Dulux Aquanamel

I used this on the weekend and have the same complaints as most others….streaking and dragging and patchwork finish, even after three coats. I will need to buy something else to go over it. Worst paint I’ve ever used. Show details

Appears very thin. I'm up to 4 coats and it still does have any depth to it. I've painted nearly everything in this house and I've never needed more than two coats, even when changing color. I've given up on this and I'm going to go buy something that actually looks white instead of translucent. Show details

Absolute hack here. Well.....I painted a couple of walls in my home 20 years ago. That's the extent of my experience. I practically studied to use this aquanamel paint. I watched a few YouTube vids, including from Dulux themselves. I read loads of opinions and experiences. So then I felt confident in what I was about to embark on. The first… Read more ·  1

couple of inside window frames, originally painted with oil based gloss, were sanded back to a dull finish all over. I washed the whole frames with sugar soap and allowed to dry. I gave two coats of Dulux 1 Step Prep (probably should have done just one coat). I've put one coat of the Dulux Aquanamel Gloss onto one frame so far, and it looks magic. I used a 100mm microfibre roller with a 4mm nap. I took care to roll it out in small sections, then lay it off. I think the complaints about this paint probably stem from using it in hot weather, or using the wrong roller nap size, or playing with the paint, as in fidgeting with it after painting it on (let it do it's thing!), or poor preparation. Maybe poor quality brushes if your brushing, or bristles that are too stiff (you need a SOFT brush for this stuff!).

It's a great paint. My only problem is I took notice of someone who said the gloss is more like a semi-gloss. No idea what gave rise to their assessment of that. The gloss is very glossy.

I'd like to have used semi-gloss, in hindsight. I might still grab some and redo the windows.

Great paint folks, if you follow the correct advice on how to use it.

I think I can explain the conflicting ratings, it's VERY temperature sensitive – I found it really good, with an important caveat: I read on a reno forum that Aquanamel is no good in a Brisbane summer, and works best in 10- 20deg. I tried three coats (on skirting boards and some bedside tables) at 25C, 23C and 20C (the varying temps my old air-conditioner could get to depending on the outside temp each day). At 25C, I had to… Read more ·  1

work super fast and it was still drying faster than I could get it on. It was really hard to lay off the bigger surface on the top of the bedside tables. When it dried there was orange peel effect (luckily it was the first coat and it sanded off). However it was MUCH MUCH better at 20deg. I had time to lay it off before it started to dry, and my brush marks disappeared. I got a really nice finish. I think the forum reviewer was spot on that it likes to be 20deg or below. If you are painting in summer, crank the A/C, if it's exterior you going to have to wait for winter or use something else.

It’s a Thumbs Up from Me – I approached this paint with trepidation after reading so many bad reviews. Although I can’t comment on its longevity as I’ve only just applied it, I certainly can’t say anything bad about the way it applies. It seems perfectly normal and acceptable to me and I’m very happy with the coverage and finished appearance. I certainly had no trouble with… Read more ·  1

it drying too quickly. It applied nicely and could be brushed through. Does it run? Well, it’s not oil based and doesn’t ‘hold’ on the surface accordingly so if you apply too much then, yes, you can get it to run. Does it have the brush-stroke free appearance of oil based enamel? No, if you want that, use oil based enamel. Is it easier and quicker to apply than oil based enamel? Yes, it’s water based so it has all the inherent advantages of that including much easier clean-up, no smell etc.

I’ve used both oil based and water based enamels. They’re different animals, they apply differently and produce different results. They each have their inherent pluses and minuses. As a water based product this one seems absolutely fine to me. There may be better ones but I certainly found there’s nothing to fear with it.

(Applied over aged water and oil based enamelled skirting and architraves. Cleaned all surfaces with sugar soap then lightly sanded. Applied one coat of Dulux Precision Maximum Adhesion Primer then two coats of Aquaenamel. No thinning agent needed. Applied (so far) in temperatures of low 20s. I was applying a creamy colour over a darker colour).

Edit: PS It’s now over a year since I posted this review. The paint has performed absolutely faultlessly in terms of longevity; not one bit has peeled or chipped off.

