The best Facade paints, compared.
Top pick: Sandtex Ultra Smooth white 2.5 l – Highest score, 94, on a 4.7 from 689 reviews. A small white tin, not a lab test. Best value: Dulux Weathershield white 7.5 l – About £4.34 per litre, with a usable coverage line of up to 15.2 m² per litre. Updated October 2026.
Facade paint is exterior masonry paint for brick, render, pebbledash, roughcast and concrete. You buy it in the UK to refresh a house wall, a garden wall or a small pier. It is not indoor emulsion, and it is not a craft acrylic set. You tell a suitable tin by the surfaces it names, a coverage figure you can multiply, the pack size for that surface, and whether the film is smooth or finely textured. Sound painted render is an ordinary DIY job. Bare pebbledash needs far more paint than a smooth wall, so a smooth-wall coverage rate will leave you short. A water claim that contradicts itself is a reason to read both fields. Match the colour to the last tin, because a screen and wet paint both mislead. Those checks are set out in the [facade paint buying guide](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/facade-paint/sub/facade-paint-buying-guide). A one-litre tin is for touch-up. A waterproof line is not permission to paint a wet wall. Stabilising primer belongs on a face that stays powdery, not on sound new render. This category was not lab-tested.
Facade paint is exterior masonry paint for brick, render, pebbledash, roughcast and concrete. You buy it in the UK to refresh a house wall, a garden wall or a small pier.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How big is the job?
Across 689 amazon.co.uk reviews, Sandtex Ultra Smooth brilliant white in a 2.5 litre tin sits at 4.7, the highest star line in this set, at £15.95. Reviewers often describe a thick, low-odour film on brick, sills and previously painted walls, finished in one coat on a light surface or two where the change is larger, and brushes wash out in water. One buyer still needed three coats, and a masonry brush failed until a pile roller went on. The bullets claim 15 years of protection and a breathable film; those are maker lines on the listing, not a wall we left out in the weather. Coverage is printed as 430.556 square feet with no per-litre flag, and the paint-type field says Watercolour, which fights the masonry title. The manufacturer field says Crown Paints. Touch-dry is 1.5 hours and the full-cure field is 5 hours. It is the strongest small white tin here, and 2.5 litres will not carry a whole elevation.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want brilliant white Sandtex for sills, a pier or a previously painted wall and you can live with an odd coverage unit.
Less suitable: You need 7.5 litres for a whole elevation, or any colour other than brilliant white.
Specifications
Common questions
What protection does the listing claim?
The bullets say 15 year guaranteed protection, Microseal technology, dirt resistance, a two-way breathable surface, and waterproof wax protection. Is Waterproof is true.
Does it say you need a primer?
No. The primer question is unanswered.
How is coverage stated?
As 430.556 square feet. The listing does not say whether that is per litre or for the 2.5 litre tin. The paint-type field says Watercolour.
Leyland Granocryl smooth brilliant white is £15.17 for 2.5 litres, about £6.07 per litre, and it carries 4.6 from 2,120 amazon.co.uk reviews, the largest sample in this set. Most of the captured comments are short praise for coverage on garden walls, fence posts, sheds and an outhouse, and for a white that stays white once the tin is stirred. The bullets claim a 10-year life while the warranty field says No, so that year line is not a warranty printed on the page. Is Waterproof is false and the water-resistance level says water resistant, which you should read before you treat the film as a sealed coat. One reviewer said a patio coat washed off in overnight rain, and another saw cracking beside Weathershield on a window sill. Coverage is about 10 m² per litre. The dry-time field is 24 hours and the full-cure field is 4 hours, so the two clocks do not agree. It is a low-priced white for posts and small walls, not a listing with a clean waterproof promise.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want an inexpensive 2.5 litre white for garden walls, posts or a shed and you will read the conflicting water fields yourself.
Less suitable: You need a coherent waterproof claim, a 7.5 litre house pack, or a colour other than brilliant white.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the listing say this paint is waterproof?
The fields disagree. Is Waterproof is false. Water resistance level is water resistant. The special feature is weather resistant. A 10-year life is a bullet, and the warranty field is No.
Can it be used on pebbledash?
Yes, in the bullets, with brick, concrete, patio, roughcast, rendering and walls. Stone is asked and not answered.
Does it say you need a primer?
No. The primer question is unanswered and the bullets do not mention a primer.
