Stahly’s best matt varnishes for painting miniatures (spray, airbrush & brush-on)

The search for the perfect matt varnish can be like the search for the holy grail. Protecting your miniatures is a must, but too many models have been ruined thanks to a bad can of varnish. Many matt varnishes also tend to have a slight satin sheen even though the product says matt finish. Finding the best matt varnishes for painting miniatures is difficult, but not impossible. I’m here to help. 

Why you should varnish your miniatures

So why should you seal your models at all? Well, not only will your paint job be protected from abrasion during handling, but the varnish will also protect against discolouration from UV rays. Perhaps most importantly for painters, it will bring all colours to a uniform finish. 

But what makes a decent matt varnish so hard to find? First, of course, the varnish must be easy to apply and not accidentally ruin your miniatures by drying out cloudy or causing the dreaded frosting effect. It should be water-based (acrylic), as polyutherane-based varnishes might dissolve thin layers of paint. It must not yellow or change the colours of your paint job. Most importantly, there‘s the finish – many painters prefer a result as matt as possible.

Stahly’s favourite matt varnishes

First, let me say this: There is nothing wrong with using Games Workshop products. You can usually expect a high level of quality, and they’re readily available. However, if you look closer, there are often cheaper and/or better options. I’ve put together this guide to help you branch out and upgrade your hobby experience.

Without further ado, here are my personal best matt varnishes for painting miniatures:

The best budget matt varnishes for miniature painting

AK Interactive AK1013 Matt Varnish Spray

Nice matt finish, similar to The Army Painter’s product. It kills the shine without making the colours too flat. However, I have noticed that the varnish can sometimes leave a slightly rough texture. I have not yet been able to find out exactly what this is due to, perhaps spraying too much or too far away? Still it’s not really noticeable at an arms-length.

Where to buy: AK Interactive is widely available at hobby stores such as our partner stores Wayland and Element Games, and, of course, Amazon and ebay:

The Army Painter Anti-Shine Matt Varnish

Anti-Shine Matt Varnish has a pleasant level of mattness that kills the shine of glossier colours without dulling your paint job too much. It’s similar if not a bit more matte than Munitorum Varnish, but still a bit more satin than the Mr Hobby and Tamiya varnishes. The application is user-friendly and it‘s hard to mess up your miniatures. Best of all, it comes in affordable 400ml cans. The only downside is that sometimes you get a can that is a bit glossier than others.

Where to get: The Army Painter is widely available at hobby stores such as our partner stores Wayland and Element Games, and, of course, Amazon and ebay:

There is also a brush-on version of Anti-Shine Matt Varnish that is part of The Army Painter’s Warpaints range and comes in 18 ml dropper bottles. I love this varnish to seal finished areas while I’m painting my models, as it’s not yellowing and rather affordable. It also goes well through an airbrush, and The Army Painter also has a 100ml bottle of matt varnish in their Air range. You can get it at hobby stores like at hobby stores like Wayland and Element Games, and Amazon and ebay.

The most matt matt varnishes

If you really want the mattest of matt finishes, there is no way around airbrushing. Airbrushes can produce a finer spray mist than aerosol cans, and Ultra Matt Varnishes have an extremely high proportion of matting agents, which need to be evenly applied to a model to avoid a patchy finish. Also be aware that ultra matt varnishes are not as resistant as more satin and glossy ones, and are sensitive to fingerprints and scratches.

Green Stuff World Maxx Matt Varnish

I tried several super matt varnishes, and even though AK Interactive’s Ultra Matte Varnish was often recommended to me, I had problems achieving an even finish with it. Personally, I had better, more even results with Maxx Matt Varnish from Green Stuff World. You can pour it directly into your airbrush, and the finish is beautifully matt. I find it’s also one of the most durable ultra matt varnishes if you give it plenty of time to dry before you touch it.

Where to buy: You can find Green Stuff World products at most major hobby stores such as our partner stores Wayland Games and Element Games. Green Stuff World also have their own webstore, shipping in the EU and worldwide:

Ultra Matt Lucky Varnish from Ammo by MIG

Another good choice is Ultra Matt Lucky Varnish from MIG. This varnish sprays very nicely through an airbrush without much if any additional thinning needed, and creates a pleasing ultra matt finish. I noticed that you really need to let this varnish dry overnight before touching it, as it stays tacky and delicate for quite a long time. Therefore, I now prefer the Maxx Matt varnish from Green Stuff World, but apart from this limitation, the Ultra Matt Lucky Varnish is a good alternative to AK Interactive Ultra Matte Varnish.

Where to buy: Ammo by MIG caters more towards the scale modelling crowd, but you can find their products at Element Games and PK-Pro, as well as on Amazon and ebay:

Tamiya TS-80 Flat Clear Spray

If you don’t have an airbrush, there is still a way to achieve a super matt finish. The answer is TS-80 Flat Clear Spray from Tamiya. It’s the most matt varnish spray you can find and will remove the sheen from any paint job. Be aware that it does make metallic colours and black rather dull, and it leaves a slight texture on your model (only noticeable under really close inspection or macro photography, check out the comparison picture and video above). For this reason, I use this varnish for terrain pieces only.

Where to buy: Tamiya is available at our partner stores Wayland Games, Element Games, and PK-Pro, or you can check Amazon and ebay.

Highest quality, but expensive

Mr Topcoat Flat & Premium Top Coat Flat

This is my current go-to varnish: Premium Top Coat Flat from Mr Hobby, yet another Japanese scale modelling slash Gunpla company. Very expensive, as these tiny cans hold only 88 ml of varnish and are about 8 Euros/pounds/dollars, but also very consistent and smooth. One of the best matt varnishes for painting miniatures. Applies easily, and even if you accidentally apply too much, the varnish dries out clear. The degree of mattness is very pleasant, it removes the shine without making metallic colours too flat. There is a non-premium version of this varnish, which is a nuance less matt (but still on the same level as say AK Interactive and Anti-Shine by The Army Painter), which costs 2 Euros less per can. I like to use it on models with a lot of metallic details, like my Silver Skulls with their bare steel power armour.

PS: Mr Hobby also has a product called Mr Super Clear. It contains solvents and is not suitable for miniature paints that are usually acrylic-based, so avoid it.

Where to buy: Mr Hobby is a Japanese scale modelling brand and therefore a bit harder to find. I usually get mine from German hobby shop PK-Pro, but you also check Amazon and ebay:

*These are affiliate links from our partner stores. Using these links supports Tale of Painters at no extra cost to you at all and is a little thank you if you enjoyed this article 🙂

Last but not least, a word about Citadel Munitorum Varnish spray from Games Workshop. I reviewed the product a while ago, and while I initially liked the finish and handling, it’s the only matt varnish spray that has ever frosted on me, so I can’t recommend it. Find out more here.

I have compiled this list to share my experience from over 20 years of painting and hobbying. On Tale of Painters, I have reviewed a plethora of hobby products from minor to major brands. Only those products that I actually use myself regularly have made it to this list and received my Seal of Hobby Excellence.

You can find more of my hobby reviews in our review section. A more in-depth guide to matt varnishes with over 8 products tested can also be found on my Patreon.

Conclusion

I don’t think you can go far wrong with the products in this post. Nevertheless, this post only reflects my opinion and experiences. I know, for example, that Garfy swears by the matt varnish spray from Winsor & Newton.

What are your experiences with matt varnishes? Which matt varnish should I definitely try out next? Feel free to drop your recommendations in the comments section below so that other readers can benefit from it too.