The best Magnet paints, compared.
Top pick: FerroPaint charcoal 1 L, two tins Best value: FerroPaint charcoal 2.5 L – Lowest price per stated finished square metre among listings with a multi-coat square-metre figure and at least eight ratings. Updated October 2026.
Magnet paint is a dark grey, water-based coating filled with fine iron, so magnets hold notes, photos or light letters on the dried film. It is not itself a magnet, and loose steel will not jump to the wall. In the UK you buy it for an indoor patch, a door or furniture, then hide the grey with a thin emulsion, chalkboard or dry-wipe coat. That topcoat is a separate job, covered under [chalkboard paint](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/chalkboard-paint). You tell a suitable tin by finished area. Plan on about 2 square metres per litre once three coats are on. A small craft pot is a board or a door strip, not a feature wall. Test with flat neodymium magnets, not ferrite souvenir magnets. Do not tint the grey tin, and keep the colour coat thin, because a thick layer over the iron weakens the pull. Coat order is in [how to apply magnet paint](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/magnet-paint/sub/magnet-paint-how-to-apply). Area, magnets and topcoat are in the [magnet paint buying guide](/hub/paints-and-varnishes/magnet-paint/sub/magnet-paint-buying-guide). A waterproof flag is not a wet-room specification, and no British Standard means a wall will hold magnets.
Magnet paint is a dark grey, water-based coating filled with fine iron, so magnets hold notes, photos or light letters on the dried film. It is not itself a magnet, and loose steel will not jump to the wall.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How big is the patch?
This twin-pack bundles two 1 L tins of FIRST4MAGNETS FerroPaint (FPAINT1000-2, 2 L and 5.13 kg in total) for £51.99, with each 1 L tin stated to cover 2 m² across three coats (4 m² finished area in total, or £13.00 per stated square metre). Having two separate 1 L tins is practical if you are painting two separate 2 m² wall or door areas at different times and do not want to open a single large container all at once. Like the rest of the FerroPaint range, it is an indoor water-based matte charcoal coating with a 24-hour dry and cure time that can be overpainted with standard wall emulsion. However, the amazon.co.uk listing carries only one rating (5.0 out of 5) and a single brief UK review stating that on first use the product was spot on, which leaves no multi-buyer evidence on lumpiness or magnet pull. On pure price per litre, this 2 L bundle (£51.99 for 4 m²) also costs £5.00 more than the single 2.5 L FerroPaint tin (B07B3YDBM9, £46.99 for 5 m²). Unless you specifically need two sealed 1 L tins, the 2.5 L tin gives you half a litre more paint for less money.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Two separate indoor wall, door, or furniture patches of about 2 m² each (4 m² total) when you want a sealed 1 L tin for each job.
Less suitable: A single continuous 4–5 m² wall where the 2.5 L FerroPaint tin (B07B3YDBM9, £46.99) gives more paint for less money, or any outdoor or wet-room surface.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says Each 1 litre tin will cover 2m² for 3 coats.. The pack line says 1 l (Pack of 2).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water-resistance level is Not Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: no. Surfaces: Doors, Walls. Uses: Doors,Furniture. Included components: Paint. No primer is listed in the box.
At £46.99 for a 2.5 L tin (FPAINT2500, 5.82 kg) with a stated finished coverage of 5 m² across three coats, Magnet Expert FerroPaint works out to £9.40 per stated square metre and takes our best value award for larger indoor projects. Compared with the 2.5 L MagPaint tin (B00EIID05W at £82.46 for the same stated 5 m²), it saves £35.47 up front while offering a water-based matte charcoal coating that can be overpainted with standard wall emulsion after 24 hours. The trade-off for that lower price is a much thinner amazon.co.uk review base: it holds 4.1 out of 5 from just eight ratings, with only two written review bodies in the file. In the single UK text review, the buyer applied about five layers to a smaller area and reported that it held fridge magnets well. By contrast, the French reviewer reported that even after seven coats, neodymium magnets failed to grip on their surface. You should also note a metadata mismatch on the listing, where the surface field names Wood alone while the bullet points describe indoor walls, doors, and furniture.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An indoor wall or door project of up to 5 m² when you want the lowest price per stated finished square metre (£9.40/m²) and accept an eight-rating review history.
