Trade Paint Brands for London Decorators: Dulux vs Johnstones vs Tikkurila vs Crown

The trade paint question

Every professional decorator has a brand preference, and those preferences are often held more strongly than the objective performance differences between products justify. That said, there are real differences between the main trade ranges — in coverage, application characteristics, durability, and the specific products each brand does best.

This comparison focuses on the four trade brands most commonly used in London residential and commercial decoration: Dulux Trade, Johnstones, Tikkurila, and Crown Trade. The intent is not to declare a winner but to give an honest account of where each brand excels and where it falls short.

Dulux Trade

Dulux Trade is the default choice for a large proportion of London decorators, and the reason is partly quality and partly infrastructure. Dulux Trade stockists are everywhere — most large builder's merchants carry the range — and the tinting system is excellent. The Dulux Trade Colour Mixing system covers over 20,000 colours, is consistent between batches, and is widely available at short notice.

Best products in the range:

• Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt: The bread-and-butter trade emulsion. Covers well (approximately 16–17 square metres per litre), applies easily, and provides a consistent flat finish. A sound choice for rental properties, commercial spaces, and any application where durability rather than depth of colour is the priority.
• Dulux Trade Diamond Matt and Eggshell: The Diamond range adds scrubbability — useful in family homes and rental properties. The matt version in particular stands up to cleaning better than standard vinyl matt.
• Dulux Trade Quick Dry Satinwood: One of the better water-based satinwood products on the market. Good flow, reasonable hardness once cured, and available in the full trade colour range. Requires three days to cure fully before washing.
• Dulux Weathershield Professional: A competent exterior masonry paint range, particularly the Smooth Masonry product. Not exceptional but reliable and widely available.

Weaknesses: Dulux Trade's premium emulsions — the Easycare and Diamond ranges — are good but not exceptional for colour depth. For rooms where depth of tone matters, Tikkurila or a heritage brand outperforms Dulux Trade.

Johnstones Trade

Johnstones (owned by Sherwin-Williams) is the brand most frequently recommended by experienced decorators as a genuine Dulux Trade alternative — and in several specific products, it exceeds Dulux.

Best products in the range:

• Johnstones Washable Matt: Superior durability to Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt in practical use. Cleans more readily without burnishing. Slightly less flat in finish — it has a very faint sheen that catches raking light — but in most applications this is irrelevant.
• Johnstones Aqua Water Based Satinwood: Marginally better hardness than Dulux Trade Quick Dry Satinwood once fully cured. The flow is slightly different — less self-levelling — but the cure hardness is noticeably better.
• Joncryl Kitchen & Bathroom: A purpose-made moisture-resistant eggshell that outperforms Dulux Trade's equivalent. Better adhesion to bathroom tiles and wall surfaces without priming.
• Johnstones Contract Matt: The budget end of the range, useful for rental turnarounds and commercial first coats.

Weaknesses: The tinting system is less widely available than Dulux Trade's, and coverage in the standard ranges is slightly lower than Dulux equivalent products. Not every builder's merchant stocks the full range.

Tikkurila

Tikkurila is a Finnish brand with a strong foothold in the London professional market, primarily on the strength of two products that are genuinely outstanding.

Best products in the range:

• Tikkurila Optiva 5: A water-based wall and ceiling emulsion with exceptional coverage (17–18 square metres per litre) and depth of colour in tinted shades. The pigment-loading is heavier than Dulux Trade or Johnstones equivalents, which means mid-tones and dark colours achieve a richer result. Two coats over a properly prepared and primed surface is typically sufficient even in strong colours.
• Tikkurila Optiva 2: A high-build primer-sealer that is particularly useful on new plaster, bare board, and previously unpainted surfaces. Reduces topcoat consumption significantly.
• Tikkurila Luja 20: A semi-matt, moisture-resistant wall paint that is effectively the best-performing product in its class for bathrooms and kitchens. Harder and more moisture-resistant than Dulux Trade Diamond Eggshell or Johnstones Joncryl in comparable conditions.
• Tikkurila Helmi 30: A hard-wearing eggshell for furniture and woodwork with excellent colour depth. Particularly good for kitchen cabinet repainting.

Weaknesses: Distribution is less dense than Dulux Trade — primarily through specialist trade paint suppliers (Paint Direct, Brewers, Leyland). Lead times for custom tints can be longer. Not all decorators are familiar with the application characteristics, which differ slightly from UK-manufactured products.

Crown Trade

Crown Trade (owned by AkzoNobel alongside Dulux) occupies the mid-market trade position. It is reliable but does not have the standout products that Tikkurila and Johnstones offer in specific categories.

Best products in the range:

• Crown Trade Clean Extreme: A washable matt emulsion that competes with Dulux Trade Diamond and Johnstones Washable Matt. Slightly better value per litre than both.
• Crown Trade Breatheasy: A low-VOC emulsion range with reasonable performance. Useful for occupied properties and sensitive environments.
• Crown Trade Fastflow Satinwood: Comparable to Dulux Trade Quick Dry Satinwood. A safe, reliable choice for woodwork.

Weaknesses: Crown Trade does not have a product that clearly leads the market in any category. It is a competent all-round range but lacks the standout performers of Tikkurila or the distribution advantages of Dulux Trade.

When the choice matters

The brand choice matters most in three situations:

1. Colour depth in period rooms: Tikkurila Optiva 5 or a heritage brand (Little Greene, Farrow & Ball) will produce visibly richer results than Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt in a mid-tone or deep colour.
2. High-moisture environments: Tikkurila Luja 20 for bathrooms and kitchens outperforms the equivalent products from Dulux and Crown in sustained damp conditions.
3. Woodwork durability: Mylands Eggshell (heritage end) or Johnstones Aqua Satinwood (trade end) for woodwork that needs to withstand regular cleaning.

For standard rental redecorations, commercial first-fix, and any application where durability and availability matter more than depth of colour, Dulux Trade or Crown Trade are entirely appropriate choices.

Working with a contractor who knows the products

The best outcome is a decorator who knows which product to specify for which application — not one who uses the same brand for everything. If you want to discuss the right specification for a specific project in London, get in touch for a free quote and consultation.