Dulux Trade Gloss Review – all you need to know

Gloss is a product which seems to be used less and less nowadays, however it can still look brilliant in the right place, be it in a colour or brilliant ‘in your face’ white. I thought I’d do a Dulux Trade gloss review for you, but I’m also going to mention a couple of other gloss products from Dulux which may be of interest.

Dulux Trade gloss, otherwise known as “high gloss” is sold nationwide from many outlets. If you are entitled to trade discount, you’re probably better going direct and shopping at Dulux Decorating Centre. If you are not eligible to a trade discount, it will almost certainly be cheaper to buy your paint online. Click here to see current prices.

Dulux Trade Oil-Based Gloss Review

This is the main product on the list. Dulux Trade oil-based gloss leaves a very bright glossy finish which can stay white for years. The most popular colour being “brilliant white”, however you can get in tinted into any from Dulux’s vast range. You should always use the proper system, so bare timber should be primed using Dulux Trade acrylic primer, followed by at least one coat of Dulux Trade undercoat, then your gloss. Previously painted surfaces should have a full coat of undercoat, followed by a coat of gloss. This is for adhesion, longevity, and durability more than anything.

Dulux Trade undercoat is a fantastic product. Touch dry in an hour or so, recoat in 16 (over night usually). The gloss takes longer to dry and with any gloss, dust in your paint will show.

With that in mind, after you’re finished painting a room you should leave everything to dry before moving furniture back. There is another, more important reason for doing this which I’ll get to later.

What is Dulux Trade Gloss like to work with?

Well the undercoat and primer are great. The gloss is a bit sticky and can drag. This just means you need to take a little bit of extra time when doing your painting. You can always loosen your gloss by adding some white spirit if it’s putting up a fight. The opacity is bang on so you can thin it without issue. Oh, if you use a synthetic brush you may have to give in a wash out every couple of hours to stop it clogging. These are only minor irritations. If you apply your gloss with a foam roller, you’ll find it lovely to work with. I like to use a Hamilton pure bristle brush and a sash to apply any oil-based gloss paint.

There is another little frustration to tell you about, Dulux Trade gloss can “creep”. So say you do your walls, then cut a lovely straight line down a doorframe with your Dulux Trade gloss. Some gloss may ‘creep’ a few millimeters from your doorframe onto your wall. This means your lovely straight line is no longer lovely and straight. You will need to then touch your emulsion up again.

That Glossy Finish

So I’ve talked you through the irritations of applying the Dulux Trade gloss, but what is the finish like? Well I can tell you now that it is phenomenal!! The “brilliant white” is as white and as brilliant as anything is ever going to be. The finish in colours is like glass!! It really is stunning. Dulux Trade gloss stands sharp and proud like any gloss should do. If you want a gloss finish, then this is as good as you’re ever going to get from an internal product. Honestly, I can’t stress enough just how nice a finish you can achieve with gear. Dulux Trade gloss looks as good, or better than any other interior gloss on the market.

How Long does Dulux Trade Gloss Take to Discolour?

Bit of a mad subject this. All oil-based gloss will discolour over time due to restrictions on the VOC’s (chemicals) a manufacturer is allowed to use. The oil in oil-based gloss is an alkyd, and like all alkyds, it will discolour. The best you can hope for is to get a few good years out of it before the oil in the gloss begins to bleed through. If conditions are right, you will not notice the problem of discoloration with Dulux Trade gloss.

The first thing you need to do is leave furniture in the middle of the room until the gloss is properly dry. Your newly painted white gloss work will look like magnolia within 6 months if it is deprived of natural light while it is drying. The other thing is avoid using gloss of any brand in rooms with very little natural light such as some hallways, as natural light will slow down the process the oil from turning yellow.

You need to be conscious of the issue of gloss discoloring with any brand, but as long as you are and you use a quality, you will not have any issues and your gloss will look brand new for years. Click her to see latest prices.

Review Summary

Best Tools to Use to Apply Dulux Trade Gloss

Any oil-based gloss is sticky because it contains a lot of the alkyd oil, so modern synthetic paintbrushes tend to clog up. Choosing a suitable brush and roller to use takes a little bit of thought.

Paint Brush

Hamilton Perfection Pure Bristle is an old-school paint brush, but it’s still the best brush to apply Dulux Trade Gloss. The natural bristles (hog hair), remain soft while you’re working with it and won’t clog up. Available online by clicking here.

Sash Brush

You may also need a sash brush, depending on how much intricate cutting in there is. These are great for the tops of skirting board or down the side of architraves. Available online here.

Dust Brush

You will need a good dust brush when applying oil-based gloss, simply because every little grain of dust will show a mile off. Any dust brush is fine. Available online here.

Foam Roller

Last but not least, you want a foam roller for the larger flat areas. These help you apply an even layer of gloss in less time, thus achieving a better finish. Any foam roller will do, but the Rota Concave stands out as the best, simply because their shape means you avoid tram lines. Available online here.

Dulux Trade Quick Dry Gloss Review

Dulux Trade Quick Dry, or QD gloss is Dulux’s version of a water-based gloss. I thought I’d write a few sentences about it because if you’re looking for a gloss you may consider it. They also do a QD and diamond satinwood which might be worth a look.

Anyway, back to the Dulux QD gloss, it’s awful stuff, stay well away. I can see why you’d consider it because it essentially eliminates the issue of “yellowing” in low light conditions, but opacity, finish, durability and sheen level are all lacking. Generally speaking, I like Dulux Trade products, but I wouldn’t recommend this one.

Dulux Once Gloss Review

Dulux Once gloss is a retail product so I’m only going to give it a very quick mention. I think its probably the best 1-coat gloss on the market. It does yellow quickly so it isn’t going to look fresh for years like the Dulux Trade oil-based gloss does, but the finish is bang on. Decorators love this product for bashing out rentals.

FAQs

Why does Dulux Gloss go yellow?

The oil in gloss is an alkyd, and one of the properties of an alkyd is it turns yellow over time, particularly in low levels of natural light. Oil-based gloss contains loads of alkyd oil, which is why the yellowing of a product like Dulux Trade Gloss is noticeable.

What gloss paint do professionals use on wood?

Roughly 75% of Decorators now use, or ‘mostly use’ water-based paint on woodwork. This is mostly due to the issue of yellowing. Water-based is also quicker and easier to apply, and better for the environment.

How long does Dulux Gloss take to cure?

Dulux Trade Gloss is touch dry after around 6 hours and the recoat time is around 16 hours. However, it can take around a month to fully cure. So, if you gloss your woodwork, wait a few days before having your carpet laid, otherwise the fitters might damage your paintwork.

Can I put gloss paint straight onto wood?

No. You should first prime your wood, then carry out your prep, dust everything off, and apply at least one coat of undercoat before applying gloss paint. If in doubt, follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Why does gloss paint go yellow behind furniture?

The yellowing of gloss paint happens faster in low levels of natural light. Hence going yellow behind furniture.

Does Dulux Once Gloss need undercoat?

Dulux Once Gloss is self-undercoating on previously painted surfaces. Bare wood will need to be primed.

Final Thoughts

And there you have it, my Dulux Trade gloss review. I just wanted to end by saying oil-based gloss is becoming an old-school product. Legislation is pushing us towards water-based, much the same way as we’re being pushed towards electric vehicles. I believe one day in my lifetime, oil-based gloss will be completely phased out.

Until that day, I’m going to enjoy using it. Oil-based gloss is a glorious product! It stands proud on your internal woodwork like a shirt and tie on a smartly dressed man. Dulux Trade manufacture one of the best gloss paints on the market, so give it a go.