Perfect Preparation & Application

Once you’ve chosen your perfect colour and finish, it’s time to bring your vision to life. From preparing your surfaces to selecting the right tools, our expert tips will help you achieve a flawless finish — and a home you’ll love for years to come.

Interior Painting

Exterior Painting

Primers & Undercoats

Wallpaper

Preparing Surfaces

To get the best from our finishes, preparation is key. Taking the time to get your surface ready makes all the difference.

Your surface should be sound, clean, dry, and free from any dirt, dust, grease, mould, or loose material. Fill then sand any small cracks and imperfections – even small marks can stand out once colour is applied, especially with higher-sheen finishes. A matt finish will help to soften the appearance of uneven surfaces, but the imperfections themselves will still show in certain light.

Finally, lightly sand the whole area to create a slight texture – this helps the paint adhere – and wipe away any leftover dust.

The Farrow & Ball System

Our paint colours are loved for their depth, complexity, and beautiful response to light — and part of that signature Farrow & Ball finish lies in the preparation. For an even, long-lasting result, we recommend following the Farrow & Ball system:

Start with one full coat of Primer & Undercoat in the recommended tone to seal the surface and create a smooth, consistent base.
Follow with two coats of your chosen topcoat for rich colour and lasting durability.

For some surfaces, like newly plastered or dry-lined walls, begin with a diluted layer of your chosen topcoat (also known as a mist coat) before applying two full coats. Avoid over-diluting the mist coat, as this can reduce coverage and affect the depth of colour. If the first coat doesn’t look fully opaque once dry, a second undiluted coat of Primer & Undercoat may help achieve a perfectly even base.

To get the best possible finish, always allow the recommended drying time between coats. You’ll find timings on each product page, but do keep in mind that factors such as temperature, humidity, and the shade you’re using can all affect drying time.

More 'How to' Project Help

Painting Kitchen Cabinets

Painting Furniture

Painting Front Doors

Painting Planters

Interior Painting

Whether you’re transforming walls, woodwork, metal or floors, you’ll find clear, practical guidance below. Each section walks you through the essentials for a flawless finish.

Select a Surface

If you’d like a little more detail along the way, our Product Advice Sheets have plenty of extra tips and know-how.

Before You Begin

Start by making sure your surface is clean, dry and stable. Remove any dirt, grease, mould and loose material, fill small cracks, holes or imperfections, then lightly sand the area to help the new paint bond. Wipe away dust once you’re done.

If you’re using more than one tin of the same colour, check that the batch numbers are the same (you’ll find them on the base of the tin). If not, mix the tins together so your colour is perfectly consistent. Always stir your paint thoroughly to ensure a uniform colour and consistency.

Primer & Undercoat

A suitable Primer & Undercoat not only seals the surface for a perfect base, but also increases durability of the topcoat for the most long-lasting result. We offer four colours designed to enhance the intensity of your chosen paint – you’ll find the recommended tone online or on the back of your colour card.

Apply a full, solid coat and allow it to dry completely – it should be touch dry in around two hours and can be recoated after four hours. If it still looks uneven or patchy, add a second coat before moving onto your topcoat.

Paint Application

Apply two full coats of your chosen paint using a brush or roller. Allow the paint to dry completely between coats – it will enhance its durability.

For an even finish, apply your final coat using long, even strokes in one direction to reduce visible brush marks. If you’re using a roller, lay off the paint in a single direction to minimise any patterning effects. Find more application tips in our brochure.

Whether you’re using Dead Flat, Modern Emulsion, Flat Eggshell, Modern Eggshell or Full Gloss, it’ll be touch dry in two hours and ready for a second coat after about four hours.

Cleaning Up

Once you’ve finished, remove as much paint as possible from brushes or rollers before cleaning. Do not flush paint down the drain, including when cleaning painting tools.

Select a Surface

Whether your surface is freshly plastered or simply in need of a refresh, this guide will take you through the steps to perfect painting.

These guidelines apply to Dead Flat and Modern Emulsion. If your surface isn’t listed here, please refer to our detailed Product Advice Sheets or call our customer services team for specific advice tailored to your project.

Bare Plaster

This applies to plasterboard, skim plaster, sheet rock and dry-lined walls. Make sure any new plaster is completely dry before painting – as a guide, British Standard 6150 recommends allowing 7 days per 5mm thickness.

Create a mist coat by diluting your topcoat with 250ml of water for every 1 litre of paint. This helps seal the plaster for an even finish.

Avoid over-diluting, as this can cause patchiness – test a small area first to check you’ve got the right dilution rate. Allow the mist coat to dry, then finish with two coats of your chosen topcoat.

