Dulux

gman

Suspended / Banned
Messages
11,100
Name
Graham
Edit My Images
Yes
Does anyone else find that Dulux paint is absolutely crap?

I usually get trade paint as it's not only cheaper but it's proper one coat, even the trade Contract Matt going on freshly skimmed plaster that I'm doing just now is almost fully opaque and that's before I put the finishing coat on.

But I wanted to repaint the bathroom ceiling and they were out of bathroom trade stuff so I got the Dulux as i couldn't be bothered going elsewhere and even after two coats onto the very pale blue original paint and I can still see through it!
 
Does anyone else find that Dulux paint is absolutely crap?

I usually get trade paint as it's not only cheaper but it's proper one coat, even the trade Contract Matt going on freshly skimmed plaster that I'm doing just now is almost fully opaque and that's before I put the finishing coat on.

But I wanted to repaint the bathroom ceiling and they were out of bathroom trade stuff so I got the Dulux as i couldn't be bothered going elsewhere and even after two coats onto the very pale blue original paint and I can still see through it!
Funny you should post that. My eldest son has had problems with Dulux Emulsion last month. The pait would not 'stick' and where it did it was patchy.

A decorator neighbour suggested he used B&Q Colours emulsion as he had found it way better than Dulux.

The B&Q paint has gone on without any issues and I have to say the hallway/stairs and firth floor look great.

Time will tell if it stays that way.
 
Well thanks for that guy's, I've just bought 10 liters of Dulux Endurance to put on this week.
Dulux do good products but in a huge range so the odd wonkiness can happen.
 
My wife is the "Official house painter" and always insists I buy Dulux. She's tried various other brands but reckons they don't cover as well .


*my painting skills are to poor to be allowed a brush


** strangely enough they've never improved in 25 years ;)
 
Never use Crown white matt or emulsion. Didn't think to check reviews for such a basic item. Trying to cover lilac colour with matt got nowhere after many coats. Gave feedback and got a voucher for more so tried gloss to no better effect. Think used leyland in the end.
 
Nope. I've bought buckets of Dulux (though the last time was last summer) and it's always been great. Unlike Crown....
 
I've had issues with Dulux pre mixed paint quality when bought from DIY store, but I have found if you have it mixed in store - the quality of the paint is much better and I've been much happier with it.

Not had any issues with their trade range previously, but have been disappointed with the last tin of trade satinwood I bought - went for Leyland Satinwood this time and significantly better...
 
I've used them all and on average I've found B&Q's mixed paint (Velspar) to be massively superior. Similarly, their gloss paint is also very good although not what I would call a true gloss, more of a satin.
 
I've used them all and on average I've found B&Q's mixed paint (Velspar) to be massively superior.

B&Q tried to tell me that Velspar was made by the same people as Dulux. I find that pretty unlikely but it's supposed to be good. I've taken B&Q Colours paint back because it was so awful - 3 coats of it and I finally fixed it by putting a coat of Dulux 1 coat on top.
 
As a rule, we always used Dulux unless the customer specified (and supplied) something else and then we'd do it on a time basis rather than on a quoted price! Always came from a builders' merchant rather than a DIY shed - maybe the proper trade stuff is different to the retail "trade" stuff?
 
B&Q tried to tell me that Velspar was made by the same people as Dulux. I find that pretty unlikely but it's supposed to be good. I've taken B&Q Colours paint back because it was so awful - 3 coats of it and I finally fixed it by putting a coat of Dulux 1 coat on top.

B&Q Colours is dreadful stuff, not the same as Velspar at all. Also, Velspar isn't Dulux paint either. I quite like the fact that you can have it mixed with or without primer, the tester pots are all with primer by default and a little goes a long way, I've just bought a couple of tester pots if I have a small area to paint.

By contrast, the Velspar readymix white paint is dreadful. The only one I'm not happy with, it's just a bit chalky for my taste but covers well all the same, I've just painted a lot of new plaster and it covered really well, usually only needing two coats.
 
I think I read that Velspar is American but uses Dulux pigments for mixing colours?

I've just checked out the Leyland Contract Matt that I've painted on fresh skimmed plaster now that it's dried and it's completely opaque. If it weren't for her wanting the room done in a colour I could just leave it like this!
 
I think I read that Velspar is American but uses Dulux pigments for mixing colours?

I've just checked out the Leyland Contract Matt that I've painted on fresh skimmed plaster now that it's dried and it's completely opaque. If it weren't for her wanting the room done in a colour I could just leave it like this!

You're correct. Valspar is a US company... A very old one.
 
My entire house is painted in it now....except for the outside, which is Sandtex
 
maybe the proper trade stuff is different to the retail "trade" stuff?

I know from a few years ago having spoken with them about an issue I had with some white paint - they asked where I bought it from and then sent me a voucher for one of their own shops / outlets - when I asked if there was a difference in the paint (bearing in mind this was just white) - I was told yes, it's to do with the amount of pigment and when they supply the DIY stores it's less pigment than there own - she wouldn't say by how much, but did say considerable sometimes...
 
My entire house is painted in it now....except for the outside, which is Sandtex

I used that Sandtex for painting the back of my house and remember thinking it was good stuff.
 
I used that Sandtex for painting the back of my house and remember thinking it was good stuff.

It's quite good, I live on the sea front and our house gets battered by the weather, it's worn quite well though so it gets the thumbs up from me.
 
I think I read that Velspar is American but uses Dulux pigments for mixing colours?

I've just checked out the Leyland Contract Matt that I've painted on fresh skimmed plaster now that it's dried and it's completely opaque. If it weren't for her wanting the room done in a colour I could just leave it like this!

Leyland contract matt off of Screwfix. £22 for 20l. If only they made a colour that wasn't magnolia :D

BTW white is in ATM. 2 rooms in my house are currently white. Though for some reason PBW wouldn't do. Apparently the designer look is very very nearly white :D
 
Last edited:
B&Q tried to tell me that Velspar was made by the same people as Dulux. I find that pretty unlikely but it's supposed to be good. I've taken B&Q Colours paint back because it was so awful - 3 coats of it and I finally fixed it by putting a coat of Dulux 1 coat on top.

I think that B&Q are correct, but what has not been said is perhaps more interesting. Think about this way. Paint retailer tells the supplier what paint is required and what the upper price must be. Supplier (who makes high quality paints) says OK, but to meet that price the polymer content will need to be reduced accordingly. Clearly the supplier of the high quality paint will not his trade name on the tin.
Similar things happen in many industries.
 
We've been using the Dulux Trade matt finish vinyl, it's great stuff, goes on really easily.
 
Its better than B&Q's own brand, this stuff (called Colours) is terrible.
 
Some years ago I was advised to pick up same size tins (different suppliers) and choose the heaviest one - probably contains more titanium dioxide giving better hiding power (Whites)
 
Last edited:
All of the own brand paints I've tried have been rubbish tbh. Wickes paint is the worst... their gloss is like nail varnish and has no covering power at all. I put four coats of the stuff on our front door and the undercoat was still grinning through.

Leyland trade emulsion is reasonable stuff, great for doing mist coats or for a first coat to cover up a darker colour. Proper Dulux trade paint from a decorators merchant is the daddy though.
 
I don't know many in the trade who use Dulux, and I am one of them. There is a reason for this (maybe more than one..)

For affordable paint, try Johnstones, or if you want something really good, try Benjamin Moore, but be prepared to pay more - for me, the labour savings make it almost cheaper, and customer feedback make it a no-brainer.
 
Back
Top