FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Al Fresco Inside/Outside Range is a water based, durable, weatherproof, UV resistant chalk and mineral paint specifically developed to transform your garden or indoor furniture. It is incredibly versatile, eco-friendly, smooth, creamy and virtually odourless with a palette of 25 best-selling colours – plus exciting Limited Editions offered annually.

Requiring simple preparation, it is self-levelling (meaning little to no brush marks), self-priming and self-sealing with excellent coverage. The Al Fresco Range has no VOC content added to it and has gone through rigorous testing to be certified UKCA and EN71-3 compliant meaning it is safe to use on children’s toys.

With a very low, almost flat finish, suitable for wood, laminate, tiles, UPVC and composites, it is a great choice for your kitchen, bathroom, front door or just about any type of garden furniture.

The Lazy Range is an innovative, award-winning, eco-friendly, chalk and mineral paint with a unique wax infusion. Virtually odourless and requiring simple preparation, it is self-priming, self-levelling (therefore little to no brush marks) and self-sealing with excellent coverage. The Lazy Range has no VOC content added to it and has gone through rigorous testing to be certified safe for use on children’s toys. It’s also water resistant, so a great choice for kitchen cupboards or many other types of interior furniture.

Award-winning, Frenchic Chalk Wall Paint is velvety, luxurious and practical! Water based and ultra-matte with excellent coverage, this revolutionary product is durable, breathable and totally scrubbable with no VOCs and virtually no odour. But it’s not just for walls! It is also great for ceilings and other interior surfaces like woodwork, ceramic wall tiles and wood or concrete floors!

Our Metallic paints come in two formats:

Frenshimmer is a premixed and densely pigmented lustrous metallic paint with minimal VOC content, best used for highlighting detail, edging, handles, mouldings and more.

Frensheen is natural mineral powder that needs to be mixed into your choice of a Frenchic top coat to form a paint consistency; or with our wax to create a metallic wax. As with everything we do, Frensheen is so safe that it is REACH certified.

All our metallics are suitable for interior or exterior use on a wide range of hard surfaces including wood furniture, laminate, metal, concrete, glass and leather.

The Artisan Range is a traditional style, eco-friendly, chalk and mineral paint. Rich, creamy and self-priming, the Original Artisan Range gives you superior coverage with no added VOC content or odour. Use as is, to turn any surface into a chalkboard; or seal with one of our buttery waxes, Finishing Coat or Tuff Top Coat for durability. As with all Frenchic paints and finishes, it is UKCA and EN71-3 certified, meaning it is safe to use in nurseries and on children’s toys.

No, it’s not. The “mineral” in Frenchic Chalk and Mineral Paint refers to the pigments used which are harvested from the earth. Using natural rather than synthetic pigments allows for greater depth in colour and better durability to UV light and time. Once cured, a surface painted with Frenchic's Lazy and Al Fresco ranges is both water and stain-proof. No primer or top coat is required, making it more of a one-step paint.

No, no sanding required, all you need to do is wash with Sugar Soap (sometimes even just regular dish soap with hot water will do). This will just remove any grease, that’s on the piece of furniture. If there is grease on the furniture, it won’t matter how many coats of paint you use, it will just go straight through and you will have a grease mark through the paint. By washing it first you get rid of the grease and then you can apply the paint, usually two coats is required. If it’s a dark piece of furniture and you are using pale colours, you might need three, possibly four at times. No preparation in terms of sanding or priming.

Frenchic Paint has an excellent coverage which goes a very long way. A 750ml tin of Frenchic's Lazy and Al Fresco ranges, cover approximately 7.5m² (80.75 sq ft) per coat. Bear in mind that most surfaces need between 2 to 3 coats for full coverage. Our wall paint has the best coverage of all. Each 2.5L tin will give you 35 m² per tin. To calculate size: multiply the length and width together. For eg, a surface that is 2m x 5 = 10m².

Yes you can mix colours, across all three paint ranges. It’s a good idea to use a measure though, so that you can recreate it. When mixing colours across ranges, remember that mixing Original with either the Lazy of Al Fresco ranges will mean that the wax/topcoat quality of the paint has been diluted and would need to be topped off. Colours within the same range will continue to maintain the same sealing properties.

Very durable! Frenchic has been thoroughly tested at extreme temperatures both hot and cold, including heat, rain and snow. It is washable with up to 6 years performance before the first maintenance (when protected and cared for). Plain/bare metal or steel will need a base of Finishing Coat or Tuff Top Coat to prevent rusting and UPVC and plastic a quick sand to key.

Unopened cans of paint can last for around three to five years, so long as it’s stored properly. Once your paint has been opened, shelf life can vary depending on factors like temperature and air exposure. If the paint is exposed to too much air, it can potentially dry out. Sealing your paint tightly will keep your paint fresh for as long as possible.