Crown Decorating Centres

Crown Decorating Centres: a network of decorating centres in the UK and Ireland

Crown Decorating Centres is the network of stores specialising in paint and decorating materials from the British manufacturer Crown Paints. The company operates more than 140 centres across the UK and Ireland, as well as an online store. Its offering combines professional and domestic paints with tools, equipment and accessories for painting and wallpapering jobs.

Paint range

The paint assortment is organised by application and surface type. It includes interior wall and ceiling paints, wood and metal paints, varnishes, stains and oils, floor coatings, primers and undercoats, as well as exterior masonry paints. For outdoor use, specific products are sold for decking, sheds and fences, cladding paints and wood and metal paints.

The specialist paint range covers scrubbable, mould inhibiting, anti bacterial, air purifying, problem solving and flame retardant paints, specialist floor paint and hammer finish.

Tools, equipment and accessories

In addition to paints, the centres offer a wide selection of tools and equipment for preparation and application. The catalogue includes masking and tapes, fillers and caulk, sanding and abrasives, dust sheets and rolls, wood repair, floor protection and adhesives. For application, paint rollers, paint brushes, paint containers, extension poles and scrapers, knives and blades are sold, as well as wallpapering tools. The finishing and cleaning section includes solvents and strippers, cleaning products and coving and mouldings.

In equipment, paint spraying equipment, ladders and steps, sanding equipment and workwear and PPE are sold.

Brands stocked

The paint range includes own-brand and third-party brands. The main ones include Crown Trade, Sandtex, Sadolin, Macpherson, Zinsser, Coo-Var, Crown DIY Paints and Osmo. In tools and equipment, Crown Decorating Centres, Hamilton Decorating Tools, Purdy Decorating Tools, ProDec, Go Paint, Arroworthy, Rembrandt, Fit For The Job, Wagner Paint Sprayers, Mirka and Blackrock stand out.

Purchasing and logistics services

The online store allows same-day click and collect and offers free delivery on orders over £50. No account is required to buy paints. The company also has user accounts for trade professionals.

History and industrial presence

Crown Paints traces its activity back to 1777, with the opening of Dob Meadows Print shop. In the mid-19th century, wallpaper manufacturing was introduced with the production of Lincrusta and Anaglypta. The first experiments with water-based paints began in 1904 and the first batch was sold less than two years later. The first paint sold under the Crown brand name arrived about sixty years later. Between 1970 and 1980, products such as Crown Solo one coat paint, the Non Drip Gloss and Satin ranges, and Crown Paints Matchpots®, which allowed customers to try the colour before buying, were launched.

Crown Paints' head office is in Darwen, Lancashire, the same town where the business began. The company also has a manufacturing site in Hull. Crown Paints holds the Royal Warrant, first awarded in 1949 as supplier to King George VI and later renewed by Queen Elizabeth II. Its professional finishes, notably Crown Trade, Sandtex Trade and Sadolin, are specified for some of the most prestigious buildings in the British Isles.