What Is Multi-Surface Paint? Renew Every Surface with Viabella

Short answer: multi-surface paint is a decorative paint that bonds strongly to the surface and gives furniture, ceramic, glass, metal or walls a new look without removing or replacing them. Silkcoat's multi-surface paint, Viabella, needs no primer, gives a glossy, wipeable finish in two coats and can be used indoors and outdoors. According to the technical data on silkcoat.com, 1 litre of Viabella covers approximately 8-10 m² in two coats.

What is multi-surface paint?

Multi-surface paint is a decorative paint that adheres to hard-to-paint surfaces such as wood, laminate, tiles, glass, plastic and metal, so you can refresh an old piece of furniture or an existing finish. On its effect paints page, Silkcoat describes Viabella as a "new-generation, water-based, pure acrylic transformation paint with excellent adhesion to all surfaces". With Viabella, kitchen cabinets, an old table or bathroom tiles can be renewed with paint instead of being replaced.

What sets multi-surface paint apart from ordinary wall paint is its adhesion. Standard interior paint is designed to grip an absorbent plaster surface; on glossy ceramic or glass it usually needs a special primer first. According to Silkcoat's product page, Viabella has strong adhesion and requires no primer before application. That means a single product can be used on furniture, tiles and walls alike.

According to the product page on silkcoat.com, Viabella's key features are:

• Primer-free adhesion: It adheres strongly, so no primer is needed before application.
• Water and chemical resistance: Its excellent water resistance makes the painted surface waterproof, and it is highly resistant to chemicals such as soap, household cleaners and diluted bleach.
• Gloss without varnish: The glossy finish it leaves after application means no separate varnish coat is needed.
• Easy cleaning: It resists dirt and stains and can be wiped with a damp, soapy cloth.
• Mark-free flow: It leaves no roller or brush marks and allows enough working time for touch-ups.
• Where to use it: It has no unpleasant odour and can be used indoors and outdoors.

Which surfaces can Viabella be applied to?

According to the application areas listed on silkcoat.com, Viabella can be applied to wood, furniture, parquet, laminate, ceramic, porcelain, tiles, marble, glass, plastic, metal, aluminium, galvanised steel, zinc, stone, walls and wallpaper. This long list makes Viabella useful not just for a single surface but for bringing different materials in a room together in the same colour.

The surfaces fall roughly into four groups:

Surface group	Surfaces listed on silkcoat.com	Typical makeover
Wood-based	Wood, furniture, parquet, laminate	Kitchen cabinet doors, an old table, a bedside cabinet
Ceramic and stone	Ceramic, porcelain, tiles, marble, stone	Bathroom or kitchen tiles, a marble sill
Metal and plastic	Metal, aluminium, galvanised steel, zinc, plastic	Door handles, a radiator cover, a plastic plant pot
Glass and walls	Glass, walls, wallpaper	A glass vase, a feature wall, old wallpaper

Metal surfaces need one extra step. According to Silkcoat's application instructions, Viabella does not need a primer, but on metal surfaces Silkcoat Anti Pas primer should be applied first to prevent corrosion. The same advice applies to metals such as galvanised steel, zinc and aluminium.

What are Viabella's technical specifications?

According to the technical data on silkcoat.com, Viabella is touch-dry in 1-2 hours and fully cured in 24 hours; 1 litre covers approximately 8-10 m² in two coats. The technical information on the product page is as follows:

Property	Viabella
Composition	Water-based, pure acrylic transformation paint
Coverage	1 litre, approximately 8-10 m² in two coats (depending on application method and substrate)
Touch-dry	1-2 hours
Full cure	24 hours
Return to use	Do not use the painted surface for 1 day, or surfaces exposed to water for 2 days
First 7 days	Do not let water pool; protect the surface from knocks
Time between coats	At least 2 hours
Application temperature	Air and surface between +5 °C and +30 °C
Packaging	1 L, 0.5 L and 0.25 L plastic tubs
Storage	2 years in the unopened original packaging at room temperature

The coverage figure makes it easier to choose a pack size for small jobs. Since 1 litre covers approximately 8-10 m² in two coats, a 0.5 L pack is enough for two coats on about 4-5 m² and a 0.25 L pack on about 2-2.5 m². For small jobs such as a bedside cabinet or a few cabinet doors, a 0.25 L or 0.5 L pack is usually enough; actual consumption may vary with the surface texture and application method.

