Trade paint vs retail paint: The top 5 reasons to choose designer paint over trade

Walking into a paint and decorating centre can sometimes feel like an assault on the senses. There’s a plethora of colours as far as the eye can see and tons of products, each flaunting their different merits and applications. Then, there’s the trade section, which is a whole can of worms in of itself. Here, a handful of commonly asked questions might come to mind: In the trade paint vs retail paint debate, which comes out on top? And is premium (AKA designer paint) worth the cost?

Sounds familiar? Then you’re in the right place. Before you get all bogged down in the details, allow us to simplify things. In this guide, we’re going to set the record straight by explaining the following:

• What is trade paint?
• What is retail paint?
• What about designer paint?
• Trade paint vs normal paint: which is best & why?
• 5 reasons to choose designer paint over trade

What is trade paint?

To the casual DIYer’s eye, trade paint might not seem so different from your bog standard paint, the differences subtle enough to be glossed over. But this is where they’d be wrong: trade paints are formulated to be used by professional hands. These products undergo a high-tech process to pass certain standards that normal, retail paints simply don’t.

Often, this entails scientific testing to ensure that the trade paint goes further, adheres expertly and gives a top-notch finish that a professional paint and decorator can achieve by combining their skill with the product’s performance. Popular brands that might ring a bell include Bradite, Crown Trade, Dulux Trade and Johnstone’s.

Trade paint attributes

We’ve briefly brushed up against what makes a trade paint a trade paint – it’s formulated with professional and commercial use in mind – but here are some extra characteristics to give you a better picture.

• Enhanced coverage
• Stronger opacity and, therefore, pigmentation.
• Smoother application and great durability.
• Better value for higher-stakes and larger projects.

This being said, there are many instances where retail paints and premium, designer brands in particular might be a better choice for the consumer. But, before we get into it, we ought to give a proper explainer of what retail paints actually are.

What is retail paint?

Retail paints are the standard paints designed for DIYers and for more casual use. You’ll see them in high street shops, commercial outlets and also DIY stores. These types of products tend to be cheaper than trade paints in volume and are generally meant to be more accessible to the general public.

Nowadays, thanks to an acceleration in paint technology and consumer values, most of the middle-of-the-range options are pretty decent and crucially are made to be water-based, thus, less impactful on the environment.

What about designer paint?

Designer paints are the premium option among retail paints. These top-tier products are also usually household names, with shades that ring a bell to even the intermittent DIYer. Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue, anyone?

Unsurprisingly, they are considerably more expensive than your basic retail paint you can buy at your local supermarket or bargain store. This begs the question: is premium paint worth it?

Well, when compared to lower-end retail paints, they certainly are. Think of designer paint as a longer-term investment; compared to cheaper products, you get a better finish, better adhesion, a more pigmented look, not to mention that you’ll have the peace of mind that peeling, bubbling or otherwise naff-looking paint won’t be a problem.

Trade paint vs normal paint: which is best & why?

At first glance, trade paint is more expensive vs normal retail paint. But factoring in its increased mileage on the wall or whatever surface you’re painting, it can turn out to be more cost-effective in the long run. Similarly, the quality of designer paint compared to that of budget products means that you can wait longer between touch-ups or the need for redecorating.

Obviously, the type of paint you need personally will depend on the nature of your project and your priorities – think budget, ease of application and coverage – but whatever the case, we recommend steering clear of especially cheap paints. Sometimes it really is too good to be true.

Trade paint or designer paint

So, we’ve narrowed down the options to premium/designer and trade, but under which circumstances are they suited to the job?

First up, let’s talk about trade brands. Professionals will tend to gravitate towards them as they will say that there’s a noticeable difference between how well the paints go on. This means that they can complete more work in a shorter time, benefiting them as well as the customer.

Now, designer paints aren’t made for career decorators, so the speed at which you can get the job done isn’t usually a consideration. Some brands like Little Greene are more than adequate for home decorating projects since they have a brilliant finish. The main downside, though, is the coverage – they’re usually thicker in consistency, so take more time and further litres to finish a project, which can mean a higher overall spend. This said, not all paints are made equal, and often there’s not much difference; sometimes it comes down to the brand quality rather than trade vs designer paint. All the more reason to do your research!

5 reasons to choose designer paint over trade

If you’re leaning towards the premium options, here are some reasons to choose designer paint over trade.

1) Maximum pigment

While trade paints are typically known for their opacity, designer paints work equally well in the pigment department. These high-end brands are playing an excellent game, delivering impactful colour that morphs, deepens and shifts under different lighting, and thanks to their use of natural, high-quality colour agents they really pack a punch.

2) Solid performance

While they might not be the professional interior decorator’s first choice, designer paints are a close second when it comes to overall performance. In fact, most homeowners won’t notice the difference. Durable, long-lasting and washable, many premium paints are just as hardy.

3) Capsule colour collections

Another important thing to consider is that designer paints are focused on lifestyle and colours, more so than trade paints, which are more about delivering particular product specifications at a specific price point.

Many designer paints create capsule collections and colour cards full of shade pairing suggestions, making it easier than ever to find interior inspiration. For example, Farrow & Ball are known for their iconic Setting Plaster colour schemes, among many other memorable shades.

4) Paints with heritage

Another cool aspect of designer paints is that many of them are simply obsessed with British heritage and paint history. Brands like Little Greene, Farrow & Ball and Paint & Paper Library are deeply inspired by our history and are dedicated to unearthing the stories of the people who originated their rediscovered colours.

5) Great eco-credentials

Finally, let’s talk about eco-credentials as lots of designer paints have great ones. From low VOCs and water-based formulas to sourcing ingredients locally, many of the premium brands really care about the planet. If you do some digging, you’ll find that they often have teams of experts working on everything from plastic-free packaging and paint recycling systems to small-batch manufacturing.