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

ChilliBob

ComicGeek said:

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.

Well over the course of sbout 5 weeks (mostly prep!) we finished the same a few months ago, I'll be delighted if it lasts 10 years with a 5 year old and a 1 year old!

One room Farrow and Ball, one room Valspar, the rest of the house little greene - 7 rooms odd, and paint for the other two lined up soon, and a summerhouse! Eek!

Oh and if you do decide to go down the trade route, get a Brewers account, 20% off first and second order - you'll save a packet! 

knightstyle

BBC Sounds looked at this  https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0019rcb  

jonnydeppiwish!

Havant having decorator my last 3 house more than once each, Dulux trade vinyl Matt all the way. The extra cost per bucket (£10) saves you that extra coat.
I’ve used mixed versions of colours before to varying effect - bathroom paint tends to work reasonably well but the matts I’ve tried, not so good!
Best paints I’ve used so far are Farrow and Ball Estate emulsion - goes on lovely, and is wipable (we have a pink in the kitchen and regularly clean it by the hob!). Downside is that they cost a lot compared to others.

badger09

ChilliBob said:

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. 

Our decorator used Johnstone’s Trade and is reluctant to use anything else. There were more than enough colours for us but if we’d wanted something from say F&B, he would have had it mixed for us. 

Very pleased with the finish on all surfaces, including metal automatic garage door. 

shinytop

Mrs M chooses from the huge list of almost-the-same F&B colours and asks me which one I prefer. I pick the one I think she likes and I go to my local Brewer's decorator centre, where they will match/mix it with Johnstone's Trade.  IMO it covers better and is harder wearing, although you can't get the really flat matt finishes F&B do.

rob7475

We do the same with F&B paint - find a colour we like and I take it to my local Crown trade counter who mix it up for me in Crown extreme clean. My local Crown shop always give a 20% discount too if you ask nicely :-). 

I've used thepaintshed online a few times too as they often work out cheaper than the trade counters and will mix any brands colours into any other brands paint for you.

ashe

jonnydeppiwish! said:

Havant having decorator my last 3 house more than once each, Dulux trade vinyl Matt all the way. The extra cost per bucket (£10) saves you that extra coat.
I’ve used mixed versions of colours before to varying effect - bathroom paint tends to work reasonably well but the matts I’ve tried, not so good!
Best paints I’ve used so far are Farrow and Ball Estate emulsion - goes on lovely, and is wipable (we have a pink in the kitchen and regularly clean it by the hob!). Downside is that they cost a lot compared to others.

Estate emulsion is wipeable? Are you sure you don't mean modern?

I can see where I've touched it with a finger as it reflects light differently causing it to flash 😂

im about to give our stairs another coat just to use it up, then in a few months time I'll colour match it with Tikkurila and go over it 

john.h

Farrow & Ball have a new paint called Dead flat. It is washable, and can be used on walls and radiators etc. I have painted some bedroom furniture with it and it seems okay up till now. 

Seasider4u

Their isn't a simple answer to this. I'm assuming you're looking at wall covering so on that basis there are a number of other questions that need to be asked... Walls or ceiling? Matt, silk, eggshell, washable? (eggshell is without doubt the toughest but their are some good washable matt emulsions available now). Flat walls or contoured? And finally, how much work are you prepared to put in to get the finish you want?

JadeHighland

Seasider4u said:

Their isn't a simple answer to this. I'm assuming you're looking at wall covering so on that basis there are a number of other questions that need to be asked... Walls or ceiling? Matt, silk, eggshell, washable? (eggshell is without doubt the toughest but their are some good washable matt emulsions available now). Flat walls or contoured? And finally, how much work are you prepared to put in to get the finish you want?

Matt paint, walls. Flat walls that are being skimmed.