Soft Metallic Wall Paint: When Should You Choose Metalico Soft?

Short answer: Soft metallic paint is a decorative interior paint that uses pearl pigments to give walls a gentle, pearl-like metallic sheen that is easy on the eye. Silkcoat's product in this category is Metalico Soft, the right choice when you want to cover large areas with less paint, work with a ready-to-use product and get a washable finish. According to the technical data on silkcoat.com, Metalico Soft covers 10-16 m² per litre, while classic Metalico covers 6-8 m² per litre.

What is soft metallic paint?

Soft metallic paint is a water-based decorative interior paint in which pearl pigments added to a pure acrylic binder reflect light softly, giving the wall a metallic glow with the elegance of a pearl rather than a mirror-like shine. On its effect paints page, Silkcoat describes Metalico Soft as a "decorative interior paint based on a pure acrylic emulsion binder, with pearl pigments, offering the elegance of a pearl". Metalico Soft is applied with a roller or brush, and the pattern is created with special effect tools before the paint is fully dry.

According to the product page on silkcoat.com, the key features of Metalico Soft are:

• Pearl pigments: Its pure acrylic emulsion binder with pearl pigments gives a lustrous, pearl-like look.
• Pattern options: Different patterns can be created with a sponge, brush, spatula or chamois.
• High hiding power and washability: The product page highlights both of these properties.
• Water-based formula: According to Silkcoat, it is harmless to human health and the environment.

Metalico Soft belongs to the pearlescent paint family. We explain how pearlescent paints change with the light in our article what is pearlescent paint, and what terms such as metallic and pearl mean in our effect paint terms glossary.

What is the difference between Metalico Soft and Metalico?

According to the technical data on silkcoat.com, the main difference between Metalico Soft and Metalico is coverage: Metalico Soft covers 10-16 m² per litre (180-250 g/m²), while Metalico covers 6-8 m² per litre (250-350 g/m²). Both are pure acrylic, water-based interior paints with pearl pigments, and their drying times, application temperature, packaging and storage conditions are the same.

The Metalico Soft product page states that it is ready to use and is diluted with 5% water before application. The Metalico page, by contrast, says the product can be thinned with up to 10% water depending on the desired pattern, and that it is applied to around 10-20 m² at a time with the effect created immediately. Metalico has its own colour chart page on silkcoat.com, whereas the Metalico Soft page has no product-specific colour chart, only a link to the general colour charts.

Comparison	Metalico Soft	Metalico
Binder	Pure acrylic emulsion	Pure acrylic
Coverage	10-16 m²/l (180-250 g/m²)	6-8 m²/l (250-350 g/m²)
Density	1.12 ± 0.02 g/ml	1.04 ± 0.02 g/ml
Thinning	Ready to use, 5% water for application	Up to 10% water depending on the desired pattern
Number of coats	2 coats	2 coats, at least 2 hours between coats
Key feature	High hiding power, washability	Varied pattern applications, dedicated colour chart
Packaging	10 kg and 3 kg plastic pails	10 kg and 3 kg plastic pails

As the table shows, Metalico Soft covers a larger area with less material, while Metalico gives you more control over the pattern through its thinning ratio.

What are the technical specifications of Metalico Soft?

Metalico Soft is touch dry in 15-20 minutes, dust free in 1 hour and fully dry in 24 hours, and covers 10-16 m² per litre. The technical values listed on the product page on silkcoat.com are as follows:

Property	Metalico Soft
Composition	Pure acrylic emulsion binder, pearl pigments, water-based
Density	1.12 ± 0.02 g/ml
Coverage	10-16 m²/l (180-250 g/m²)
Thinning	Ready to use; the application instructions call for dilution with 5% water
Drying	Touch dry 15-20 min, dust free 1 hour, fully dry 24 hours
Application temperature	Ambient and surface between +5 °C and +35 °C
Packaging	10 kg and 3 kg plastic pails
Storage	In a cool, clean, dry place out of direct sunlight, at least 2 years unopened

A coverage rate of 180-250 g/m² means that a 10 kg pail of Metalico Soft is enough for roughly 40-55 m² in a single coat. Since the product is applied in two coats, the same pail covers roughly 20-27 m² of wall with two coats. By the same calculation, Metalico's rate of 250-350 g/m² works out to roughly 28-40 m² in a single coat with 10 kg. Actual consumption may vary with the absorbency of the surface and the pattern applied.

