Ask ten Sydney homeowners which paint brand they trust and you will probably hear two names more than any other: Dulux and Taubmans. Both have been on hardware shelves for generations, both stand behind their products with solid warranties, and both make paint that will look wonderful on your walls when the job is done properly. So when a client asks us which one is better, the honest answer is that it depends on the surface, the exposure and the way the paint is prepared and applied. As painters who work across Sydney and greater New South Wales every week, we use both brands, and we have opinions, but we try to keep them fair. Let us walk you through a practical, balanced comparison so you can make an informed choice for your own home.
Two of Australia’s most established paint brands
Dulux and Taubmans are two of the best known and most widely available paint manufacturers in the country. You can buy both at major hardware chains and paint specialists right across the city, which matters more than people realise. Easy availability means quick colour matching, reliable restocking on a big job, and no waiting around when a project runs a little longer than planned.
Dulux is a household name in Australia, with a long history and a very large colour library. Its interior offering includes well known ranges such as Wash and Wear, and for outdoor work the Weathershield line is one of the most recognised exterior paints in the market. Taubmans is equally established and just as trusted by tradespeople. On the interior side it is known for ranges such as Endure, while its All Weather range is a popular choice for exterior repaint work.
Here is the important thing to understand before we compare them. Both brands make paint across good, better and best tiers. In other words, each company has an entry level product, a mid range product and a premium product. A premium Dulux paint and a premium Taubmans paint are far closer to each other than a premium and a budget product from the same brand. So the tier you choose usually matters more than the badge on the tin.
Dulux vs Taubmans, how they compare on what homeowners care about
Most people are not really asking about chemistry. They want to know how the paint will hold up, how it goes on, how it looks and what it costs. Let us take those one at a time.
Durability and washability
This is where the premium tiers of both brands shine. Modern water based interior paints from Dulux and Taubmans are designed to be washable and hard wearing, so scuffs, fingerprints and the odd crayon masterpiece can be wiped away without polishing a shiny patch into the wall. In practical terms, a good quality low sheen from either brand will stand up well in a busy family hallway. On exteriors, both Weathershield and All Weather are built to cope with the Australian climate, including strong sun, salt air near the coast and the heavy downpours we get in a Sydney summer. We would not tell you one brand is dramatically tougher than the other. What we will tell you is that a premium product will outlast a budget product from either company, often by years.
Coverage and how many coats
On a properly prepared surface, both brands give good coverage, and two coats is the typical expectation for a quality finish. Deep or vivid colours, big changes from dark to light, and porous or patchy surfaces can call for an extra coat or a tinted undercoat regardless of the brand. Anyone who promises you full, even coverage in a single coat over a problem surface is selling optimism rather than paint. Good coverage also depends on the roller, the technique and the spread rate, which is where an experienced hand earns its keep.
Ease of application
Both brands are pleasant to work with, and both roll and brush nicely at the premium level. Painters often develop a personal preference for how a particular product flows, levels and holds a wet edge, and honestly that preference can come down to habit as much as anything measurable. The premium lines from each company tend to be more forgiving, which helps the finish look smooth and even once it dries.
Colour range and colour matching
Dulux has a famously large colour library, and its colour system is deeply familiar to designers and homeowners alike. Taubmans also offers an extensive palette and reliable in store colour matching. In practice, both can match almost any colour you bring them, whether it is a chip from an old tin, a fabric swatch or a competitor’s shade. If you have your heart set on a specific brand’s signature colour, that is worth mentioning early, because it can steer the choice.
Sheen levels
Both brands cover the full range of finishes, from flat and matt through low sheen and satin to semi gloss and gloss. The right sheen depends on the room and the surface. Low sheen is a safe, forgiving choice for most interior walls. Higher sheens are easier to wipe and are often chosen for kitchens, bathrooms, doors and trim. This is a decision about the job rather than the brand, since each company offers comparable options.
Price positioning
Broadly speaking, Dulux and Taubmans are priced in a similar bracket, and both are priced by tier. The premium products cost more than the entry level products, as you would expect. When you are weighing up interior painting cost or budgeting for an exterior repaint, the bigger lever is almost always the tier and the amount of preparation the surfaces need, not which of these two brands you pick. Spending a little more on the paint is usually money well spent, because labour is the largest part of any quality job and you want a finish that lasts.