Less suitable: A floor, an outside wall, or a load heavier than paper and light magnets. Waterproof flags are not a wet-room specification.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says Each 2.5 litre tin will cover 5m² for 3 coats.. The pack line says 2.5 l (Pack of 1).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water-resistance level is Not Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: yes. Surfaces: Wood. Uses: Doors,Furniture. Included components: Paint. No primer is listed in the box.
Sized for a stated 5 m² wall patch from a 2.5 L tin (about £16.49 per stated square metre at £82.46), MagPaint dark grey is our top pick because it carries the only deep UK review history in this set, with 4.0 stars across 279 amazon.co.uk ratings and 50 UK review bodies running from 2015 to 2026. In practice, buyers use it on indoor walls and doors to hold fridge magnets, magnetic letters, and notes, including under blackboard paint or standard wall emulsion on a small kitchen wall. Because the acrylic base is heavy with metal filler, you must stir it thoroughly before rolling and allow 24 hours for drying and curing. Several reviewers warn that the texture goes on grainy, lumpy, or flaky, making a flat decorative finish difficult to achieve without careful rolling. Three coats are sometimes described as barely effective for ordinary ferrite fridge magnets, and a number of buyers applied five or six coats or switched to stronger magnets before paper stayed put. A few buyers also reported tins arriving dented or opened in transit, and the listing contradicts itself by pairing an Indoor recommendation with an Interior/Exterior use tag.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An indoor wall or door patch of up to about 5 m² where you want the most documented amazon.co.uk track record and plan to topcoat with thin emulsion or chalkboard paint.
Less suitable: A floor, an outside wall, or a load heavier than paper and light magnets. Waterproof flags are not a wet-room specification.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says 5m2. The pack line says 2.5 l (Pack of 1).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is True. The water-resistance level is Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: no. Surfaces: Walls. Uses: Interior/Exterior. Included components: Canvas Board. No primer is listed in the box.
This 250 ml MagPaint tin (MAG0000, 680 g) is sized for a stated 0.5 m² patch on indoor doors or walls, such as a narrow notice strip or a small board for magnetic letters. At £20.99 for 0.5 m², the unit cost works out to £41.98 per stated square metre, making it more than twice as expensive per square metre as the 2.5 L MagPaint tin (B00EIID05W). Although the listing displays 4.0 stars from 279 ratings, all 50 UK review bodies in the saved listing match the 2.5 L listing word for word, including entries from 2015 and 2018, so you should treat that count as a shared variation history rather than feedback specific to the 250 ml pot. In those shared reviews, buyers who stirred the thick acrylic well and applied at least three coats (often five or six) held fridge magnets and light notes under a topcoat. However, reviewers frequently criticise the grainy, lumpy finish and weak pull when only three coats are used with ordinary fridge magnets. The technical table also contains a clear data clash, listing dry time as 1 hour but full cure as 0.5 hours.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A door, a notice board, or a test patch of up to 0.5 m² when you want the MagPaint formula without storing a 2.5 L tin.
Less suitable: Anyone treating the 279 reviews as reviews of this 250 ml tin, or anyone painting more than half a square metre.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says 0.5m². The pack line says 250 ml (Pack of 1).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is True. The water-resistance level is Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: no. Surfaces: Doors, Walls. Uses: Interior/Exterior. Included components: paint. No primer is listed in the box.
Combining two 0.5 L tins (FPAINT0500-2, 1 L and 3.75 kg total) for £23.99, this FIRST4MAGNETS FerroPaint twin-pack states that each 500 ml tin covers 1 m² across three coats, giving 2 m² of total finished coverage at £12.00 per stated square metre. That makes it £3.00 cheaper for 1 L of paint than the single 1 L FerroPaint tin (B07B3XVMXY at £26.99), while splitting the paint into two 500 ml containers for indoor doors, walls, or furniture. Once the three matte charcoal coats have dried and cured for 24 hours, the bullets state that you can paint over them with standard emulsion. The drawback is the lack of buyer feedback on this specific ASIN: although the star line shows 4.0 out of 5 from two ratings, there are no written review bodies in the saved listing to confirm ease of stirring or magnet grip. In addition, the listing metadata contradicts itself by setting Is Waterproof to True alongside a water-resistance level of Not Water Resistant. If you want written UK reviews on a 1 L quantity of the same formula, check the 30-rating single 1 L tin (B07B3XVMXY).
