Taubmans Water Based Enamel

The most frustrating product I have ever used – I was advised that this product was what I should use to paint my doors. We chose a dark blue colour. We applied the 3 in 1 prep coat (ours had a grey tint). This product was user friendly, went on easily and gave a very good finish, so much so that we wished we just left the doors with this coating. The blue was easy to apply with brush and… Read more

roller but anywhere that had been cut in with a brush ended up with a darker colour than the roller application. After two coats of the blue I was left with a patchy finish with different levels of colour depending on whether there was any previous paint from cutting in or if I stopped the roller. The rolled coats appear nearly transparent. The finish is more of a satin than a gloss. The finish appears patchy and of different shades of colour, brush marks and roller marks are evident and could not be blended with the roller. The issues appear to be the same in all the negative reviews. The people with the good results may not be covering as big an area ( I think trims would work) or possibly white or particular colours may work better. I am by no means a professional painter but have painted with a lot of different products over the years ( matt, satin, gloss, brush, roller, aerosol and spray) for work and my own homes. This stuff has me completely stumped. I have asked my supplier to refund the money and will try to source a more user friendly product. Specific application instructions need to be provided with this product as it appears to require additional attention that most home painters do not consider. I would be hard pressed to ever consider using this product again unless someone demonstrated application with an acceptable result.

Taubmans Water Based Enamel - Low Sheen; GREAT for ceilings – I don't like flat ceiling paint as it is impossible to clean, so I decided to paint my kitchen and dining ceilings with Taubmans Low Sheen Water Based Enamel and, surprisingly, it looks great. I was terrified that the roller marks would show, but they don't. Just don't panic and wait for it ALL to dry. When I was rolling it I thought I had bitten… Read more ·  1

off more than I could chew as I have 10 foot ceilings, had lights and 2 ceiling fans to contend with. It actually turned out far better than I could have hoped. The product is thick enough not to drip, (I didn't have a drop sheet) and covers well. My ceilings were light tan and are now white (2 coats). Now I will be able to wash my ceiling when marks appear. I love this stuff! I do have a stiff neck though. :)

I've been avoiding this for a few years now due to the bad reviews, I wished I tried it first – I've tried everything from oil based which yellowed, cheap spray cans which never hardened and took nearly 5 coats, Dulux spray cans which were better but never hardened to my liking or sprayed on evenly with large surfaces. Chalk paint which seemed ok but didnt leave a smooth covering. All were on furniture/doors mostly as I wanted it all white.… Read more ·  1

I had success doing it every way , but every piece has little problems.

I eventually gave water based enamel a try, I sanded and sprayed on the 3 in 1 with a cheap ozito electric spray gun, it went on pretty easy with a very small amount of water to the mix, I'm not sure if the water is even needed to thin it out. Went on perfect except for the time I added too much water, it was easy to wipe it off and start again something that would be impossible with oil based or spray cans.

The enamel went on nicely afterwards, and the piece looks perfect to be honest, it took 2 coats of the 3 in 1 and 2 coats of enamel, over a few days as I wasn't following the instructions just repainted it when I had time. Can't understand the bad reviews as the finish is superior to anything else I've used and the clean up is much easier too, although I haven't tried it with a roller or paint brush yet, I will some day.

Mix the can well, I used a coat hanger attached to a drill for a few minutes, mixing buy hand will take ages and not do a proper job.

Awesome paint used it plenty of times – Hi have used this product Taubmans semi gloss acrylic paint plenty of times and was shocked at the low star rating. AWESOME PRODUCT! Used it on metal doors and door frames, kitchen cupboards, French doors. Does NOT smell either. Used 2 coats each time but always leave 20-24hrs for 2nd coat so 1st coat drys. I actually out straight onto the… Read more ·  1

metal door frames and doors (No sanding or printing either....) and it adhes well. Amazing product . Ps I have been an interior designer since 2000... but although don't do that any more use product for own home. (Ps if you can't paint hire a professional painter instead of blaming this product!)

TERRIBLE LOW QUAILITY PAINT - DO NOT BUY! – no coverage needed 4+ coats to get a solid opaque white brush streaks doesnt dry doesnt harden translucent white you can see everything underneath not self leveling cannot paint on vertical surfaces because it sags Show details

WARNING.. Do NOT use this product – Worst paint product I have ever used. Doesn't stick, leaves blemishes and drying time is misleading. Becomes dry and rubbery very quickly but doesn't harden for ages. Don't believe a good word anyone says, this product is RUBBISH. Show details

fantastic – This product is a dream. acts like an oil based enamel on application. doesn't dry too fast like other water based enamels I've tried and won't yellow which is the only reason I avoid the oil based enamels. I've not found a water based enamel that can match the finish of an oil base yet but this one is pretty darn close and I'm super happy with… Read more ·  1

it. I do a lot of painting and this has taken over as my enamel of choice. have used it on mostly wood, architraves, dado panels, picture rails and most recently on Ikea laminates (properly sanded and prepped with a shellac based 3 in 1).

