I'm looking for interior wall paint that can be easily clean and applied by beginner painters like me.
I saw a few choices like Dulux EasyClean, Nippon EasyWash and Jotun EasyClean but don't know which one to choose. What about MCI?
As for the application, do I just paint a new layer over it?
Cause my house is new unit that already painted with Jotaplast Max but I need to repaint it due to the electrical works and air cond piping that leaves visible marks.

For beginner, use mid range will do. It can also be clean easily. Keep any spare paint for future touch up. Those brands you selected are ok.

For the hacked area, buy a small tub of developer paint to cover the raw cement b4 painting your choice colour.

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Feb 22 2022, 12:02 PM

Any water-based paint is easily cleaned. No matter what brand. Once dried it is like vinyl layer that can be easily wiped of any dirt like vinyl table cloth.

now all smooth surface, can wipe only

Ah ok. How about MCI? I asked some hardware shop, he say this brand has same quality and function as Jotun but relatively cheaper compared to Jotun since Jotun is branded -> more pricey.

I cant comment because it has been more than 5 years since I painted my place and lost touch of any new brands in the market.

Normally, I go for Dulux, Nippon, Jotun depending on my colour preference.

For eg ...for gloss leather color paint, I only go for dulux. Other brands no good result.

I would say for beginners, I don't see the difference between cheap, mid-range or expensive paints. The finish quality will be as how skilled you are as a painter.

For TS, the unit is new and you should have your paint code from the developer. You should just buy sufficiently and paint over the affected areas. If you are painting over the entire wall, that's color change already. In that sense, any reputable brand and color of your preference would be good enough.

Dont be confused between quality and skill. For eg ... Maxilite and Dulux Pentalite range quality are quite distinct after 1 year.

For the hacked area, it is unsealed/unprimed.
Remember, cement absorb paint like a sponge.

Hence a coat of sealer (eg Nippon 5100 or 5400 whichever is cheaper) OR no name sealer also can-lah (in my case I was painting to dispose the house) will certainly ensure the finish paint is event.. else become spotty Jitty had this issue earlier.. painted few times the same spot still look different.

I never use this before. If not in a high risk wall (eg kitchen/bathroom) where oils/humidity is a concern then theoretically it should work-lah.
No matter how crappy the paint as long as its proper paint, its at worst only C-grade..
F (fail) grade would be faux paint (cat kapur) or limewash..those are powdery to the touch and makes a damp rag all full with white powder.. those need to wipe down and seal off (extra work).

But generally for own stay use proper paint like Nippon/ICI will be easy to apply and lasts for years.
You get what you pay for though. See below.

My advise is spend more time and effort on the prep work 80% actual painting 20%.
Wipe down the wall first with a damp rag. If doors, wipe down with dishwash solution and wipe dry to remove dust, grease, fingerprints.
Tape washi tape (nippon one is good) as the border lines so you get crisp lines.
Use good nylon brushes (gloss paint for doors) so you won't get all the pesky horsehair stuck in the paint.
Use new small roller (the one that look like a sausage, not the pringles can). Small one very light, cheap refills, and produce a very nice finish even as beginner, as it is less likely to tire you out.
--You're not a painter by profession so no need the pringles can sized ones. It just tires your arms out. Less [weight] is more.

There is however a difference between extremely cheap paints (ref. https://www.nipponpaint.com.my/products/topcoat/Super-Matex ) and normal range stuff.
Super Matex is a vinyl acrylic copolymer emulsion paint. It is specially formulated for economical needs.
These was the stuff we used for CSR project of a community hall.. limited colours.. but dirt cheap at 35 bucks / 7L back in 2018-2019
The pigments are economics first, the coverage potential shall we say also rather elcheapo (it doesn't cover as "concentrated" compared to the normal range stuff.

Normal range stuff would be the basic line like Nippon Easywash / ICI Dulux Easyclean stuff which cost ~90 bucks or more per 5L
Why they cost more?
1. These are also made of better binders and other chemical stuffs than the elcheapo stuff above-mentioned, so it will last you much longer.
2. They stink less (if they claim low VOC) as compared to the elcheapo line
3. Very easy to apply. No need much dilution.. maybe add 1-2% water (be very kiamsiap) so it doesn't drip all over the place. Elcheapo paint drip quite a lot.. or maybe my company staff all dunno how to paint properly
EasyWash is a modified acrylic emulsion paint with non-added lead and mercury which gives a very smooth classical matt finishing for internal walls.
It is specially formulated with Low VOC and Alkyd Phenol Ethoxylate free for interior walls. This affordable medium premium range paint has good stain washability, good hiding power, easy application and durable functions.

Speaking from Easywash experience, 2 thin coats are all you need for a very 'popping' colour You can choose any colour coz its all formulated by machine.. also no need to use back same code.. if you want a different company (paint maker's) code in say, a Nippon machine it can be done. I think should be similar for Jotun, ICI, etc.. all the name brands would have similar feature to "copy" the colour output.