Stick it in the fridge – After having a look at the reviews here I saw that outside temp if too high seems to have an adverse effect on the paint. So i chucked it in the fridge the day before and it went on beautifully. Show reply

Fantastic Stuff! – I was very wary after reading reviews about how hard to apply this paint was … but I am an amateur painter and I had no trouble at all. I just used primer and followed the drying times. Don’t be afraid to use this paint because it is brilliant with a lovely finish! Show details ·  1

5 stars love this product – We’ve been using aqua enamel on doors, door jams and window frames for years. Love this product. It’s defiantly sensitive to different temps but after using it for so long it’s easy to work with. I’ve tried other enamel paints in different brands and they are awful. Will always stick with dulux aqua enamel, it’s worth the money and always leaves a perfect finish. An added bonus is it doesn’t smell awful! Show details ·  1

Painting over five coats of undercoat should be a dream but this paint is thin and has no depth.The can this 2 coats,this is not true .This paint needs 3 or 4 coats to even look rubbish.I am an experienced painter using a good quality Purdue brush.If you are not happy with this paint please take it back to the retailer. Show details

Very disappointed with this paint. After all the effort of sanding and undercoating door frames and doors only to have a poor finish with the final gloss coat is frustrating. Most door frames are steel. The brush strokes look terrible. Tried mixing in floetrol which was a improvement, but still substandard. In anycase why pay the extra for an additive to improve an already expensive product. Will sand back and revert to oil based gloss paint. Show details

Hopeless product – I gave up after 2 coats because the paint just wasn’t able to cover basic marks - and these were pencil marks! No depth and probably the worst paint I have used for a long time. Going back to get another brand and crossing Dulux off my list! Pleased I read the other reviews as I was trying to figure what I was doing wrong. Answer is nothing. Do not buy this paint folks! Show details

Bloody terrible paint. I'm painting doors, architraves and skirting boards. It's too thick, and dries way too fast to apply a smooth coat - finish is terrible. Show details

Should have gone with a cheap brand! – Normally wouldn’t buy Dulux paint because of past experience with their other brands, however the colour I picked for our front door was a Dulux colour so to avoid any colour discrepancy went with Dulux. $74.00 for 1 litre of paint I expected a reasonable quality. The paint was so runny it was difficult to apply. Coverage is meant to be 16sqm per… Read more

litre…. We painted one door and the tin is bone dry. Calling it Gloss is a bit of a stretch as well. Last time we will use Dulux…..

No gloss – I do maintenance in a hotel and we thought we would give it a go on the doors as the oil based stinks the hotel out. We got gloss but there is hardly any sheen to it at all. There's not much difference between that and the Dulux wash and wear we put on the walls . Disappointing for a 2 litre can costing $90 from Bunnings. Odd product. Show details

Really Dulux? – As a fan of Dulux, this paint is garbage. Painted internal window frames for a new build, applied as per tin. Need to apply 3-4 coats for decent coverage but also fighting the brush marks. Using expensive brushes, prepped, undercoated etc.....doesn't make a difference. I am an experienced DIYer. Won't buy again, sorry this product is crap! Show details

Poor coverage – As an experienced professional painter I am not recommending this product, I bought a 10 litre from Dulux store in Bondi junction to do some wood work in the house and I thought maybe since years ago when I tested it they probably have improved the formula to have better coverage but no I was wrong. Still the worst coverage paint, it requires a… Read more

4-5 quotes at least to get any good coverage but still nothing close to when using dulux oil based paint semi gloss which sometimes you can even get a way with using one quote on the same colour primer. So I’m going to buy oil based semi gloss paint to finish the job and through this one out. Waste of money.