Manufacturer warranties
Both companies back their products with warranties, and the premium exterior lines in particular often carry long term coverage. The exact terms vary by product and tier, so it always pays to read the specific warranty for the paint you are using. It is also worth knowing that most manufacturer warranties assume the paint was prepared and applied according to their specifications, which brings us neatly to the next point.
| Consideration | Dulux | Taubmans |
|---|---|---|
| Interior range | Well known lines such as Wash and Wear, across matt, low sheen and semi gloss finishes | Well known lines such as Endure, with a comparable spread of finishes |
| Exterior range | Weathershield and related exterior products built for the Australian climate | All Weather and related exterior products built for the Australian climate |
| Washability and durability | Premium tiers are washable and hard wearing | Premium tiers are washable and hard wearing |
| Coverage and coats | Good coverage on prepared surfaces, two coats typical | Good coverage on prepared surfaces, two coats typical |
| Colour range and matching | Very large colour library with reliable colour matching | Extensive colour range with reliable in store colour matching |
| Price positioning | Priced by tier, broadly comparable | Priced by tier, broadly comparable |
| Warranty | Varies by product and tier, often long term on premium exterior lines | Varies by product and tier, often long term on premium exterior lines |
Why preparation usually matters more than the brand name
Here is the part of the story that paint advertisements tend to skip. The single biggest factor in how your paint looks and how long it lasts is not the brand on the tin. It is the preparation and the way the system is applied. We have seen premium paint fail early because it was rolled over a dirty, chalky or poorly primed surface, and we have seen mid tier paint perform beautifully because the surfaces were cleaned, sanded, filled, primed and coated the right way.
The accepted reference for this in Australia is AS/NZS 2311, the Guide to the painting of buildings. It sets out how surfaces should be prepared and how coatings should be applied for a sound, long lasting result. A good painter works to that standard as a matter of course. That means washing off dirt and mould, treating any bare or previously unpainted areas, sanding back gloss and flaking material, filling and making good, spot priming or fully priming as needed, and then applying the correct number of coats at the right spread rate. Skip those steps and even the best paint in the country will disappoint you.
Choosing between Dulux and Taubmans, then, is a smaller decision than most people expect. Choosing the right product tier for the surface and the exposure, and preparing properly, is the bigger one. This is also why we quote every project on its own circumstances after an on site assessment rather than quoting a flat rate over the phone. A weathered two storey exterior and a freshly built interior are very different jobs, even if the paint tin looks similar.
A quick scenario: sun exposed weatherboard versus a low traffic interior
Imagine two jobs on the same street. The first is a sun exposed weatherboard exterior on the western side of the house, taking the full afternoon heat and the odd summer storm. The second is a quiet interior study that barely gets touched. These call for different thinking.
For the weatherboard, we would lean towards a premium exterior system, either Weathershield or All Weather depending on the surface, the existing coating and the client’s preference. Timber that moves with the seasons and bakes in the sun needs a flexible, durable exterior paint, proper priming of any bare timber, and careful attention to the joints and end grain where water likes to sneak in. This is the kind of surface where cutting corners on preparation shows up within a couple of years. If you are searching for the best exterior paint for our conditions, the truthful answer is that the best result comes from the right premium system applied correctly, and either brand can deliver it. We have written more about this in our guide to the best exterior paint for the Sydney climate, linked below.
The low traffic interior study is a different matter. A quality low sheen interior paint from either brand will do a lovely job, and because the room sees so little wear you have more freedom to prioritise colour and finish over maximum toughness. You could comfortably choose based on the exact colour you love rather than agonising over durability. That is the honest reality: the surface and the exposure decide the system, not brand loyalty.
Getting the right result for your Sydney home
So, Dulux or Taubmans? Both are excellent, well established Australian brands, and for most homes the difference between their comparable products is smaller than the marketing might suggest. The decisions that genuinely change your outcome are the tier of paint, matching the product to the surface and the exposure, and preparing and applying everything to the manufacturer specifications and AS/NZS 2311. Get those right and you will be happy with either brand. Get them wrong and neither brand can save the job.
A good painter will talk you through all of this and recommend the right product and system for your specific project rather than pushing one brand for the sake of it. If you are weighing up an interior painting refresh, planning an exterior repaint, or simply searching for reliable house painters near me, that individual advice is worth far more than a generic brand recommendation. Aussie Home Painting works across residential and multi residential homes, strata and commercial buildings, roof painting and restoration, protective and specialty coatings, and related renovation work throughout Sydney and greater New South Wales. You can also read our take on the best exterior paint for the Sydney climate if outdoor durability is your main concern.
If you would like a clear, honest recommendation for your own project, we are happy to help. Contact Aussie Home Painting for a free, no obligation quote or an on site consultation, and we will assess your surfaces, talk through your options across both brands, and put together a plan that suits your home and your budget.