Products
Wall Putty
Wall putty for levelling and smoothing surfaces before painting, with guidance on when it is needed and how quantity is estimated.
Answer
What this covers
Applications
Typical uses
- Smoothing new plaster before painting
- Levelling minor surface irregularities
- Preparing a wall where the finish will show every defect
- Filling before a high-sheen finish, which shows more
Choosing
What affects the choice
- The surface, and what is already on it
- Its condition — sound, chalking, peeling, damp
- Whether this is new work or a repaint
- Interior or exterior exposure
- The finish you want
- Whether the shade needs tinting
Quantity
How quantity is estimated
Area ÷ coverage × coats, plus any allowance you decide to add. The estimator on the tools page does the arithmetic and shows its working.
Add it
Add to your paint list
Add this to your paint list
Category level is fine. Product, brand and pack are confirmed at quotation.
Product availability, shade and tinting are confirmed at enquiry or counter.
Price
What affects the price
- Product type
- Surface condition
- Number of layers
- Coverage
- Quantity
- Pack size
Availability
What affects availability
- Product and brand
- Pack size
- Shade, and whether it is standard or tinted
- Quantity required
- Whether the item is held or ordered
Enquiry
What to send
- The room or area, and what the surface is
- Its condition, and photographs if you can
- Net wall or ceiling area, if you have measured it
- The finish you want
- Shade name or code, if decided
- Whether this is new work or a repaint
Questions
Frequently asked
What is the difference between putty and primer?
Putty levels the surface. Primer seals it and prepares it for the topcoat. They do different jobs, and a job may need one, both or neither.
Which applies depends on the surface and the manufacturer’s system for the product you are using.
Do I always need putty?
No. On a sound, smooth, previously painted interior wall it is often unnecessary. It matters most on new plaster, on uneven surfaces, and where a higher-sheen finish will reveal defects.