Pros
Cons
Best for: An indoor door, wall, or furniture project of 1 m² to 2 m² when you want two separate 0.5 L tins and a £3 saving over the single 1 L tin.
Less suitable: Shoppers who want written UK reviews on the exact ASIN before buying, or any floor, exterior, or wet-room application.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says Each 0.5 litres will cover 1m² for 3 coats.. The pack line says 500 ml (Pack of 2).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is True. The water-resistance level is Not Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: no. Surfaces: Doors, Walls. Uses: Doors,Furniture. Included components: Paint. No primer is listed in the box.
Sold in a 1 L tin (FPAINT1000, 2.54 kg) for £26.99, FIRST4MAGNETS FerroPaint states a finished coverage of 2 m² across three coats, which works out to £13.50 per stated square metre on indoor walls, doors, or furniture. Across 30 amazon.co.uk ratings (3.7 out of 5) and nine written review bodies (three from the UK, four from France, and two from Spain), buyers report that three generous coats create a light-duty magnetic surface capable of holding about two sheets of A4 paper with a single strong magnetic pin. Once cured after 24 hours, the matte charcoal coat can be overpainted with standard wall emulsion. The main limitation in the reviews is holding power with ordinary household magnets: UK buyers note that everyday fridge magnets and heavier ornaments fail to grip, requiring extra-strong neodymium magnets to hang pictures or cards. French and Spanish reviewers similarly report that four coats still required multiple magnets per card and failed to hold magnetic letters with small inserts. In addition, the Amazon spec table mislabels the paint type as Watercolour and pairs Is Waterproof: False with Water Resistant.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An indoor wall, door, or furniture section of about 2 m² when paired with flat neodymium magnets and light paper loads.
Less suitable: A floor, an outside wall, or a load heavier than paper and light magnets. Waterproof flags are not a wet-room specification.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says Each 1 litre tin will cover 2m² for 3 coats.. The pack line says 1L.
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water-resistance level is Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: no. Surfaces: Walls. Uses: Doors,Furniture. Included components: Paint. No primer is listed in the box.
Priced at £10.99 for two 0.25 L tins (FPAINT0250-2, 0.5 L and 1.44 kg total), this FIRST4MAGNETS FerroPaint twin-pack is the lowest-priced entry in the comparison and states 0.5 m² per tin across three coats (1 m² finished area in total, or £10.99 per square metre). Splitting the 500 ml volume across two small tins lets you mix and roll one 0.5 m² patch on an indoor door, wall, or piece of furniture while keeping the second tin sealed. Across nine amazon.co.uk ratings (3.5 out of 5) and three written UK reviews, buyers confirm that three to four coats hold magnets that are not too heavy, and the matte charcoal surface can be painted over with standard emulsion after 24 hours. However, the recurring complaint in the UK reviews is consistency: one buyer reported that the heavy ferrous paste was so thick that lumps could not be stirred out, making wall application difficult. Another reviewer felt the constant remixing and effort were poor value for a small patch. The listing also carries an unedited 500 ml (one-pack) size label even though the model number and description specify two 0.25 L tins.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small indoor door, board, or wall patch of 0.5 m² to 1 m² when you want to spend £10.99 rather than buying a full litre.
Less suitable: A floor, an outside wall, or a load heavier than paper and light magnets. Waterproof flags are not a wet-room specification.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says Each 0.25 litre tin will cover 0.5m² for 3 coats.. The pack line says 500 ml (one-pack).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water-resistance level is Not Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: no. Surfaces: Doors, Walls. Uses: Doors,Furniture. Included components: Paint. No primer is listed in the box.
