What Is Trade Paint?

A common question we receive here at Decor8 Northern is what is trade paint? Well, in this article we are going to answer any questions you may have, so you can find the right paint for you.

What is trade paint?

So, let's tackle this question straight away. Most paint manufacturer's such as Dulux, Johnstone's & Crown product both a retail and a trade version of many of their paints. This is to best cater the the specific needs that a DIY'er & professional decorator would have respectively.

There are a number of key differences between trade & retail paint:

1. Quality

A professional decorator wants a perfect finish guaranteed. This is why trade paints are often higher quality, offering a higher opacity meaning it takes less coats to get a professional finish. This is to minimise the labour costs involved in a decorating job. If a trade decorator had to cover a wall in three coats rather than two, it would take much longer, which would then push the price of the job up for their clients. Furthermore, trade paint is much more durable than retail paint. This can be demonstrated with the retail & trade versions of Dulux matt emulsion. The retail version of Dulux matt is simply a 'matt finish', while the trade version is a 'vinyl matt' which contains a resin for extra durability. The retail version does not contain this resin, and therefore is much more susceptible to scuffs.

2. Cost

Due to the higher quality formulation of trade paint, it does often come at a higher price than retail paint. This can often put retail customers off trade paint, however it is often a false economy to opt for retail paint, as although it is cheaper upfront than trade paint, the quality finish you can achieve with trade paint in less coats can often offer much better value for money.

3. Gimmicks

Retail paints are only designed for one specific task in mind, such as one coat products and bathroom paint, which are often a marketing tactic. Trade paints are not designed for one specific job in mind like retail paints. They offer varying qualities that can be applied in a range of scenarios depending on the desired finish, and situation.

So when we are asked by customers "is trade paint better?" the answer is pretty clear, absolutely!

How much does trade paint cost?

The cost of trade paint can vary. For example, 2.5L of Dulux Vinyl Matt White is £14.16, which is only a few pounds more than the retail version of the paint.

Naturally, trade paint will cost more, but for the time saved and the finish you can achieve with them, it is a no brainer in our opinion. As many say, buy the best you can afford. If you can only afford a retail version of a matt finish, go for that. If you can afford a trade vinyl matt, then that is the one to go for!

Can you colour match trade paint?

When finding the best paint to use for a project, an essential part is getting the shade of paint you want. Here at Decor8 Northern we can mix a huge range of paints in any colour you want thanks to our paint mixing machines. All you have to do is tell us the shade you want and we will do the rest. If you are outside of the North West, why not shop the full colour match paint range from our nationwide website Painters World?

We hope this article has answered all your questions regarding trade paint. Need some help? Our team of experts are always on hand to assist you and give you the very best advice possible. Get in touch with on social media or email us - sales@decor8northern.co.uk