Johnstone’s Pliolite-Based Masonry Paint Review

Johnstone’s Stormshield pliolite masonry paint is available from any Johnstone’s decorating centre, as well as several independent merchants. Unless you qualify for a trade discount, it will almost certainly be cheaper to buy this paint online. Plus, by buying online, they can match any colour from any other brand into Johnstone’s Pliolite. Click here to see online prices.

It is primarily a trade product, meaning you can expect to pay more for this paint on the understanding it is better quality than the retail alternatives.

Johnstone’s pliolite is available in white, black, or any of about 10,000 tinted colours. Touch dry in roughly 1 hour, you can recoat this product the next day. As with any pliolite based masonry paint, this product is shower proof after 20 minutes and can be used in temperatures as low as minus 5. Johnstone’s are very good at matching colours from other brands too.

My Johnstone’s Pliolite-Based Masonry Paint Review

As mentioned in the first paragraph, this is a trade product so you should expect to pay more. But with a shelf price of roughly £70 for a 5L, it needs to perform well!! One great thing about Johnstone’s pliolite-based masonry finish over some of the other brands, is it can be tinted into pretty much any colour. This is something Johnstone’s seem to be good at no matter what the product.

Opacity is great, apart from in white, which isn’t lacking too much.  Ease of use is ok too (for an oil) and you can spray this product with ease. You can really dilute this paint and it will still cover pretty much any surface in two or three coats. You can touch it up too, which is a real bonus!!

There’s still an argument to use water-based masonry paint over oil, but as far as pliolite goes, this ticks all the boxes. I wouldn’t say it is the very best on the market, but it is up there, and I think it justifies its price tag. I use this on a regular basis and I have no apprehensions when it comes to recommending it. Click here to see online prices.

Review Summary

Best Tools to Apply Pliolite-Based Masonry Paint

Applying pliolite based masonry paint isn’t like applying a water-based paint. It’s a very sticky product and can be difficult unless you use the correct tools for the job. To that end, I thought I’d tell you what I use.

A relatively stiff paintbrush will make life easier. You don’t want to spend a lot of money on brushes either, because they’re likely to get wrecked. My suggestion is Hamilton for the Trade. They’re reasonably priced and will do everything you need them to. Available online here.

There are two paint rollers you should consider, depending on what you’re paining. If your wall has a heavy texture, then the Axus Captain Chunk is by far the best option for pliolite masonry paint. It is expensive, but believe me when I tell you, it really will be a lifesaver. Available online here.

If your wall isn’t too textured, then Hamilton Perfection Long Pile roller will be fine. You’ll find distribution bang on. Available online by clicking here.

FAQs

Is pliolite paint breathable or not?

Pliolite paint is breathable to a point, but it won’t cope with a lot of moisture in the substrate or lime plaster. In that type of situation, you should opt for a silicone or silicate masonry paint instead.

Is Johnstone’s Masonry Paint water based?

Johnstone’s Smooth masonry paint is water-based. Johnstone’s pliolite masonry paint is oil-based.

Can you use pliolite paint on wood?

You certainly can. Pliolite will cover wood without issue, although that isn’t what it’s designed for. The only problem you might have is tannins or sap bleeding through over time.

How long does pliolite paint last?

A good quality pliolite paint should last around 15 years unless there is a lot of moisture in the substrate you coat with it.