An Intelligent Grip™ Q&A with our Operations Director, Ben
We sat down with our Operations Director, Ben, to answer all your questions about the latest upgrade to our Intelligent Paint finishes.
Read the Q&A to find out exactly what ‘Intelligent Grip™ technology’ means and how it can change the way you decorate – from faster decorating times to providing greater freedom to transform every surface in your home
1. What is Intelligent Grip™ technology?
“The Little Greene chemists have upgraded the formulations of our four main Intelligent Paint finishes – Matt, Eggshell, Satin and Gloss – with groundbreaking new Intelligent Grip™ technology.”
“The way this technology works is that we have combined the unique resin building blocks from our very successful Intelligent A.S.P primer, with the opaque and durable topcoat properties of our Intelligent Matt, Eggshell, Satin and Gloss. This allows us to combine primer and topcoat in a single tin and promote premium adhesion to the painted surface.
As the paint dries, the ‘primer’ elements of the paint grip securely to the substrate beneath, whilst the highly pigmented ‘topcoat’ rises to the surface. This means you can achieve a robust, durable coating along with an exquisite finish and rich depth of colour, using just one tin of Intelligent Paint.”
2. How will this technology change the way I decorate?
“The biggest change is that you now only need one tin of paint to decorate a whole range of household surfaces. You can apply your chosen Intelligent finish straight to walls and woodwork, as well as Melamine, Formica, tiles, glass, metals and uPVC.”
“This opens up a new world of opportunities when it comes to creating beautiful interiors that embrace the power of colour and imaginatively combine different sheen levels. But it also makes for a much simpler decorating process that is more efficient, economical and sustainable, reducing waste paint and packaging.
With Intelligent Grip™ technology, very minimal surface preparation is needed. Not only can you skip the primer, but you can usually go ahead and paint without having to sand first – just make sure the surface is stable, clean and dry. Decorating your home really couldn’t be simpler!”
3. What household surfaces can I paint with these finishes?
“The short answer is, everything! From Formica kitchen cabinets to uPVC window frames, wooden furniture to metal radiators, you can apply these finishes to almost any surface throughout your entire home, and they’re also suitable for smaller exterior projects.”
“These paints are available in the complete palette of Little Greene paint colours, so we’re really taking a big step forward, providing new creative opportunities for you to decorate your home with paint.
One of my favourite aspects of the upgrade is the flexibility it provides. You can use one tin of paint to complete a variety of different projects, introducing beautiful Little Greene colour throughout your interiors and exteriors.
If you have some paint left after completing your room refresh, you can easily upcycle a piece of furniture, update your skirting boards, or simply paint a few picture frames to coordinate with your new colour scheme.”
4. Are there any other benefits of using Intelligent Paints?
“Our Intelligent Paints have been repeatedly endorsed by homeowners, interior designers and professional decorators alike, and that’s only going to increase with the latest upgrade.
These eco-friendly, water-based formulations are unrivalled in their speedy 1-2 hour recoat times and extraordinary coverage of 14 square metres per litre, which means you can complete projects more quickly, and using less paint.
You can choose from a variety of different sheen levels, ranging from a new exceptionally smooth and matt 2% sheen, to a fantastic 87-90% sheen gloss that measures up with a traditional oil-based gloss.
All this, and the Intelligent Paints are also certified child-safe with less than 0.1% VOC content and A+ Interior Air Quality, so you can have complete confidence to use them around little ones and pets.”
5. Was there any special testing process for the upgraded formulation?
“Our upgraded formulations went through a rigorous, 5-year testing process to ensure they deliver the best possible results in terms of their long-term performance and durability. This included specialised external panel testing at our factory and laboratory in Snowdonia in North Wales.
The paints we’ve developed are so tough, they can now be considered ‘exterior grade’, giving you the chance to use them in even more projects, internally and externally, for the decoration and protection of your entire home.
All our paints also go through an industry-standard ‘scrub test’, where a Brillo pad moves backwards and forwards over the painted surface to assess its durability. Our Intelligent Paints can undergo 10,000 scrubs, which is twenty times more than ordinary paints. So you can be confident these finishes will endure all the wear and tear of a busy family home!”
6. Do I still have to use a primer?
“Thanks to Intelligent Grip™ technology, our Intelligent Paints now have a built-in primer, so – in most cases – there’s simply no need to prepare the surface with a separate primer or undercoat. However, we would still recommend using Little Greene’s Intelligent All Surface Primer for best results in specific circumstances.
If you are undertaking a challenging colour transformation, such as black to white, a coat of Intelligent A.S.P. tinted to the shade of your topcoat will help with the colour build-up. Or if you are using these finishes in exterior projects, Intelligent A.S.P. can provide a sturdy, weatherproof base to achieve long-term protection of the surface.”
Explore Intelligent A.S.P.
7. How do I choose which finish to use?
“Intelligent Matt, Eggshell, Satin and Gloss are all truly multi-surface paints, giving you complete freedom to combine colours and sheen levels as you choose. But each finish does have its own unique properties, specially designed for certain projects such as painting your bathroom walls or kitchen cabinetry…
- With a new incredibly smooth finish, Intelligent Matt Emulsion has a low 2% sheen that’s ideal for colour drenching. Using just one tin of paint, you can paint your walls, woodwork, trim, panelling, radiators and tiles in one colour, for an all-over matt finish. This emulsion paint is also completely washable, making it the first choice for walls and ceilings in high-traffic areas like hallways, utility rooms and kids’ rooms.
- Intelligent Eggshell is a fantastic go-to paint for all your household woodwork, and for protecting kitchen and bathroom walls with a near-matt, low-sheen finish of 10-15%.
- With a slightly higher sheen of 30-35%, Intelligent Satin is our recommended paint for decorating kitchen cabinetry, used by many professional kitchen manufacturers.
- Or if you’re looking for a fabulous high gloss paint, Intelligent Gloss is suitable for walls, woodwork, metals, plastics, and even front doors!”
