Matt varnish: Noble surfaces without gloss

What does "varnish matt" mean?

Varnishes are paints that seal and protect the surface of various substrates such as wood, metal, plastic, etc. Matt varnish means that a varnish becomes matt when it dries and does not form a reflective or mirror-like surface. Matt varnishes have a powdery, velvety, even downright dull appearance. Its effect is particularly high-quality and elegant, especially as a furniture lacquer.

The differences between chalk varnishes and other matt varnishes

Chalk varnishes are known for being matt varnishes. Here, the chalk contained in the varnish lies softly on all surfaces. The chalk pigments really soak up the light and, similar to velvet, make every colour look particularly intense. You achieve a completely matte look with chalk-based varnishes. Other matt lacquers achieve a similar effect by using other matting fillers instead of chalk.

You can find these matt lacquer variants at MissPompadour

The matt varnish variant Matt Varnish is completely matt. It is water-based, low-odour and splash-free. Matt Varnish is suitable for working on wood, metal, stone, painted and unpainted surfaces when a gloss-free surface is required. It is available in over 90 colours, which are also available as wall paints. This makes interesting tone-on-tone designs possible. The colours in the Matt Varnish Collection are also coordinated with the MissPompadour non-woven wallpaper collection, so there are no limits to your creativity when it comes to interior design. This varnish variant is only suitable for indoor use.

In the CosyColours Collection you will find matt, excellently opaque chalk varnishes. More than 30 mostly pastel colours are complemented by a few warm, dark colour shades. These paint colours are particularly suitable if you want to design furniture with a vintage look or create a classic country house style. CosyColours are intended for indoor use and, like all MissPompadour products, are splash-free and easy to apply. The colours are odourless.

The chalk varnishes in the LittlePomp children's collection are also absolutely matt. The 15 child-friendly colours, which are completely harmless to health, are particularly suitable for babies' and children's rooms. But adults will also love the soft, subtle colours.

Matt varnish: what you paint with it

Matt varnish is a perfect furniture varnish. It is not only suitable for wood, but also works on many different surfaces. Of course, you can paint varnished or untreated wood with furniture varnish. However, matt varnish is also suitable for painting metal, plastic or stone surfaces. It is also possible to work with matt varnish on fabric, high-gloss surfaces, even glass and wall tiles that are not subject to much wear and tear. You should only use matt varnish indoors.

If surfaces painted with matt lacquer are to be particularly hard-wearing, we recommend stabilising them with our colourless Wax or MissPompadour To Seal. This way, the surfaces still retain their matt finish and your colour shade remains unchanged.

Matt furniture lacquer for the vintage look

Matt varnishes have many advantages, especially if you want to achieve an authentic vintage look. Thanks to their low or non-existent gloss level, matt lacquers create a look that is reminiscent of furniture from the old days. In combination with soft colour shades, you can give your furniture a real shabby chic flair with matt furniture lacquer.

The rich, muted colour shades from the CosyColours collection are particularly suitable for vintage furniture. If you love the bright pastel shades of the 50s, you will find what you are looking for in the LittlePomp collection. Sand the colour layer a little after the second coat to emphasise the edges and pilaster strips and create a great used look on your furniture.

Matt varnish for the children's room

If you have inherited a cot or cradle and want your child to use it again, as is traditional in the family, then you may want to refurbish the old treasure with new paint. You can also paint the wardrobe or changing unit in the nursery with this chalk-based wood paint. The 15 shades of LittlePomp chalk paints were developed by child psychologists. The chalk paints are completely harmless to health, so even pregnant women can use them. This water-based and solvent-free furniture paint is so sustainable and environmentally friendly that it is even saliva-safe. You can even paint children's toys with it without any problems.

Painting radiators with matt varnish

To make an annoying radiator disappear visually, simply paint it the same colour as the wall behind it. The more than 90 wall colours from MissPompadour are also available in Matt Varnish. You can therefore design the radiator tone-on-tone with the wall paint. The matt surface of the varnish is similar to the matt surface of The Valuable Wall Paint and your radiator is virtually "painted away". Incidentally, there is no problem with heating. Just pay attention to the temperature the pipes reach. You can use all our varnishes up to 80 °C. The matt lacquer expands elastically when heated and also contracts again without cracking.

The right preparation for a coat of matt varnish

Regardless of what you want to paint and which matt paint quality you choose, be it chalk paint or matt varnish, the preparatory work is always the same and only differs depending on the material you are painting.

It is important to always start with a thorough cleaning of your workpiece. All dirt, dust, old wax and similar must be removed before applying varnish. It is best to order the mild but extremely effective MissPompadour To Cleaner.

If you want to paint wood, you should first check whether there is a risk of bleeding. Tannins can still escape years later and destroy your paint. Bleeding wood and wood that has been stained should always be pretreated with a primer. MissPompadour To Bond & Block forms a barrier between your wood and the furniture lacquer. The substrate is evenly coloured, the pores of the wood are closed, any stains are covered and your chosen colour shade really comes into its own. You can then apply the matt varnish in 2 coats.

Buy matt varnishes from MissPompadour

MissPompadour offers 3 different matte polish variants. One is the matt varnish quality, which is available in over 90 different colour shades. Then there are the CosyColours matt chalk varnishes. Here you will find over 30 balanced, soft, predominantly pastel colours. And last but not least, the 15 child-friendly colours of the matt chalk varnishes in the LittlePomp Collection.

If you're not sure which colour to choose, our expert customer serviceteam can help you by email, phone or WhatsApp. However, you should always order colour-cards first. The Matt Varnish colour cards are in postcard format and can be removed individually so that you can easily compare the different colour shades. The colour samples at CosyColours and LittlePomp are even hand-painted so that you can also feel the tactile properties of the chalk paint.

If you then order the colour, order the tools such as brushes and paint rollers at the same time. This saves shipping costs or a trip to the DIY store.

Frequently asked questions & answers about matt varnish

• How do you maintain a matt varnish?
  Matt lacquered surfaces can be wiped with a damp cloth and cleaned with a mild cleaning agent. If surfaces are subject to heavy wear, you can additionally stabilise chalk varnish with colourless Wax. Matt Varnish can also be given a very robust, easy-care surface by stabilising it with MissPompadour To Seal.
• Is Matt Varnish sensitive?
  The MissPompadour Eggshell Varnish variant is definitely the least sensitive. However, you won't get a completely matt surface with it. You could describe the gloss level of Eggshell Varnish as silky matt. Completely matt varnishes are somewhat more sensitive, but can be additionally stabilised.