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Paint - is there a significant difference between the major brands?

24

Comments

  • Gavin83
    Gavin83 Posts: 8,757 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I'm planning on using Dulux, seems to be a good balance between value and durability.
    I would agree with this. Dulux is what I would consider a 'standard paint' and is pretty middle of the road. Does the job just fine and is a good balance between quality and price. You can definitely get better paint but you'll be paying a higher price for it. 

    We've used Little Greene throughout most of our house and it's great stuff but expensive. Wasn't really a fan of Farrow & Ball myself.
  • ashe
    ashe Posts: 1,574 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    We've just done most our house in a combination of Farrow and Ball and Tikkurila 

    the farrow and ball is gorgeous looking but we used estate emulsion and like mentioned earlier if you touch it, you can see in the light where it has been touched. 

    My research since had told me that the more matt your paint is, the less well it will hold up in general. So any kind of high traffic room you're best avoiding it!

    weve used Tikkurila in our lounge and for all ceilings and that has been a great paint, we went with eggshell so still a bit flat but has some sheen to it, but it is not just cleanable but scrubbable. It feels very hard waring. 

    Love the F&B colours and you will never colour match exactly with any paint but you'll get fairly close 

    our old walls were dulux and the Tikkurila is definitely an upgrade 
  • Why don't they have silk sample pots? I don't really know how silk will appear on my walls so looked for sample. Couldn't get it. 
  • Gavin83
    Gavin83 Posts: 8,757 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    ashe said:
    We've just done most our house in a combination of Farrow and Ball and Tikkurila 

    the farrow and ball is gorgeous looking but we used estate emulsion and like mentioned earlier if you touch it, you can see in the light where it has been touched. 

    My research since had told me that the more matt your paint is, the less well it will hold up in general. So any kind of high traffic room you're best avoiding it!

    weve used Tikkurila in our lounge and for all ceilings and that has been a great paint, we went with eggshell so still a bit flat but has some sheen to it, but it is not just cleanable but scrubbable. It feels very hard waring. 

    Love the F&B colours and you will never colour match exactly with any paint but you'll get fairly close 

    our old walls were dulux and the Tikkurila is definitely an upgrade 
    Tikkurila anti reflex is easily the best paint you can get for ceilings. I've not tried Tikkurila for anything else mind.
  • sk2402005 said:
    Oh yes, theres a big difference, mostly the amout of effort to apply it, number of coats, and durability.
    Buy trade if you want quick and possibly singe coat application, and a vinyl (wipable)
    Buying cheap, or non durabe versions is false economy
    We want the Rock Salt colour. The below is more expensive, but you would recommend that over the standard one? 

    https://www.diy.com/departments/dulux-easycare-rock-salt-matt-emulsion-paint-5l/5010212640456_BQ.prd
    Hi, yes 100% I'd recommend the endurance/easy-care version over standard emulsion.  You can get 95% of marks off without any damage - just use a damp 'magic sponge'.

    Try the same with normal emulsion and you'll get a lot of colour on the magic sponge, and leave a sheen on the wall (if you don't go right through the colour).

    I first used it on a holiday let where bags are carried up & down the stairs every week, often leaving marks on the wall (now about 6 years since I last painted & all is well), and now won't use anything else.

    Only use the standard if you think you may change the colour in a year or two anyway... 
  • ashe
    ashe Posts: 1,574 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Gavin83 said:
    ashe said:
    We've just done most our house in a combination of Farrow and Ball and Tikkurila 

    the farrow and ball is gorgeous looking but we used estate emulsion and like mentioned earlier if you touch it, you can see in the light where it has been touched. 

    My research since had told me that the more matt your paint is, the less well it will hold up in general. So any kind of high traffic room you're best avoiding it!

    weve used Tikkurila in our lounge and for all ceilings and that has been a great paint, we went with eggshell so still a bit flat but has some sheen to it, but it is not just cleanable but scrubbable. It feels very hard waring. 

    Love the F&B colours and you will never colour match exactly with any paint but you'll get fairly close 

    our old walls were dulux and the Tikkurila is definitely an upgrade 
    Tikkurila anti reflex is easily the best paint you can get for ceilings. I've not tried Tikkurila for anything else mind.
    Yeah was anti reflex we used on ceilings, Optiva 20 on walls 
  • ChilliBob
    ChilliBob Posts: 2,263 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Having almost painted every room in our house over an 18month period, and painted a whole house before that...

    * Dulux Trade matt - very good.
    * Little greene intelligent matt emulsion - my favourite, very good
    * Farrow abs ball modern emulsion - not very good, takes three coats, is expensive and even the modern one doesn't take much to scuff up or mark.

    In our previous house we used Crown and Dulux retail, the difference is miles apart, both are far inferior in my view. It's mostly to do with the coverage and opacity - you need more coats basically, and the end result doesn't look as good.

    I would very much question silk - to the point lots of professional decorators won't even us it for a customer. As it has a shine to it any imperfections in the wall are highlighted.

    Yes trade seems more expensive, but then you factor in the cost of another coat, and the cost of your time and suddenly it seems less so. 

    Lots of decorators swear by Johnsons trade mixed to any colour from sat Dulux, farrow and ball etc. 
  • ChilliBob
    ChilliBob Posts: 2,263 Forumite
    Fifth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Oh sorry, to add, Valspar, the v700 I think it is, not bad either - the whole house was done in it before we moved and it stood up to some abuse with people moving out, us moving in etc. I used it in one room but felt it was a bit plasticy, but still not bad tbf
  • mi-key
    mi-key Posts: 1,580 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    Farrow & Ball do nice colours, but to be honest not that impressed with the paint itself. It looks lovely when first applied, but does mark easily and doesn't seem to wear very well. Probably fine for rooms you rarely go in, but definitely not if you  have kids or pets. They seem to rely on it being seen as 'posh paint' to charge loads more for it.


  • ComicGeek
    ComicGeek Posts: 1,619 Forumite
    Eighth Anniversary 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    We use Little Green intelligent matt emulsion. Matt enough to look good, but can be wiped/scrubbed to easily get rid of any marks. We painted our hallway and stairs in this and it still looked brand new 10 years later - has survived kids and pets. Also use the same paint for walls and woodwork.

    Have used Farrow & Ball and Neptune (cheaper version of Little Greene) but just doesn't cover as well or last as long.
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