Hard wearing, nice sheen level – Home handyman / hack. Prepare surfaces properly and apply two coats in the same day. Works great. I sanded previous surface, cleaned the surface, used dulux three in one primer sealer undercoat x 2 coats as base layer, waited a day for that to dry, then sanded cleaned and applied two coats of ultimate enamel. Show details ·  1

Great Product – Firstly I'm a trade qualified painter and I'm just laughing at these nasty reviews by people who obviously have no idea how to paint. Water based enamels are not an easy product to use and should not be sold to novices or home handymen. I personally use Haymes paints but I can assure you that this product by taubmans is as good as anything I've… Read more ·  1

ever used. Waterbased enamels take skill and experience to apply, that is the downside and unfortunately leads to alot of unwarranted negative reviews.

Great product! Great Finish! – Laughing at all the negative reviews, I would have loved of been a fly on the wall watching these people try and paint and blaming the product not the user. I'm a trade qualified painter of 20+ years. This is a fantastic product that has a fantastic finish. I painted it in my house with 3in1 as an undercoat. Fantastic system, 1st coat: 3in1 2nd coat: WB Enamel 3rd coat: WB Enamel Show details ·  1

Terrible and Seems to be Pushed by Bunnings – This is the second Taubmans variety of paint purchased on recommendations from Bunnings staff. In both instances (different types of paint) they have been very watery and after numerous coats the original colour still comes through. In this instance I got the Ultimate Enamel to paint a feature front door. It does not seem to stick and three… Read more

coats still did not cover properly. Bunnings staff keep going directly to Taubmans paints. I'm going back to buy a different brand wasting money on the home project.

Not covering painted area – I’m painting a bedroom door, 3 wardrobe doors and there frames. The frames and doors are already under coated. So I filled in the holes with timber putty (white). After letting it dry and set, I sanded the hardened putty and lightly sanded the frames. Wiped with a damp cloth and applied my first coat. Now tbh honest I’m not sure if it’s supposed… Read more

to leave brush marks and streaks. Plus you can see the putty underneath the painted areas. Maybe they’ll bind together. But I’m going to let them dry for a day. It looks like I’ll have to sand again and apply a second coat. Hopefully this time it’ll come good for I’m concerned about the doors I’m going to paint also. I took the paint guy in Bunnings advice. Fingers crossed. I don’t want to look like a fool to my wife and kids who won’t understand.

Never again – Ultimate enamel was recommended by Bunnings as the usual paint I use was not available. I was using this (instead of Dulux Metalshield) to paint a trailer, already painted, and found it impossible to paint with the first coat....it left streaks as though I was painting on glass. I can get 5 trailers out of a can of Dulux, while Taubman's has done 2 trailers as I had to keep applying coats to get a good cover.  Show details

Quite possibly the worst paint I’ve used in 30 years..terrible product – This paint is incredibly difficult to get even coverage with a foam roller or brush. After two coats I think my project of two 4 poster beds is ruined. I’ll have to cut back completely and use another paint. Trouble is this one is still incredibly tacky after 24 hours and is incredibly prone to damage and marks. I can imagine sanding back will be a nightmare too. I’ve learnt my lesson, won’t be trying to save. Few $$ with Taubmans again Show details

Terrible – Found it impossible to get a good looking finish on the doors and trims I was painting. Trims are cover in brush marks no matter what I tried to do. The doors I rolled, tried different rollers, sanded between coats, multiple coats but just could not get a smooth streak free finish. Show details

Can't understand some of the review – I have used this paint on doors, trims, kitchen cupboard doors and even on a tiled splashback in a bathroom and the paint lasted for years and is still going. I cannot understand some of the negative reviews on this product. Show details

Tacky, patchy, and just awful! – The worse paint I have ever used in 30 years of painting. I have painted 7 houses... nope just nope! Patchy, sticky, tacky results. Dries chalky with a gloss finish, want my money back!

Should not be able to sell this crappy product – Took the product back the first time as I thought it was faulty. When I replaced the product I realised it was just poor quality. The paint has a consistency of clag glue and did not cover at all well. Show details

Just don’t – This product has made me question my own ability to paint after decades of satisfying results. After applying 3 coats to a flat panelled door and allowing 2 days between each coat, I am left with a thick gluggy mess which will have to be completely sanded back. The closest thing to striped paint I ever hope to encounter. Show details

Awful, absolutely awful! – Went to Bunnings for an oil based trim paint and was recommended this instead. As a novice painter, I assumed the streaks and runs were due to my inexperience but the coverage was almost zero. Left the first coat for a full day to cure to no avail. It's more like a tinted gloss. Almost completely see through. I'm so annoyed that I paid $50 for 1ltre of this rubbish when Aldi sell (less crappy) gloss paint for $12 a litre! Show details

The closest I have found to an oil based enamel – I am not a professional painter but I did spend a few years painting in my youth including 6 months as a sidekick to a professional and I have renovated several houses - so not a complete noob. I have tried many water based enamels over the years and have liked none of them! I find them all too sticky and they never give that hard shiny gloss… Read more

like an oil does - OK for exterior but no good for doors and trim etc..