How is Metalico Soft applied?

Metalico Soft is diluted with 5% water and applied in two coats with a roller or brush onto a primed, smooth substrate; the pattern is created with a sponge, brush, spatula or chamois before the paint is fully dry. The application instructions on Silkcoat's product page consist of the following steps:

1. Clean the surface: Remove dust, dirt and grease; lightly sand flaking and previously painted surfaces.
2. Repair imperfections: Fill cracks and defects with Silkcoat interior Akrilik Macun.
3. Apply primer: Use Silkcoat İzolac on gypsum plaster, Universal Astar on old, dirty or solvent-based painted surfaces, and Silkcoat Macun Astarı on filled surfaces.
4. Stir the paint: Mix Metalico Soft until homogeneous before use.
5. Dilute: Dilute the product with 5% water.
6. Apply two coats: Apply the first coat with a roller or brush; once it is dry, apply the second coat.
7. Create the pattern: Before the paint is fully dry, create the pattern with special effect tools such as a sponge, brush, spatula or chamois.
8. Clean your tools: Clean all tools with water immediately after use.

With Metalico Soft, timing is what matters most for the quality of the pattern. According to Silkcoat's instructions, the pattern is created before the paint is fully dry, and Metalico Soft is touch dry in 15-20 minutes, so the area you work on with the effect tool should be small enough to finish within that time. Ambient and surface temperatures must stay between +5 °C and +35 °C throughout application and drying. A sponge and chamois leave softer, cloud-like transitions, while a spatula leaves more pronounced marks; trying the tool on a small test area before moving on to a large wall is good practice.

Where is Metalico Soft used?

Metalico Soft is for interior use only, on concrete, gypsum, cement plaster, cement board, glass fibre wallcovering, paintable wallpaper and previously painted surfaces that have been properly prepared. It is not recommended for exterior walls. Its soft metallic glow and washable finish are especially valuable in the following spaces:

• Living rooms and lounges: A backdrop for large walls that is easy on the eye and comes gently alive with the light.
• Hotel lobbies and receptions: Feature walls in large areas, where low consumption reduces the amount of material needed.
• Hallways and entrances: A washable surface makes walls that are touched often easier to maintain.
• Shops and showrooms: A calm yet lustrous background that never upstages the products.

The limits of Metalico Soft are just as clear: since the areas of use listed on silkcoat.com cover interior surfaces only, it should not be used on weather-exposed surfaces such as outer balcony walls or facades.

When should you choose Metalico Soft?

Choose Metalico Soft when you want to cover large areas with less paint, work with a ready-to-use product and achieve a washable wall with a soft sheen. Classic Metalico, on the other hand, comes into its own when you want to fine-tune the pattern through the thinning ratio and pick a colour from its dedicated colour chart. When deciding, consider the following situations:

Situation	Recommended product	Why (based on silkcoat.com data)
Large living room, lobby or hallway	Metalico Soft	Uses less paint at 10-16 m² per litre
Frequently touched wall	Metalico Soft	The product page highlights its high washability
Adjusting pattern intensity	Metalico	Can be thinned by up to 10% depending on the desired pattern
Choosing a colour from a chart	Metalico	Has its own colour chart page

Whichever product you choose, effect paints never look quite the same on screen, so the safest way to make your final decision is with a physical sample. You can find the product pages via the Metalico Soft and Metalico links, other pearl-effect options in our Pearl and Pearly comparison, and the full range on our effect paints page.

Conclusion

• Soft metallic paint is a decorative interior paint whose pearl pigments give walls a gentle, pearl-like metallic glow that is easy on the eye.
• According to the technical data on silkcoat.com, Metalico Soft covers 10-16 m² per litre and Metalico 6-8 m² per litre; their drying times and packaging are the same.
• Metalico Soft is diluted with 5% water, applied in two coats with a roller or brush, and patterned before the paint is fully dry.
• Metalico Soft suits large areas, low consumption and washability; Metalico suits pattern control and colour chart selection. For samples and colour information, get in touch with us.