Previously Painted Plaster

After prepping your surface, apply at least one coat of Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat – a second may be needed to achieve a solid and even colour base. Follow this with two coats of your chosen colour. Remember to allow at least four hours of drying time between coats.

Glossy or Oil-Based Surfaces

Gently sand down and then clean with a detergent. Apply one full coat of Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat to promote adhesion and enhance the topcoat colour.

Slightly Degraded Plaster

If your surface is porous, chalky or slightly crumbly, but otherwise structurally sound, you can use our Masonry & Plaster Stabilising Primer. Pair it with our Dead Flat finish for the best results.

After prepping the surface, apply one coat of the primer followed by a coat of Wall & Ceiling Primer & Undercoat. Finish with two coats of your chosen colour. Leave four hours to dry between coats.

75 Years of Perfecting Paint

If you've ever wondered what it is that makes Farrow & Ball so special, you'll find the answers here. From our high-quality ingredients to our artisanal methods, our 100% water based range of finishes and responsible practices, it's about so much more than just paint and paper.

Find Out More

75 Years of Perfecting Paint

Find Out More

75 Years of Perfecting Paint

Find Out More

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Sample the colour

Peignoir No.286

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Sample the colours

Peignoir No.286

Tailor Tack No.302

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Sample the colours

Peignoir No.286

Tailor Tack No.302

Calamine No.230

Take Dead Flat® across walls, woodwork and metal, for an effortless, full-room transformation with just one finish.

For walls, interior wood and metal

Suitable for use on walls, interior wood and metal.

From walls, floors and furniture to radiators, skirtings and sheds, our range of paint finishes can help you transform almost any surface in your home (and outside it, too). Browse our full selection of finishes to find the perfect paint for your project.

100% water based

Toy safe

Low odour

Toy safe

This finish is independently tested and certified toy-safe in accordance with Safety of Toys Part 3: Migration of certain elements (EN 71-3:2019+A1:2021). That means you can and a splash of colour to toys, cribs and other surfaces little ones come into contact with.

Our paints also have hardly any odour and don’t need any solvents to clean up, so you can breathe easy during application and beyond. If you've ever wondered what it is that makes Farrow & Ball so special, you'll find the answers here. From our high-quality ingredients to our artisanal methods, our 100% water based range of finishes and responsible practices, it's about so much more than just paint and paper.

Meet Patrick O'Donnell

As the online face of Farrow & Ball, you’ve likely seen our Brand Ambassador Patrick O’Donnell before. But for those who haven’t had the pleasure yet, let us introduce you.

Patrick has been bringing his impeccable taste to Farrow & Ball since 2012. His decorating advice on Instagram has inspired millions and his expertise has transformed projects of every space and style — from family homes to country cottages and even his all-time favourite, an 18th-century gatehouse. Since 2024, he’s also been the voice of Farrow & Ball, lending his dulcet tones and colourful conversation to our podcast, The Chromologist.

Booking your colour consultancy with Patrick is an exclusive opportunity to bring his famous advice from your screen to your sofa. Listening to your lifestyle, tastes and what colour means to you personally, he’ll collaborate with you to do what he does best: create the perfect schemes. Whether you want to refresh one room or redecorate your whole home, his wealth of experience is ready and waiting.

Colour consultancy with Patrick starts at £250 per hour for a virtual appointment or £300 per hour for an in-home consultation.

Book In-Home With Patrick

Book Virtually With Patrick

See Inside Patrick’s Home

Take the grand tour and see how the colour connoisseur has brought his own home to life with colour, pattern and an expert eye.

When Patrick Met Bea: A New Look for a Victorian Home

Bea wanted to find a way to reflect her and her young family in the décor of their charming Victorian home. Who better to step in and lend a hand, than our resident colour connoisseur and Brand Ambassador, Patrick O’Donnell?

Yeabridge Green No. 287 , Pointing No.2003 and Bancha No.298

Chinese Blue No.90 & Pointing No.2003

A Story in Colour with the Farrow & Ball Archive

From Oscar Wilde to the colours of Brazil, Max Hurd was full of ideas for making his first home, a Victorian London terrace, feel uniquely him. A passion for colour lead him to our doorstep and, with the encouragement of our brand ambassador and colour connoisseur Patrick O’Donnell, Max and his partner took a deep dive into the Archive to find the array of colours that now adorn the space.

Photography: Boz Gagovski

Fake Tan No.9912

From Lived-in to Luxury: Transforming The Arch

After bringing life back to the Beckford Arms, a derelict pub on the Fonthill Estate, Charlie Loxton set his sights on the magnificent Fonthill Arch, the 18th century gatehouse at the entrance to the grounds. Dreaming of transforming the characterful home into a luxury, country retreat, Charlie knew the best person to call for help with this colourful cottage.