Want a grooved, hand-trowelled wall instead of flat paint? Short answer: National Graffio Decor is a water-based copolymer emulsion with quartz aggregate, applied by trowel at 1 to 1.25 mm dry. It covers about 0.6 to 0.7 m² per litre, goes over one primer coat, and can be topcoated after at least 24 hours, according to National’s data sheet.
Key facts
| Type | Water-based copolymer emulsion reinforced with quartz aggregate |
| Surfaces | Interior and exterior concrete, plaster, masonry, brickwork, gypsum and wood (the sheet also lists asbestos) |
| Finish | Matt, grooved graffiato texture |
| Colours | National shade card |
| Volume solids | 71 ± 2% |
| Spreading rate | 0.6 to 0.7 m² per litre (theoretical) |
| Film per coat | 1,000 to 1,250 microns dry (1,400 to 1,760 wet) |
| Drying at 30°C | Touch dry 3 to 4 hours; recoat 6 to 8 hours; topcoat after 24 hours minimum |
| Application | Trowel, ready for use |
| Cleaner | Water |
| Shelf life | 18 months, sealed |
The system
- Primer, one coat: National PVA Primer Sealer, National Acrylic Primer (water-based) or National Tex Primer.
- Graffio Decor, one coat, by trowel.
- Optional topcoat after 24 hours: Nationalthane, National Polyurethane or Acrylic Rock Top Coat.
How much to buy
| Wall area | Graffio Decor, one coat |
|---|---|
| 10 m² | about 14 to 17 L |
| 50 m² | about 71 to 83 L |
| 100 m² | about 143 to 167 L |
Frequently asked questions
Graffio Decor or a Tex finish?
Graffio is trowelled for a grooved pattern; the Tex range gives light to heavy textures. Compare them in our National Tex guide.
Graffio against other heavy textures
| Graffio Decor | Synplast | Nutex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Look | Grooved graffiato, matt | Heavy plaster texture | Light to heavy spray texture |
| Dry film per coat | 1,000 to 1,250 µm | 1,500 to 1,800 µm | 250 to 500 µm |
| m² per litre | 0.6 to 0.7 | 0.5 to 0.7 | 1.3 to 2.6 |
| Application | Trowel | Trowel or spray | Spray gun or roller |
Step 1: prepare the wall
- Clean, dry and sound, per National’s surface preparation guide. Pressure-wash exteriors at 2200 psi minimum and let them dry.
- Remove laitance, efflorescence and any loose coating; a 1 mm film needs a sound base.
- Prime with one of the options on the sheet, such as PVA Primer Sealer.
What the numbers mean
Coverage = 71 × 10 ÷ 1,000 ≈ 0.71 and 71 × 10 ÷ 1,250 ≈ 0.57 m² per litre, matching the sheet’s 0.6 to 0.7. That is roughly 15 times more material per m² than a wall emulsion, so order by the litre per m², not by the drum.
| Wall area, 1 coat | Litres at 0.6 to 0.7 m²/L |
|---|---|
| 20 m² (feature wall) | about 29 to 33 L |
| 50 m² | about 71 to 83 L |
| 150 m² | about 214 to 250 L |
Mistakes to avoid
- Topcoating early. Wait at least 24 hours.
- Changing the trowel stroke mid-wall. Agree the pattern on a sample panel first.
- Ordering at paint rates. It uses far more material per m².
Buy Graffio Decor in Sharjah and Dubai
Al Tashteb Al Saree is an authorised National Paints retailer. Shop National Acrylic Primer 18 L, or message us on WhatsApp for Graffio Decor in your shade.
Sources
- National Graffio Decor data sheet (PDF, via AEC Online)
- National Paints surface preparation guide, Sec. A-2 (PDF)
Retrieved 3 November 2026. Quantities are our own calculations. The main image is illustrative.