Sandtex Microseal Smooth black is a 1 litre tin at £11.17, so the price per litre is the shelf price, and the star line is 4.6 from 1,515 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers describe a thick, low-drip matt film on a small wall, a step, a door surround or a pier, often one coat over a light colour and two where the change is bigger, with little smell and brushes that wash out. The pack is the wrong size for a whole elevation. The coverage field reads “EO 1 m² per coat”, which is not a rate you can multiply across a wall, and the only captured bullet says packaging may vary. Waterproof is true while the water-resistance level says water resistant. One buyer stopped after a data sheet mentioned Fletton bricks, and that limit is not in this spec table. Touch-dry is 1 hour and the full-cure field is 24 hours. Keep it for black touch-up.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a litre of black Sandtex for a small exterior masonry job such as a pier or a door surround.
Less suitable: A white house recoat, or any job where you need a coverage figure you can multiply.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this for exterior walls?
The questions are unanswered. The use field says exterior and the indoor/outdoor field says outdoor. The surface field says masonry.
Does the listing say it is waterproof?
Is Waterproof is true. The water-resistance level is water resistant. The bullet list does not add a sentence either way.
What is in the tin size?
1 litre, colour black. The only captured bullet says packaging may vary.
Dulux Weathershield smooth white masonry paint is a 7.5 litre tub at £32.52, about £4.34 per litre, the lowest price per litre in this set. It scores 4.6 from 1,114 amazon.co.uk reviews, many of them garden walls and longer recoats rather than a single weekend pier. Reviewers often call the film low-drip, bright and thick, and some covered a dark garden wall in one coat, although Dulux’s own consumer page still specifies two coats. One reviewer found it jelly-like and easier on pebbledash than on a flat wall, and several tubs leaked or arrived damaged. The listing coverage is up to 15.2 m² per litre, with a 4-hour dry-time field and an 8-hour full-cure field. This page does not print a life claim, a primer rule or a substrate list beyond walls. The tub weighs 8.4 kg and the country-of-origin field says United Kingdom. It is the large white pack to buy when the wall is sound, and too much paint if you only need a litre of black.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are recoating a large white rendered or previously painted wall and want the lowest price per litre in this set.
Less suitable: A small black touch-up, a strong colour, or a wall Dulux excludes on its own pages, such as Fletton brick.
Specifications
Common questions
What surfaces does this listing name?
The surface question is unanswered. The surface field says walls, the use is exterior, and the finish is smooth masonry. No primer line is on the page.
How far does the listing say a litre goes?
Up to 15.2 m² per litre. The pack is 7.5 litres. Dry time is 4 hours and full cure is 8 hours.
Does the listing say it is waterproof?
Is Waterproof is true and the water-resistance level is waterproof. Special features include UV resistant. Country of origin is the United Kingdom.
Sandtex Microseal fine textured Plymouth Grey is the only textured tin in this set: 5 litres at £29.90, about £5.98 per litre. The star line is 4.6 from 90 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the saved listing holds 28 of them. Reviewers praise a thick film that does not drip, on exterior walls, a shed, a yard and patio slabs, and some say one coat covered. Plymouth Grey came out lighter than one buyer expected, closer to off-white on a concrete floor, and another ordered fine textured and received smooth paint. The coverage field says 50–60 m² per litre, which is far above Sandtex’s own fine-textured guide figure and is not a number to buy a house on. Dry time and full cure are both listed at 24 hours. A lid opened in transit and wasted paint down the tin. Choose it when you want this grey with a fine texture and you will check the finish on arrival.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a fine texture in Plymouth Grey on brick and you will ignore the 50–60 m² per litre field.
Less suitable: A smooth white recoat, or anyone planning litres from that coverage string.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the smooth or the textured Sandtex?
The title says Microseal Fine Textured. The finish field is matte. One review says a smooth tin arrived instead.
Does the listing call it waterproof?
Yes. Is Waterproof is true and the water-resistance level is waterproof. The weatherproof question itself is unanswered.
What colour is this 5 litre tin?
Plymouth Grey. The colour field says grey and the code is #808080. Reviews include a shade lighter than expected.
HQC smooth matt racing green is 5 litres at £54.95, about £10.99 per litre, and a brush is listed in the box. The page shows 4.5 from 700 amazon.co.uk reviews, and the same review block is stored on the light-grey ASIN, so the comments name racing green, sage, ivory, terracotta and other shades rather than fifty reviews of this colour alone. When the shade matches, reviewers like the coverage on render, brick, breeze block and garden walls, often one coat on a similar colour and two on new render or a dark change. Several tins stayed yellow until they were stirred for a long time, and one review described peel and a fade toward yellow within weeks. Coverage is up to 6 m² per litre and touch-dry is 2 hours. The title adds pebbledash and garden walls to brick, concrete, render and stone. Open the tin and stir it before you commit the elevation.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You already want racing green on brick, render or a garden wall and you will stir the tin hard before you judge the shade.
