Dulux vs Taubmans vs Wattyl doesn’t have a single winner. All three are long-established paint brands sold across Australia, and each makes premium interior and exterior ranges with similar core features: self-priming, flexible exterior paints with sun and mould protection, and washable, stain-resistant interior paints. The differences that matter are in the specific products, the guarantee terms and how well each suits the surface being painted.
AMP Master Painters uses premium Dulux, Taubmans and Wattyl paints, chosen to suit each surface and finish, so we are not picking a favourite here. This guide compares what each maker says about its own flagship products, so you can read a quote with confidence. All product details come from the makers’ own pages and datasheets, checked in October 2026.
Dulux, Taubmans and Wattyl at a glance
| Dulux | Taubmans | Wattyl | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Premium exterior | Weathershield | All Weather, Sunproof | Solagard |
| Premium interior walls | Wash&Wear | Endure | i.d Advanced |
| Exterior guarantee, as the maker states it | Weathershield won’t peel, flake or blister for as long as you live in your home | All Weather: lifetime guarantee against blistering, flaking and peeling. Sunproof: 25 years | Solagard: 25 years against flaking, peeling or blistering, when applied as specified |
| Main conditions | Residential homes; you must live in the home | Properly prepared surfaces; full terms on Taubmans’ website | Applied as specified (three coats); proof of purchase |
Each brand has more products than this, including trade lines, enamels, primers and specialist coatings. These are the ranges homeowners most often see in a quote or on a store shelf.
How do their exterior paints compare?
Exterior paint does the hardest job on a Melbourne house. It has to cope with strong summer sun, cold wet winters and timber that swells and shrinks. All three flagship exteriors are marketed for exactly those conditions.
Dulux Weathershield
Dulux’s Weathershield Low Sheen page describes the paint as formulated with MaxiFlex Technology to expand and contract with the surface, with strong sun protection and protection against mould and algae. Dulux says it is self-priming on most surfaces and lists timber, brick, concrete, fibre cement, render and a range of metals among suitable surfaces. It covers up to 16 square metres per litre and can be recoated after 2 hours in the conditions Dulux specifies.
The guarantee is the headline. Dulux says Weathershield won’t peel, flake or blister for as long as you live in your home, and that it will replace the paint free of charge to fix the affected areas. To claim, you must be living in the house you painted. The guarantee doesn’t apply to commercial premises, where non-Dulux coatings have been applied, to substrate failure or to colour fade.
Taubmans All Weather and Sunproof
Taubmans has two main premium exteriors. Its All Weather product page describes a self-priming paint with Nanoguard Advanced Technology that resists dirt, UV damage and extreme weather. Taubmans lists weatherboards, rendered masonry, timber, roofs, trims, galvanised iron, PVC piping and steel as suitable surfaces, and quotes coverage of up to 16 square metres per litre. The page says All Weather is backed by a lifetime guarantee against blistering, flaking and peeling when applied to properly prepared surfaces, with full terms on Taubmans’ disclaimers page.
Sunproof is pitched at sun protection. Taubmans’ datasheet says it is formulated with UV barriers, is self-priming, needs only two coats on previously painted surfaces and carries a 25-year guarantee against flaking, peeling and blistering. It lists weatherboard, cement render, fibre cement, brick, fences and pergolas among its uses, and says Taubmans makes its paint in Australia, at plants in Villawood NSW and Clayton VIC.
Wattyl Solagard
Wattyl’s Solagard warranty document lists UV blockout, lasting flexibility, resistance to chalking and fading, mould and mildew inhibition and self-priming among its features. The same document says Solagard can be applied in temperatures as low as 5°C, which is worth knowing for Melbourne’s cooler months; check each product’s datasheet for its own minimum temperature.
Solagard’s warranty has the most detail of the three. For purchases from 1 September 2021, Wattyl warrants that Solagard Matt, Low Sheen, Semi-Gloss or Gloss won’t flake, peel or blister for 25 years when applied correctly, as specified, on sound and properly prepared surfaces. The specification is three coats. Wattyl says customers who apply two coats are still eligible for its previous warranty: 15 years on previously painted surfaces and galvanised iron or Zincalume, and 10 years on bare timber and bare render, brick, fibre cement and masonry.
How do their interior paints compare?
Inside the house, the main differences are washability, mould resistance, VOC levels and the choice of sheens.
Dulux Wash&Wear
Dulux’s Wash&Wear range is built around washability and stain resistance. The Low Sheen version is described as suitable for all interior walls, including high-traffic areas such as hallways and family rooms, with mould and mildew resistant technology and low VOC. The range includes Matt, Low Sheen and Semi Gloss, plus +PLUS versions for scuff-prone areas, extra hiding power, and kitchens and bathrooms with high humidity or condensation.