Beyond the normal/midrange stuff for interiors, is more like a 'nice to have' rather than a 'must-have', IMO.
If external wall then those weatherbond/weathershield will last longer.. Using cheapo white interior (maxilite/matex types of 65 bucks 18L) on garden walls will just turn moldy fast, as they aren't that mold resistant.

This post has been edited by ceo684: Feb 23 2022, 03:14 AM

TS emphasized beginner skill. Thus, whether he uses cheaper alternative or better range, the finishing will be as per his painting skill. He is not mentioning about quality of paint, durability, warranty, branding etc. All he wants is easy to clean and easy to apply. Don't be confused with my statement. When I state no difference, I refer to the finishing as would be done by TS. He can have the best paint, but if his skill is doubtful, then the wall would not look its best either way. That's why I suggested he used back the same paint code as provided by developer if his intention was to cover bad workmanship of electrical wiring/plumbing.

Any patchy work done by the renovator, may still look patchy after repainting if the re-plastering works was badly done.

Can explain this ...

Isnt price range refers to quality too ?

And every painted wall can be washed. Just the after effect only depending on paint quality.

Dont underestimate a beginner skill unless one see the wall after painting. Some are born with 'artist' skill !

This post has been edited by mini orchard: Feb 23 2022, 11:05 AM

Well ofc would prefer a good quality paint that can last long since it's for my own stay. I wouldn't want to waste high quality paint with my novice painting skill either 😂. Cause when I ask the seller, he said MCI quality is same with Jotun, just that Jotun is branded so more expensive. So i supposed the brands that I mentioned earlier all has similar quality grade. Basically I want to look for paint that has good quality (no need very high grade), durable, easily apply by beginners and not too pricey.

Haha, i wouldn't know my skill until i try it out. Hope i have 'artist' skill 😂

Painting wall is not difficult. You only need a steady hand for the edges if the adjoining wall and ceiling are different colour.

The ceiling will be challenging for the neck. Wear a cap to protect the head from dripping paint.

The most time consuming is the grille

Buy a roll of tarpaulin canvas to cover the flooring, else you will have a tough time cleaning the floor once the dripping paint dried up.

Basically should work lah.. as mentioned previously check the spec sheet and where that series that you're buying stands in the product lineup of that brand.

Mostly prep work and right tools (get changeable roller handle and a few inserts, maybe a few foam pads as well for edging) will make or break. For the roller I recommend the small one because its easier to put on a uniform thin coat. Also make sure the handle is centered, not offset to one side. Off center rollers are used for special purpose by painters to do edging work but it's just gonna wear you out in no time.

Most colour paints will need 2 undiluted (or just dilute with 1-2% water) thin coats. Just apply but don't let it be super desert kinda dry, you need to overlap each patch a bit with the previous one so that its even..small roller easier to handle. Big one just make it sloppy. You don't want to put it too wet as the paint will drip all over.

Why 2 coats? because due to wall imperfection you will miss spots. Two coats provide very good coverage of whatever's before it and fills up all the little dots you missed in the first run.

For gloss paint.. ensure you brush it.. do not use roller.

This post has been edited by ceo684: Feb 24 2022, 01:09 AM

I will attempt ...

I'll give you cheaper brand A - Purple color
I'll give you more expensive brand B - Purple color

Let's assume both has the same shade. Now, TS has mentioned she wants one that is easy to clean and easy to apply for a beginner. She did not ask, if the difference between brand A or brand B is better. Better comes in many form. Lasting, no flaking, no peeling, no fading, anti fungus, odourless, ... and the list goes on and on.

Thus, without going into such details of various paint brands, quality and price, which wasn't asked for, I simply said, choosing between A or B should not make much of a difference in terms of the finishing look. Ultimately, the finishing look relies on her skill; whether beginner, advance, pro and so forth. Most reputable brands are easy to clean, depending on stain or marks. And whether it last or not, also depends on the base preparation.

And to save her cost, I did suggest to use back the existing paint color, since she is just looking to mask the bad finish of the electrical/plumbing works. If she had asked she wants to give her room/area a color makeover, then I might have said otherwise.

Hope the above simplifies your curiosity as I do not want to complicate a simple question. Many has good intentions of giving suggestions or advising beyond what was asked. I try to avoid that.

Between Jotun, ICI, Nippon, Kansai, each has various ranges to suit budget. I'd say if for own stay, choose one which is odourless or ultra low VOC. More for health reasons. Aethetically, most have wide range of color palettes to choose from. I personally use Jotun Color Extreme for external walls, and Nippon Odourless. Costlier, but well worth it. My home has some cracks which I recently repaired and touch up with the same color. No difference between new paint and old paint (painted 4 years ago).

True, I've painted last weekend. Had pretty much trouble when painting the edges of the wall between the ceiling. Thought I could paint slowly free hand without taping the ceiling (since it's hassle) but well I'm wrong. In the end tape the entire ceiling 😂😅


So far it looks even la with my novice skill just that hand got pretty tired from that rolling up and down 🤣. I think I just paint 1 coat will do haha.
Yup, so I go for MCI NanoWash as it fits more to my budget and the basic specs that I want.

Anyway, thanks everyone for the advice~