you go for the 5mm nap, the paint you apply won’t be too thick and is less likely to sag. Available online by clicking here.
I use the Purdy Elite Monarch XL for Aqua Guard, but there are a few others that will do the job just as well. However, you’re in safe hands with a Purdy Elite Monarch XL: It holds loads of paint, is soft enough to lay-off, and will keep its shape well. Available online by clicking here.
FAQs
Does Johnstone’s Aqua Guard need a primer?
You should use Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Primer when using Aqua Guard Matt, Satin, or Gloss over previously painted or bare surfaces. This is to aid adhesion, handle opacity, and create the perfect base for your topcoat.
Is Aqua Guard self-undercoating?
Some Decorators I know use Johnstone’s Aqua Guard without an undercoat of primer. However, I have always had better results when using it in conjunction with a primer or undercoat.
Is there a water-based undercoat?
There are loads of good-quality water-based undercoat paints available. Johnstone’s Aqua Guard Primer, and Johnstone’s Aqua Undercoat are two of the very best.
Why does satinwood paint feel sticky?
This might be because your satinwood hasn’t had long enough to properly cure. Or it could be because your using a water-based satinwood that contains a lot of acrylic.
What do Other Decorators Think?
I’ve just finished using Johnstone’s Aqua Guard today. If you use the Aqua undercoat and not the primer, it’s good stuff. The undercoat goes for miles. You do need to be careful with the gloss as it can run if you’re not careful
I found it a bit runny (more like oil-based paint), but I guess I’ve not used Aqua Guard enough to get used to it.
Yes, it runs but I guess that’s what gives Aqua Guard its levelling properties. Even oil-based paints run for the uninitiated. From using a water-based finish for the first time over twenty years ago when they were rubbish, to now, this is the best and as near to using an oil based that I have tried.
Can you use aquaguard undercoat and aquaguard satin wood on top of Zinsser BIN as that’s an oil based product? We had to use Zinsser bin as primer to cover varnished skirts and door frames. I’m a bit worried about mixing oil and water based products
The statement of you can apply generous coats and not experience much in the way of sagging or runs.baffled me… Is this just a copy and paste from the aqua satin/gloss product.
Anything with a moulding and your asking for trouble with runs with AG.. Great product but needs modifying as its very labour intensive .. maybe less polyurethane or some way to increase the setup time like intact&scuff-x and they would be on to a winner
Hi there yes you can , I’ve used zinsser on stained wood then built it up with aqua undercoat and finished it with the gaurd
I have the same question. Did you ever find the answer?
You’re fine to use the Aqua system over the top of BIN
1) Can the Aquaguard Undercoat be used on dark stained wood areas & trims that have been sanded down & then followed by the Aquaguard Satin Top Coat?
2) If the Aquaguard Undercoat will not be able to cover & stop bleeding of any sanded dark stained wood areas, then if one uses Zinsser BIN or 123, can one go straight to the Aquaguard Satin Top Coat since Zinsser say one can proceed direct to top coats after applying BIN/123?
You need a coat of BIN, Cover Stain or similar. Then use the aqua undercoat for opacity and a little more adhesion.
Hi Mike,
Can one use the Aqua Guard Satin Top Coat over another brand of water based Undercoat – say the Dulux Trade Quick Dry Wood Primer & Undercoat or MUST it only be the Johnstones Aqua Undercoat & if so, why?
I ask as I have a few tins available & would like to use them & save costs if at all possible but wish to make sure the Aquaguard Top Satin Coat will not have issues later like flaking, peeling off etc!
Many Thanks!
Hi Baz, you should be fine. I was told by Johnstone’s you must use their Aqua undercoat, so that’s all I have ever used. However, I know some decorators use Haft Primer, and similar products
Hi all
After a lot of research and recommendations I chose Aquaguard to paint my kitchen cabinets.
I followed the directions to the letter. Even leaving a full week between coats for it to fully cure.
However after 1 week of the final coat being put on, the paint has bubbled on the bottom of one of the doors above the toaster.
I purchased this paint as it is sold as tough and durable.
After a lot of time and effort I find this not to be the case
Anybody got recommendations how to stop this happening again once I sand it back and repaint (besides the obvious to move the toaster) worried now when I cook on the Hob, the top units either side may do the same thing?
We have just done a job where we used 3 different wb primers up and the agua gard went over them all, no problem. 👍
I have an apology to make to Jonnos about Aquagard. 😳
Until I discovered Tikkurila, I was a big Jonnos fan and really liked their Aqua range, and was happy to try the Aquagard satin.
Sadly, I was very surprised and disappointed at how badly it performed. It was nice to apply, great opacity and a rock hard finish BUT on panelled doors it ran like mad. As much as we kept checking it, it kept running. I hated it. 😔
Last week I thought I’d give it another go (same tin) on some flush doors and frames etc, and it was beautiful. Couldn’t believe how different the same tin of paint behaved.
I think the initial problem was the temperature. We were doing an empty property in autumn with no heating on, and it posed us problems with drying and runs – I’d be wary of using it in similar conditions.
In the right conditions though, it’s magnificent stuff, and will definitely be using it again.
hi, I’ve used the aqua guard to great success on skirting and doors. Brilliant paint. However I struggle on a window sill. Undercoat is fine, but the aqua guard I find really tricky.
I find it starts to dry very quickly and then starts to drag if I need to go over it.
I’ve tried to avoid hot days and direct sunlight without success. Any tips please?
many thanks
Had my kitchen doors painted with Johnson’s aqua guard and a very professional finish, however, I have found that spills on the door fronts, inevitable in a kitchen have marked the paint. At first I tried just water and mild washing up liquid, but since I have tried stronger cleaners, but the spills, water marks don’t come off. So I wouldn’t recommend for base units.
Re the toaster – the melamine coating on the doors melted above our toaster!!
Johnstone’s paint options are a bit confusing.
They have Aqua Guard Primer and Undercoat, as well as Aqua water based Undercoat (which is a hybrid).
Johnstone’s say Aqua Guard can be used on bare wood and stops resins coming through. Can it be used over knots in softwood? If it can’t I think they should be more clear about it.
Then you have their Aqua Water based range which are actually hybrids, and which are a lot cheaper.
You’d expect a hybrid to be tougher and more hard wearing than a full water based paint like Aqua Guard but Johnstone’s say the Aqua Guard is better and more hard wearing.