Less suitable: A low-cost white recoat, or a buyer who needs this exact green proved by its own review set.
Specifications
Common questions
Can it be used on brick?
The question is unanswered, but the bullet says brick, concrete, render and stone. The title also names pebbledash and garden walls.
Does it claim algae protection?
The question is on the page and is not answered. The captured bullets do not mention algae.
Is a brush in the box?
Included components says Brush. Coverage is up to 6 m² per litre. Finish is matte.
HQC smooth light grey is the same 5 litre price as the racing-green tin, £54.95, about £10.99 per litre, with the same 4.5 from 700 reviews and the same captured review text. Few of those comments actually name light grey. One grey-wall note says an old multi-coloured garden wall was covered and looked better, at a price the buyer noticed. The rest of the praise and the complaints belong to the parent listing: easy coverage on render and brick, two coats on new render, and tins that stayed the wrong colour until a long stir. Coverage is up to 6 m² per litre, touch-dry is 2 hours, and the waterproof field is true. The bullet names brick, concrete, render and stone, and the title adds pebbledash. A brush is included. Treat the stars as evidence for the HQC smooth line, not as a separate test of this grey, and stir before you decide the shade is right.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want light grey HQC on a garden wall or render and you accept that the 700 reviews are not a light-grey-only sample.
Less suitable: A buyer comparing price per litre for white, or anyone who needs this grey confirmed by its own reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this the grey or the green HQC tin?
This ASIN is light grey, colour code #C0C0C0, finish smooth, 5 litres. Racing green is a different ASIN.
Does the listing say it is waterproof?
Is Waterproof is true and the title says waterproof and dirt resistant. The waterproof question on the page is unanswered. Algae protection is also unanswered.
Are the 700 reviews only about light grey?
The saved listing repeats the same review block as the racing-green ASIN, including comments on other shades. The star line is 4.5 from 700 on both.
Polar WallGuard white is 2.5 litres at £36.99, about £14.80 per litre, the highest price per litre in this set, with 4.3 from 477 amazon.co.uk reviews. Reviewers describe a thick matt film on walls, sills, brick and concrete posts, often finished in one or two coats, with little smell. The same star count also covers anthracite and black comments, where the shade missed the colour name, so the white tin is not the whole of that average. Coverage text does not match the pack: a bullet gives one 5 litre tin up to 55 m² and the spec field says 5 litres cover up to 80 m², while the size is 2.5 litres. Some buyers ran short on a first coat of pebbledash, and a second tin arrived watery or a different shade from the first. The surface list does name pebbledash and suitably prepared ironwork. Bullets say touch-dry in 1–2 hours and a recoat after 4–6 hours. Buy it when that surface list is the point, and do not multiply the 5 litre coverage lines.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a white tin that states pebbledash and prepared ironwork, and you will not plan metres from the 5 litre lines.
Less suitable: Anyone comparing price per litre for an ordinary rendered wall that a larger white tub would cover more cheaply.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this tin be used on pebbledash?
The listing questions do not answer that, but the bullets and the surface field name pebbledash, along with brick, stone, cement and masonry.
Does it say you need a primer?
No. The primer question is unanswered. The bullets say the surface should be clean, dry and free of loose material, and that existing coatings should be lightly abraded.
How much does the 2.5 litre tin cover?
The saved listing does not give one figure for 2.5 litres. A bullet says one 5 litre tin covers up to 55 m², and the spec field says 5 litres cover up to 80 m².
Eight amazon.co.uk masonry-paint listings were scored from shelf prices in GBP, the captured star counts, and the review notes stored for each ASIN. This was not a weathering lab, and no BS EN 1062 class was checked. The score uses the Amazon star line and how many ratings sit behind it, whether coverage, pack size and the water fields agree, price per litre from the captured shelf price, and repeated review points on coverage, colour, leaks and early film failure. An unusable coverage string, a shared review block, a thin sample, or a water claim that contradicts itself is deducted. A 10-year or 15-year bullet is not added as a verified life. The top pick is Sandtex Ultra Smooth brilliant white, 2.5 litres, the highest score at 94, on a 4.7 from 689 reviews. The best value is Dulux Weathershield smooth white, 7.5 litres, score 92, about £4.34 per litre, with a usable coverage line. Four other tins also score 92. That tie is not a quality ranking between them.
Stars and review depth
35%The Amazon star line and how many ratings sit behind it. A 4.7 from 689 reviews is not the same evidence as a 4.6 from 90. Stars are the listing average, not a lab weathering test.