How do you apply Viabella?

Viabella is applied undiluted to a clean, dust-free surface with a fine bristle brush, a velvet roller or a spray system, in two coats with at least 2 hours between coats. The application instructions on Silkcoat's product page consist of the following steps:

1. Clean the surface: Remove dust, dirt, grease, silicone and anything else that could reduce adhesion from the surface to be painted.
2. Sand if needed: Sand the surface depending on its condition.
3. Prevent rust on metal: Viabella needs no primer; on metal surfaces Silkcoat Anti Pas primer is recommended to prevent corrosion.
4. Stir the paint: After opening the pack, stir Viabella until it is smooth and even.
5. Apply undiluted: Apply the product without thinning, using a fine bristle brush, a velvet roller or a spray system.
6. Wait before the second coat: Leave at least 2 hours between coats, then apply the second coat.
7. Check the temperature: Keep the air and surface temperature between +5 °C and +30 °C during application.

The most critical step when working with Viabella is cleaning the surface. A multi-surface paint's adhesion depends on direct contact with the surface; a film of grease on a kitchen cabinet or silicone residue on bathroom tiles weakens its grip. Not needing a primer saves time, but it is no substitute for cleaning. Patience is needed after application too: according to silkcoat.com, the painted surface should not be used for 1 day, surfaces exposed to water such as a kitchen splashback or around a shower should not be used for 2 days, and water should not be left to pool on the surface for the first 7 days.

When is Viabella the right choice, and when is it not?

Viabella is the right choice when you want to renew different materials such as furniture, tiles, glass or metal without removing them, and get a glossy, wipeable finish without a varnish coat. If you are looking for a textured, patterned effect on a wall, Silkcoat's other effect paints may be a better fit; Viabella's product page describes not a patterning technique but a smooth, mark-free finish.

Need	Recommended product	Why (based on silkcoat.com data)
Refreshing old kitchen cabinets	Viabella	Adheres to wood, laminate and furniture without primer
Painting bathroom tiles instead of replacing them	Viabella	Can be applied to ceramic, porcelain and tiles; resistant to water and detergents
An outdoor metal or stone surface	Viabella	Suitable for indoor and outdoor use; Anti Pas primer recommended on metal
A soft metallic, patterned effect on a wall	Metalico Soft	Contains pearlescent pigments, patterned with effect tools; for interior use only

Viabella's limits also follow from the information on its product page. The largest pack is 1 litre, and since 1 litre covers approximately 8-10 m² in two coats, Viabella is more practical for limited areas such as furniture, doors, tiles and accessories than for large expanses of wall. Because the application temperature must be between +5 °C and +30 °C, avoid applying it outdoors at very cold or very hot times of day.

If you want a softly shimmering, pearl-like look on your walls, the option described in our article on soft metallic wall paint, Metalico Soft, is a better fit. For the meaning of effect paint terms, see our effect paint glossary; for product details, the Viabella product page; and for all options, the effect paints page.

Conclusion

• Multi-surface paint is a decorative paint that bonds strongly to the surface and is used to renew different surfaces without removing or replacing them.
• Viabella is water-based and made from pure acrylic; it needs no primer, gives a glossy finish without a varnish coat and can be used indoors and outdoors.
• According to the technical data on silkcoat.com, Viabella is touch-dry in 1-2 hours and fully cured in 24 hours, and 1 litre covers approximately 8-10 m² in two coats.
• For a successful result, a clean surface, at least 2 hours between coats and no pooling water for the first 7 days are what matter most. For questions about colours and application, get in touch with us.