Taubmans Endure
Taubmans’ Endure Interior Walls is described as a premium interior paint with Nanoguard Advanced Technology, designed for busy households, with scrub and stain resistance. Taubmans says it helps protect against mould and mildew, lists a VOC level of 15 grams per litre, and describes it as asthma and allergy friendly. It comes in Matt, Low Sheen and Semi Gloss, covers up to 12 square metres per litre and, according to the product page, carries a lifetime guarantee.
Wattyl i.d Advanced
Wattyl’s i.d Advanced range is described as a high performance, water-based, ultra premium paint. Wattyl says the Interior Walls paint has very low VOC (less than 1 gram per litre), advanced cleanability and anti-mould ingredients. The range includes flat, matt, low sheen and satin finishes, a Total Cover version with higher coverage, a Kitchen and Bathroom range, and an Anti Mould Ceiling Flat backed by a 5-year anti-mould warranty.
What do paint guarantees actually cover?
Long guarantees are a big part of how paint is marketed, so it is worth reading them closely.
- They cover the paint, not the job. Wattyl’s warranty says it will supply enough paint to recoat the affected areas, and that labour and equipment costs are not covered. Dulux’s says it will replace the paint free of charge to fix the affected areas. Neither pays a painter to redo the work.
- They depend on preparation. Every guarantee we checked applies only to paint applied correctly to sound, properly prepared surfaces. Paint that fails because the old coating underneath broke down, or because the surface wasn’t prepared, isn’t covered.
- They depend on the full system. Wattyl’s 25-year term needs three coats. Dulux excludes cases where non-Dulux coatings were used. Mixing products can affect a claim.
- They exclude some failures. Colour fade, substrate failure and commercial premises are excluded from the Dulux guarantee, for example.
- You need proof. Keep the receipts, or ask your painter for the product and batch details.
Manufacturers’ guarantees sit alongside your rights under the Australian Consumer Law, which Wattyl’s document also points out. They are separate from a painter’s own workmanship guarantee, which covers how the job was done. At AMP, every job carries our written 7-year guarantee. Our guide to what a painting quote should include explains how to check what a painter’s guarantee covers.
Where does each brand suit?
Since all three make capable premium paints, the better question is which product suits your surface, finish and situation. These are the things that usually decide it.
- The surface. Weatherboard, render, brick, fibre cement and metal each need the right product and primer. Check that the product’s datasheet lists your surface, as all three flagship exteriors list the common Melbourne claddings.
- The guarantee you value. A guarantee tied to living in the home, a fixed number of years, or a specific number of coats each suit different plans. If you might sell soon, a guarantee for as long as you live there may matter less than you think.
- Wet areas and mould. All three makers have products aimed at mould resistance or humid rooms. Our guide to painting kitchens and bathrooms covers what matters most there.
- Low VOC needs. If someone in the home is sensitive to paint smells, compare the VOC figures on each product’s datasheet. They vary between products, not just between brands.
- The colour. Each brand has its own colour library and names. If you have fallen for a particular colour, that can decide the brand. Our guide on how to test paint colours shows how to check it in your light, and a colour consultation can help with the shortlist.
- The sheen. Sheen names and gloss levels differ slightly between brands, so compare finishes within one product range. Our paint sheen guide explains the options.
- Matching an existing job. Touching up or extending a recent paint job is simplest with the same product and colour.
Does the brand matter more than the preparation?
No. A premium paint over poor preparation will fail early, whatever the label says. Most peeling, flaking and blistering comes from moisture, failing old paint underneath or a surface that wasn’t cleaned and primed properly. That is also why the makers’ guarantees are conditional on preparation. Our guide to peeling, cracking and blistering paint explains the common causes.
What you can control is the specification. A good quote names the brand, the product, the sheen and the number of coats for each surface, along with the preparation and any primer. With that in writing, you can compare quotes fairly and check that the product used matches the one you paid for.
How AMP chooses paint
We use premium Dulux, Taubmans and Wattyl paints and choose the product for each surface and finish: what suits a sun-beaten weatherboard isn’t always what suits a bathroom ceiling or a front door. At the free site inspection we look at the surfaces, talk through colours and sheens, and specify the products in the written quote, which you usually receive the next day. You can see how a job runs on our process page, and find out more about our exterior painting and interior painting services.
The bottom line
Dulux, Taubmans and Wattyl all make premium paints with comparable core features, and none is the best choice for every job. Their flagship exteriors, Weathershield, All Weather and Sunproof, and Solagard, differ most in how their guarantees are worded and what they require. Their interiors differ in washability, mould resistance, VOC levels and sheens. Choose the product for the surface, read the guarantee terms, and make sure your quote names the exact product, sheen and number of coats.