Coverage, pack and water
25%Whether the coverage figure, the pack size and the water fields agree. An unusable coverage string, or a water claim that contradicts itself, is deducted.
Review points
25%Repeated review points on coverage, colour, leaks and early film failure. A shared review block or a thin sample is deducted, because the stars then do not belong to that shade alone.
Price per litre
15%Price per litre from the captured shelf price. The lowest price per litre with a usable coverage line can be best value without holding the highest score.
Start with the substrate, then a coverage figure that matches the pack, then smooth or textured, then pack size and colour, then the weather you can actually paint in. The notes below follow that order. None of these listings was lab-tested, and a 10-year or 15-year bullet stays a maker claim.
Facade paint, for a UK shopper, is exterior masonry paint for brick, render, pebbledash, roughcast and concrete. People buy it to refresh a house, a garden wall or a small pier. The useful split is pack size, the surface, and whether the film is a standard smooth acrylic or a specialist system. Silicone and silicate systems sit outside this set.
Bare pebbledash needs far more paint than sound painted render. A figure near 15 m² per litre, or a 50–60 m² per litre field, is the wrong plan. A Trade sheet puts pebbledash nearer 4–6 m² per litre, and that sheet is not identical to every tub here.
Waterproof is not permission to paint a wet wall. Wash growth off first. Stabilising primer belongs on a face that stays powdery, not on sound new render. Dry conditions and a gap between coats still apply.
Screens and wet paint mislead, and two colour listings can share one review block. Stir the tin before you judge the shade. Do not assume the next tin of green or grey matches the last one.
The wall comes before the tin. Sound painted render is a normal DIY job. Bare pebbledash needs far more paint than a smooth face, so a smooth-wall coverage figure will run you short. Dulux says Weathershield is not for common or Fletton bricks, and Trade guidance advises against painting free-standing walls below the damp-proof course. Listing surface fields are often shorter than the title: walls only, exterior only, or a list that names brick, stone, pebbledash and prepared ironwork.
Smooth is the default film, and it is what you want on pebbledash if you are only coating the stones. The only fine-textured tin here is Sandtex Microseal Plymouth Grey, 5 litres, and one buyer received smooth paint instead. A 1 litre tin is for touch-up. A house recoat wants a 5 or 7.5 litre smooth tin.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You are recoating a sound white wall and you want the lowest price per litre in this set. Dulux Weathershield smooth white, 7.5 litres, is about £32.52, about £4.34 per litre, with 4.6 from 1,114 reviews and a listing coverage of up to 15.2 m² per litre. Dulux’s own pages exclude common and Fletton bricks. Leaks and a jelly-like film are in the reviews.
You want brilliant white for a sill, a pier or a previously painted wall, not a whole elevation. Sandtex Ultra Smooth, 2.5 litres, is the top pick, at about £15.95 with 4.7 from 689 reviews. Coverage is printed as 430.556 square feet with no per-litre flag. A 1 litre black tin is the touch-up size, and 2.5 litres will not carry a house wall.
You already want racing green on brick, render or a garden wall, and you will stir the tin before you judge the shade. HQC smooth racing green, 5 litres, is about £54.95, about £10.99 per litre, with coverage stated as up to 6 m² per litre. The 4.5 from 700 reviews is shared with the light-grey ASIN, so this shade is not scored alone.
Sandtex Ultra Smooth brilliant white, 2.5 litres, is the top pick. It has the highest score in this set, 94, on a 4.7 from 689 amazon.co.uk reviews, at about £15.95. That is a small white tin, not a lab weathering result, and the coverage unit is ambiguous. Dulux Weathershield smooth white, 7.5 litres, is the best value at about £4.34 per litre, with a usable coverage line of up to 15.2 m² per litre and 4.6 from 1,114 reviews. Four other tins also score 92, and that tie is not a ranking between them. Buy the large white tub for a sound wall, and the 2.5 litre Sandtex when the job is a sill, a pier or a previously painted patch.
Sandtex Ultra Smooth white 2.5 l
Highest score, 94, on a 4.7 from 689 reviews. A small white tin, not a lab test.
Dulux Weathershield white 7.5 l
About £4.34 per litre, with a usable coverage line of up to 15.2 m² per litre.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public sources from the research digest, last checked on 22 October 2026. Shelf prices and star lines are the amazon.co.uk figures in the display file. The price band is this set, not a market average. No listing was lab-tested. The Dulux Trade sheet is not the same listing as the 7.5 litre tub.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are the stored amazon.co.uk figures, not a live crawl. We did not lab-test these coatings.