This single 250 ml tin of FIRST4MAGNETS FerroPaint (FPAINT0250-1, £11.99) lists a short-nap roller in the included-components field and names glass, interior walls, metal, plastic, and wood as target surfaces. Its coverage field prints 0.5m without a squared symbol or a coat count, though the twin-pack of the same 0.25 L tin (B07B3Y9YRH) states 0.5 m² for three coats. Even on that 0.5 m² basis, paying £11.99 for a single 250 ml tin is poorer value than buying the two-tin 0.25 L pack for £10.99. Across 11 amazon.co.uk ratings (3.4 out of 5) and seven written UK reviews, buyer experiences split sharply depending on magnet weight. A few reviewers who followed the instructions found it easy to apply and reported that two coats held lighter magnets, whereas several others stated that two, three, or even four coats failed to hold souvenir magnets or small magnets at all. Allow 24 hours for drying and curing before testing with flat neodymium magnets or applying an emulsion topcoat.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A tiny indoor test patch of up to 0.5 m² when you specifically want the single-tin listing that names a short-nap roller in the box.
Less suitable: A measured wall, until the coverage unit is read as square metres on a sibling tin rather than on this listing, or anyone who can buy the two-tin 0.25 L pack (B07B3Y9YRH) for £1 less.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says 0.5m. The pack line says 250 ml (Pack of 1).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water-resistance level is Not Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: yes. Surfaces: Glass, Interior Walls, Metal, Plastic, Wood. Uses: Interior. Included components: Short Nap Roller. No primer is listed in the box.
Pebeo 093506 is a 250 ml matte grey acrylic craft tin (£18.99) listed for indoor canvas, wood, plaster, furniture, and small objects, with a stated touch-dry time of 4 hours and full cure at 24 hours. Unlike the wall tins in this comparison, its coverage line claims 2.5–3 m² per 250 ml can without stating a coat count, which represents a single thin layer rather than a three-coat ferrous build. Across 84 ratings (3.3 out of 5) and 28 written reviews (only three from the UK, alongside 19 from France and six from Italy, Germany, and Belgium), results depend heavily on how small an area you cover. Two UK reviewers succeeded on compact surfaces, holding fridge magnets on either side of a cooker hood and across four coats on stainless steel, though chunkier magnets would not stick. By contrast, a third UK buyer applied five layers to a wall and found even strong magnets failed to hold, while several French buyers used a whole pot on a wooden half-door or bought a second tin for a fourth and fifth coat only to see photos slide off. The technical table also copies the 250 ml volume directly into the 250 g weight field and leaves an untranslated German string (a brush) under included components.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small craft board, canvas, or cooker-hood side panel where you concentrate all 250 ml into four or five coats rather than stretching it over 2.5–3 m².
Less suitable: A feature wall planned with the 2.5–3 m² line as if it were three-coat ferrous coverage.
Specifications
Common questions
What coverage does the listing state?
The coverage field says 2.5-3 square metres per 250 ml can. The pack line says 250 ml (Pack of 1).
Is it marked waterproof?
Is Waterproof is False. The water-resistance level is Not Water Resistant.
Does the listing name wood or a primer in the tin?
Wood appears in the surface or use fields: yes. Surfaces: Canvas, Furniture, Objects, Plaster, Walls, Wood. Uses: Wood. Included components: a brush. No primer is listed in the box.
Nine amazon.co.uk magnet paint listings were scored from the stored listing fields and the UK review files captured for each ASIN, snapshot 22 October 2026. This was not a laboratory pull test. The largest share is the amazon.co.uk star line, scaled down when a listing has fewer than 30 ratings, so one 5.0 does not outrank a long review history. Review volume is next. A stated finished square-metre figure scores above a coverage line with no coat count or a dropped unit. Clashes are then deducted: a shared review file, a watercolour label, a waterproof flag that fights the resistance level, an indoor line beside an exterior use tag, and a weight that copies the millilitres. The top pick is the highest score, the 2.5 L tin with the only deep standalone UK review file. The best value is the lowest price per stated finished square metre among the other listings that print a finished square-metre figure and have at least eight ratings. The coat-less coverage line and the incomplete 0.5m string are not in that price-per-metre sum.
Amazon rating
45%The largest share. Stars are scaled by review count, so a listing under 30 ratings cannot take the full star points. The figure is the amazon.co.uk average, not a lab pull test.
