Dulux Emulsion Coloured

I have been going through a bit of a DIY phase lately, painting every room in the house – it’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint or a change in colour can really give a room a new feel. Perhaps I should be more adventurous, but Dulux is the only brand of pain I use. I once tried B&Q’s own brand of paint for my kid’s bedroom which was okay, but I went straight back to my Dulux for further projects.

For a start they have a vast array of colours to choose from, even many variants of white which are absolutely ideal for just that slightest hint of a colour. If you have a colour in mind it is highly likely that Dulux have a paint that matches the colour, and if not many DIY stores will mix the paint to develop the exact shade you are wanting. However, personally I have always found the exact shade in my mind from the wide range
Their standard emulsion paint is available in matt or silk, these are exactly the same shade, the silk one simply has a bit more of a sheen to its finish. They tend to take a couple of hours to be dry to the touch so make sure you leave it long enough to dry before either adding another coat or avaluating if another coat is required. Also, wet paint can look different in colour to dry paint, so in my opinion it is well worth buying a couple of testers of the shade you are interested in and seeing if it’s definitely exactly what you want when it has dried. Another good reason for the testers is that colours can look different to the shade displayed on the tin or in a brochure, and can also differ in appearance depending on the colour of the surface they are being painted on to.

The tin does recommend 2 coats, though this is not always necessary, particularly if you are covering a lighter colour with a darker one. However, darker colours/patterns definitely do require 2 coats. I must admit I am lazy and always stop after 1 – I get away with it looking okay, but 2 would be far better, and give a higher quality finish.

Once dried I find that the walls always feel smooth, regardless of whether matt or silk has been used. In contrast I have found another brand to feel a bit rough afterwards. As for the smell, of course it has the regular paint wwhiff with it which lingers for a couple of days, but if the room is kept well ventilated this is not a problem.

Cost wise, there are 2 main sizes – an average, standard paint pot size which costs about £16 and a large tub which costs about £25. I would say this is about the typical price for paint with most brands.

The consistency I have found to be good – nice and smooth without being too runny. The only problem I have encountered, just now and again, is that I have come across large limps wihin the paint that I haven’t been able to break down by stirring – I have had to fish them out and remove them which was rather wasteful.

Other than that though I am p[leased with Dulux and plan on sticking to this brand for ay future projects