Dulux Trade vs Johnstone's Trade: Which Paint Is Better for Professional Decorating?

1. Two Trusted Trade Brands, Two Different Strengths

Dulux Trade and Johnstone's Trade are both formulated for professional decorators who need consistent, reliable performance job after job — not the occasional DIY weekend. That's where the similarity ends in most decorators' minds. Dulux Trade tends to be chosen for its breadth of range and brand recognition with clients; Johnstone's Trade tends to be chosen for value and dependable everyday performance. Neither reputation tells the whole story on its own.

2. Coverage and Opacity

Both brands' durable matt ranges are formulated for strong opacity, typically achieving full, even coverage in two coats on a properly prepared and primed surface. In practice, coverage differences between the two are usually smaller than the difference a poorly prepared wall or a particularly saturated colour will make. Dark or bold colours can need a third coat regardless of which brand is in the tray.

3. Durability and Washability

Dulux Trade's Diamond Matt is specifically engineered for stain resistance and holds up well in busy, high-traffic homes and communal areas where marks need to wipe away without burnishing the finish. Johnstone's Trade's Acrylic Durable Matt is built around similar priorities — strong washability and a long-lasting finish — and is a regular choice for rental properties and family homes where the paint needs to survive daily life without a repaint every year.

For genuinely heavy-duty durability, the deciding factor is usually less "which brand" and more "which specific product line" — Diamond Matt and Acrylic Durable Matt are both a step up from either brand's standard matt.

4. Ease of Application

Both paints are designed to spread smoothly and maintain a workable wet edge, which matters when cutting in around coving, skirting and switch plates without leaving visible joins. Decorators who've used both extensively often describe Johnstone's Trade as slightly easier to keep a wet edge with in warm rooms, while Dulux Trade is often praised for consistent levelling on larger flat wall areas. These are fine margins rather than dramatic differences, and technique and room conditions usually matter more than brand.

5. Product Range Compared

Dulux Trade offers a broader named range within its core matt and eggshell lines — including Vinyl Matt, Diamond Matt, Diamond Eggshell and Diamond Satinwood — giving decorators more finish options to match a client's brief. Johnstone's Trade keeps its range more focused, built around Acrylic Durable Matt and equivalent eggshell finishes, which some decorators prefer for its simplicity when quoting and ordering.

6. Price and Value

Johnstone's Trade is generally the more budget-friendly of the two, which makes it a common choice where the client is prioritising value across a larger job, such as a full rental refurbishment. Dulux Trade tends to sit a little higher, which many decorators justify with its broader range and stronger brand recognition when clients ask specifically for it by name. As with any trade paint, actual pricing depends heavily on your trade account and supplier, so it's worth comparing your own account pricing before assuming either is cheaper by default.

7. Our Verdict

Neither brand is universally "better" — they're both dependable trade paints that perform well when applied properly to a well-prepared surface. As a rough guide: reach for Johnstone's Trade Acrylic Durable Matt on value-driven jobs and rental turnarounds where washability and cost per litre matter most, and reach for Dulux Trade Diamond Matt where stain resistance in a high-traffic area is the priority, or where a client specifically requests it by name.

The bigger factor in either case is preparation and application technique — a well-prepared wall painted with either brand will outperform a poorly prepared wall painted with the "better" one.

Frequently Asked Questions