Worst paint I’ve ever used – I’ve painted my home 3 times and thought I’d give Aquaenamel a go instead of the oil base gloss. Well what a big mistake. I love the fact that it’s whiter than the oil based but what a horrible paint to use. It dries so quickly on the brush that it’s impossible to paint anything without getting a rough texture. How can the Dulux lab guys look at this and say it’s fine to produce? What absolute rubbish. Doesn’t even deserve a star. Garbage!! Show details

Worst paint ever – Without a doubt this is the worst paint i have ever used . Took 3 coats to get any sort of coverage . Threw half the 4 litres away and drove to get Haymes paint to finish the job. Haymes did the job with 2 coats and a better finish . Dulux Aquaenamel was recomended by a " paint expert" at bunnings . My mistake for listening to him Show details

Dulux...you can do better – Probably the only product in the Dulux range that is Terrible. I tried this years ago and again just recently......... ( thinking that maybe they have improved it) and nothing has changed ....TERRIBLE.. Also my painter friend who uses Dulux products all the time said to steer clear of this rubbish, he will not use this product under any circumstances.

Very disappointed with the result – I paid good money for a professional painter to use Aquanamel as I hate the smell of oil based paint. From the word go, the trims have been sub standard. They feel like primer - not the least bit of smooth, slippery gloss that I would expect from a trim - and they chip and peel super easily. I am quite upset about it and don't feel it is the… Read more

painter's fault (other work he has done is fine). I feel it is the product.

I now feel we will have to repaint with something else to fix this up which is a cost I wasn't factoring in.

Avoid this paint! – Dulux Aquanamel - avoid at all costs! We've renovated more times than I can count and I've never had so much trouble getting a good finish from a paint! Cheap rollers...expensive rollers....paint brushes of varying size and quality....nothing gets a good result! Everything leaves marks or streaks. Never, ever again! Show details

Worst paint quality – I painted a shelf with 4 coats trying to get the smooth finish I’d normally get with 1 coat of Resenes or Berger or Wattyl it still looks like it needs another coat … it was already a white shelf I was painting white. I then used it for doors and skirting and wish I’d binned it after the shelf experience. It’s thin so takes multiple coats to cover… Read more

properly and it leaves roller/brush marks. It’s also easily damaged … a month after painting it has marks and chips. DONT buy this rubbish.

Paint chips easily – I barely tapped my bathroom door and paint chipped off. You need to put like 5 coats of vivid to get any decent cover. It’s watery and doesn’t harden as it says it should. I am disappointed in dulux. Use to be my favourite paint. Not anymore.

Very disappointed – This product was recommended by Bunnings over oil enamel for our cabinet doors. It was impossible to achieve a smooth even finish as it starts to dry immediately if the temperature is over 10 degrees, leaving lines and uneven patches. The bubbly finish does not dissipate as it sits. We wasted 5 days, sanding between coats to atempt a smooth finish, and have decided to revert to oil based.

Paint is a Milky yellow colour – I brought the aqua enamel gloss. Have used the same product in the past and loved it. The paint is a milky yellow colour whic I thought weird. Then tried to paint with it and i it had no colour and was like painting with egg yolk. Is my tin of paint off??? It is unuseable Show details

Dulux instructions are pitiful – I have found the lack of clear instructions by Dulux on what preparation, Primer type and how to apply Aquanamel over existing enamel, to be less than One Star. No wonder the product is failing. The product may be better than reviewed if instructions were far better. Show details

Disappointed – I have only just painted all skirting, architraves and doors in my very large home and found that the Aqua Enamel paint at the slightest touch, chips . I’m furious with Bunnings for recommending this paint as I am a novice to painting . Never again to buy a Dulux product Show details

Absolute garbage – Dulux where do I start, I have never seen so many brush marks, it's thick gloopy crap, as soon as it hit the wall it dries instantly and you can't get the crap off...forget about cutting in!! it's going in the bin!! Waste of money it's not worth squat...Dulux not only this paint but I will never ever buy any of your products, far too expensive to run the risk to get another poor product such as this...avoid this crap!! Show details

Bloody awful! – Using Dulux Aquanamel semigloss in white, I found relative easy...then moving to the tinted gloss for the trims and a two doors was not only difficult to apply as it kept streaking and drying so quickly (like in a few a minutes), that's it, and I have only painted one side of the door. A waste of time, money and effort...not cheap at $120 as only… Read more

1 litre or 4 litres and the outlet advised the latter quantity. My only consolation; it is not my application skills...looking at the reviews, and being able to vent my spleen here.