Guide to special effects paints

Clever coatings

Specialist paints provide a world of inspiration, from metallic and sparkling finishes, to revamped benchtops and speckled garage floors. Explore some of the surprising ways you can transform your home with a brush and roller. 

Safety tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment and always follow the product’s instructions for safe and effective application, as well as clean up and disposal. Keep all paint and chemicals out of the reach of children and pets.

Gold effect

Elevate walls and objects with a lustrous gold finish. “Specialty effects paints like Dulux Duramax are perfect for decorative surfaces, shelving, wall hooks, furniture and accessories,” says Brittney Gardiner of Dulux. It is available as a spray paint. Make sure to apply it in a well-ventilated space, and use drop sheets to catch any overspray. “Mask off any areas you want to protect from paint with a good-quality masking tape, and then mix your paint by giving the spray can a good shake,” says Brittney.

Gold paint can also be brushed on in enamel form, and a more muted metallic finish can be brushed or rolled onto an entire feature wall. Specialised wall paints are also available in steel effect, tintable metallic and pearl sheen.

Glittering finishes

For a unique shimmering effect, try a glitter paint. “Incorporating glitter, metallic-sheen or pearl finishes into an interior will set the scene for a hotel-inspired space,” says interior designer Amanda Pocock (acpstudio.com.au). “The subtle light reflection created with these speciality finishes will evoke feelings of opulence and relaxation.”

This feature wall was painted with Dulux Wash & Wear in Mt Inaccessible, then given a coat of Dulux Design Glitter Effects in Rose Gold.

Wet-room paint for kitchens and bathrooms

Transform tired-looking wet rooms with paint designed for tiling, benchtops and cabinets, like the Dulux Renovation range. To prepare the surfaces, remove all silicone, thoroughly clean using sugar soap, then apply specialised primer. (This requires careful pre-planning because the primer must dry for eight hours.) Mix the additive into the paint – which can be tinted to a range of colours – and then apply it using the same size brushes and rollers as for the primer. You’ll need to apply at least two coats.

This bathroom is given a new lease of life using the Dulux Renovation Range, with tiles in Ōkārito and benchtop and vanity in Rangitīkei River.

Concrete and paving

Need a safer non-slip surface outdoors, or wanting a luxe look for a paved patio? Choose a low-sheen paving paint that improves friction as well as making a style statement. Today’s solvent-based options, such as Berger Jet Dry, are ready for recoat in two hours, and can be tinted to match steel fencing or roofing.

Before painting concrete, you will need to give it a thorough clean and, if water beads on it once it’s dry, scrub with an etching agent. Rinse off and check the concrete is fully clean with masking tape – if there is debris left on the tape when you peel it off, repeat the process.

Garage floors

Give your concrete garage floor a new look with a tough, quick-dry coating that can be painted on over a weekend. Try Bondall driveway and garage floor protector, a fast-drying and durable polyurethane resin with an additive to help reduce slipping; it can be applied with a brush or short nap roller. White Knight’s Ultra Pave range includes a concrete etcher for improved bonding, a heavy duty semi-gloss paint that can be tinted to many colours and a non-slip topcoat additive.

This concrete floor was smartened up with Bondall’s driveway and garage floor protector paint in Granite Grey.

Hammered-effect and rust guard for steel

For steel garden features and furniture, try a hammered metal paint such as Rust-Oleum Universal forged hammered finish. It only takes one step to apply this dimpled coating to unprimed steel. (Prep by using a wire brush and sandpaper to get rid of any flaking rust first.)

You can also upcycle metal objects by coating them in cold gal, like White Knight’s Rust Guard cold gal product. This heavy-duty, zinc-rich coating bonds to ferrous metals and prevents them from corroding, and can be painted over or simply left as-is.

Explore the possibilities of specialty paint

Take a deep dive into specialty paints for every surface.

Photo Credit: Cath Muscat, Dulux Australia, Dulux Australia/David Mitchener, Berger, Bondall, White Knight.

Paint colours may vary on application. Some photographs feature products from suppliers other than Bunnings.