Review volume
25%A deeper amazon.co.uk rating count scores higher, up to a cap. A shared parent file is not treated as extra reviews of the small tin.
Stated coverage
15%A finished square-metre figure, with a coat count in the line or on the maker’s sheet, scores above a coverage string that omits coats or drops the squared symbol.
Listing consistency
15%Points come off for a shared review file, a watercolour label, a waterproof clash, an indoor versus exterior tag, an incomplete unit, or a weight that copies the millilitres.
Start with the finished area, then the magnet, then a thin topcoat, then whether the review file belongs to that pack. The notes below follow that order. None of these listings was lab-tested for pull.
Magnet paint is a water-based coating filled with fine iron or magnetite. The dried film holds magnets. The paint is not a magnet, and loose steel will not jump to the wall. UK buyers use it for an indoor patch, a door or furniture that will hold notes, photos or light magnetic letters, then hide the grey. Judge a tin by finished area, then by the magnet, then by a separate thin topcoat, then by whether the review file belongs to that pack. Finished area comes first.
A 250 ml pot, or a coverage line of 2.5–3 m² with no coat count, is not a three-coat wall. A 2.4 m by 3 m wall is 7.2 m² and wants roughly a 5 litre tin. Plan on about 2 m² per litre once three coats are on.
Boards Direct, Cleverpaint and Tikkurila specify neodymium magnets with a flat face. Ferrite souvenir magnets are the usual reason a finished wall seems dead. A thick emulsion over the iron weakens the pull. Do not tint the grey tin.
The 250 ml MagPaint tin shows 4.0 from 279, and the review text matches the 2.5 L file, including dates from 2015. Treat that count as shared. A waterproof flag, a watercolour label or a wood-only surface field can also fight the bullets.
Size the patch before the tin. About 2 m² per litre across three coats is the working rate on the MagPaint sheet and the FerroPaint bullets. Tikkurila UK is about 1.5 m² per litre across three coats, and that product is not in this set. A 2.4 m by 3 m wall is 7.2 m². A 250 ml pot is a door strip or a craft board. Pebeo’s 2.5–3 m² per 250 ml has no coat count, so it is not the same unit as a three-coat wall. One listing prints 0.5m without a squared symbol. Then choose the magnet.
Do not tint the grey tin. Added paint dilutes the iron, and a thick colour coat weakens pull. The bullets point to a thin emulsion, chalkboard or dry-wipe topcoat after the iron-filled coats have cured. Stir the filler before you roll. Three coats are the usual minimum. Some buyers used five or six. Match the review file to the pack. The small MagPaint tin repeats the 279-rating file of the 2.5 L tin.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You want an indoor wall or door of up to about 5 m² for notes and letters, and you want the deepest UK review file. MagPaint dark grey 2.5 L is the top pick, at about £82.46 with 4.0 from 279 ratings. The listing states 5 m². Stir it, and plan a thin topcoat. Ordinary fridge magnets may still need extra coats.
You have measured a door, a notice strip or a board at about 0.5 m² and you do not want a 2.5 L tin in the cupboard. MagPaint grey 0.25 L is about £20.99 for a stated 0.5 m². The 4.0 from 279 matches the large tin’s review file. Treat that count as shared.
You want about 5 m² and the lowest price per stated finished square metre. FerroPaint charcoal 2.5 L is the best value, at about £46.99, about £9.40 per stated square metre across three coats. It has 4.1 from eight ratings. The surface field says wood while the bullets name doors and furniture.
The top pick is MagPaint dark grey 2.5 L at about £82.46. It has the highest score in this set and the only deep standalone UK review file, 4.0 from 279 ratings, on a tin the listing states at 5 m². The best value is FerroPaint charcoal 2.5 L at about £46.99, about £9.40 per stated square metre across three coats, with 4.1 from eight ratings. Neither badge is a laboratory pull test. Read the coat count, the magnet type and the review file before you buy the smaller tins.
FerroPaint charcoal 2.5 L
Lowest price per stated finished square metre among listings with a multi-coat square-metre figure and at least eight ratings.
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.
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.
