Trade vs Retail Paint – What’s the difference?

It often comes as a surprise to most people that there is actually a difference between trade quality and retail quality paint. In fact as most of the big DIY chains only stock retail paint, a huge amount of customers do not even realise that there is such a thing as trade paint and assume it is the same thing but the trade just get a discount.

This could not be further from the truth. Trade paint is of a much higher quality than general retail paint and it will not only go further when covering a wall but it will also need less coats to produce a high quality finish. Because trade paint has a different formulation and uses a different pigment it offers much greater coverage and a better overall finish than retail DIY paint.

There is a reason that professional painters and decorators use trade paint and it isn’t because it’s cheap. The quality of trade paint can often mean that it costs more than retail paint but because painters and decorators buy bulk sizes they can get a better price. A trusted painter and decorator would not use retail DIY paint as the quality of finish can’t be guaranteed in comparison to trade paint.

Dulux select guarantee the work of painters and decorators when using their trade products but the same guarantee would not apply if they were to use retail paint. This is because the retail paints have a much lower opacity meaning it takes more coats to get a professional finish.

Another difference between trade and retail paints is that in trade use there is no such thing as bathroom paint, kitchen paint or one coat paint. These paints are aimed at the high street and don’t deliver on their claims. If you want a professional finish then you need professional paint which is exactly what trade paint is.

There are a range of things that help to make the results of a professional painter and decorator better than those of an amateur some of the main ones include. Surface preparation, wide range of paint brushes, paint rollers and poles, and of course trade quality paint. So make sure you employ a professional to give your home a top quality finish.