This paint (alkyd full gloss version) is the closest I have seen to a real oil enamel - so glad I took a punt on this.

Caveats:

It isn't as forgiving of poor technique as oil is but does feel somewhat similar to use.

Cutting with 5% water helps, but will obviously make it thinner - two thin coats is all you need don't shovel it on

It does smell a bit like oil paint (not in a bad turpsy way but how oil paint smells after a the turps has flashed off) - linseedy perhaps, I don't know but I can't sleep in a room for a couple of weeks with oil paint and this one gave me no grief on the same night.

It does take a few days to dry properly but when it does the final result is indistinguishable from the real thing and importantly gives a dry, glass-like enamel finish with no tack or stickiness - as opposed to something like Dulux aquanamel (not picking on them, just the last one I used before this) which remains sticky even months later.

If you practice your technique and do the proper prep you get a result that is as good as oil in a lot less time and turps isn't getting any cheaper...

Worst paint ever – This review is for for the neutral base paint in gloss. I used a yellow tint. You can't use this paint on vertical surfaces. Even very thin layers run just before setting. This paint has very little pigment (and yes I did stir it before use). For a general 2-3 layer appearance, you need to put on 6 coats. So, this paint needs twice as many coats… Read more

as other products, and because of its runniness will have a bad finish unless you only paint horizontal surfaces.

Doesn't perform as described on info sheet. Terrible experience – I used for a commercial project according to instructions because of the need for a low odour fast drying product. Applied according to instructions, several thin coats with ample drying time in between. Tin advertises a fast drying paint -- was marking up with fingerprints and scuffing days after final coat applied. Had to completely strip paint… Read more

and start again. 4 days lost. Complained to Taubmans, extremely disappointed with response. No niceties, Was told it takes a week to cure -- nowhere does it state this on the tin or the info sheet to be found online. Don't believe the hype about the product. Had they simply offered to refund the unused tin I wouldn't have bothered writing the review.

Not worth its money – Bought this paint from Bunnings as suggested by a salesperson in store .the paint is very thick, when used the paint brush it left the streak marks , tried roller paint being thick it was difficult. Won’t advise anyone to use this paint Show details

Sufficient – I'm not a professional painter, but I was born into a family of them and handed a loaded brush the moment I could walk (though not for long - handing a toddler a brush full of lead-based paint went about as well as you can imagine). My point is, while I'm certainly not a skilled professional, I'm not a complete novice either, and I have to preface… Read more

this review with that information because I do think people who don't paint often might struggle with this product without proper preparation.

I also admit that I almost always choose oil-based enamel over water, but in this instance I had to replace skirting in a room that had been (poorly) painted by previous owners with this brand. The existing paint is atrocious (bits chip off constantly) so I was apprehensive, but time constraints meant I had to pick my battles and get something to match the doors and architraves. After completing this task I'm now convinced the previous owners simply didn't prepare and apply properly. The paint is perfectly adequate and suited to trims.

I bought pre-primed skirts but gave them a matte base coat before starting on the top coats. Sanded between each coat (180 for base and 1st coat, knocked down with 240 for the final). Although it dried quickly (2-3 hrs indoors), I waited at least 8 hours between coats due to climate. Used 2 1/2 inch quality hogsbristle and synthetic brushes. You must take care to load your brush properly with this paint, it's not at all forgiving like oil-based enamels.

The paint does have a weird consistency. It genuinely acts like a non-newtonian fluid. For example, if you go back on your stroke it pulls like un-thinned oil paint on a 40 degree day, but if left a sec it starts to drip like water. So the secret to avoiding patchy coverage is to not go back on it immediately (even to feather). Do a light pass and wait 60 seconds or so - sort of like slightly delayed double coating. It's just that under the initial tension of the stroke the paint acts semi-solid and it needs a moment to settle.

It is not as glossy as gloss oil-based enamel, but it is comparable to an oil semi-gloss and it seems durable. There is very little smell, which is great (note: I used the standard water-based NOT the alkyd). It did gum up my brushes a bit, and was more difficult than regular acrylics to clean off, but still a lot easier than turps clean-up.

Overall, I found it more economical for trims than White Knight water based enamel (my usual go-to if I need a non-oil for small jobs). It won't yellow like oil-based or water suspended alkyd will, but I obviously don't yet know if it will be as durable as traditional enamels. My biggest complaint is that the smallest tin it seems to come in is 1lt, which is more than I needed for this job, but the remainder can be used to repair the poor job on the architraves. Yay...

Terrible to use – I sanded door trims to fine finish, finish from prior tradesperson was average. Spent hours sanding filling then two coats 3 in 1 primer surfacer. Sanded lightly then put first coat of colour, white, and within seconds of applying would skin so could not spread coat out to even finish leaving heavy brush marks. I am not impressed at all. Unluckily… Read more

paid by credit card and itemized Bunnings receipt thrown out. Also bought colour for door, now sorry I bought Taubmans Ultimate Enamel.