Dulux Endurance, hardwearing paint??

[wickedfairy]

Hi,

Just in the process of choosing paint for our hall/stairs/landing and looking for some advice!

It will be a high traffic area (one 3 year old and baby on the way), so looking for something that can stand the test of a young family and can be wiped clean of smudgy marks. Have found a dulux colour we like (Just Walnut) but the tester pot we have is just for standard matt paint. The dulux website says it also comes in the hardwearing endurance paint, but so far no one local stocks it/can mix it (homebase/b&q, etc) and the website doesn't appear to allow you to order from it.

My question - is the endurance paint worth the extra money, or would we be just as well going for the standard matt and touching up if necessary? the area is quite large, so I am trying hard to ensure we get the perfect colour as it won't be getting redecorated anytime soon again, but also don't want to make a mistake in getting something that isn't hardwearing enough.

We do have dado and picture rails, so I suppose if we did need to touch up/repaint a little, it would mainly only be under the dado rail, so therefore not such a large area.
Opinions greatly welcomed! Thanks in advance!

I have the hard wearing paint dulux made before endurance, cant remember what it was called (real life?)in DD2's bedroom and I have scrubbed a dirty mark off and it was great so I am now thinking of doing the hall in this type as I am fed up with school bags marking the wall. Just checked Dulux colour chart and just walnut is not listed as a endurance colour.

I just buy normal and make sure there is enough left over to dab over the 'life marks'. I find the endurance type paint too glossy looking (this is from way back, they may do normal looking mat now). You could buy endurance and keep whatever is left, incase it doens't wipe so well.

I've used regular matt in our bedroom and Endurance in the hall/stairs (same color by Dulux). The one in the bedroom had a few fingerprints, so tried to clean them off. I must have rubbed too hard, and the paint came off so the old color of the bedroom is now showing through. In the hall, when I've cleaned marks off the walls, I've never had any problems (no matter how hard I've scrubbed).

I have done alot of decorating in the past and I always find it easier to go to the Dulux decorator centers, where they mix any paint for you (generally for trades people). You can look for one in your area here --
www.duluxdecoratorcentre.co.uk.

You can also usually have any paint mixed for you at a Homebase store. Good luck!

Did nobody misread the title of the thread as durex endurance and come on to say endurance are a rival brand?

Thanks for the advice so far!
Just realised that the colour I wanted is not available in the endurance range, so will either have to find another colour that is or go for standard matt.

Really want endurance though, but unsure if I can find a suitable colour there. Better get back to the dulux bit in B&Q and have another look!!

It certainly seems from what people have been saying, that endurance is worth paying the bit extra for. Anyone else got anything good/bad to say about it please?

Harder wearing paint is definitely worth the extra money. But if i were you I would go to a trade centre (such as a builders' merchants) and get the Dulux Trade version - I think it is called Diamond.

Trade paint gives much better coverage. Most trade centres will be able to mix all the Dulux colours for you.

Another option is to pick the colour you like in ordinary emulsion then go over the wall below the dado with a clear water based matt varnish.

We did this in our hall but it was onto anaglypta (sp) paper. The hall was quite dark so you didn't really notice any difference in the finish and it was very easy to clean.

Hi
I am a decorator and you can have any Dulux colour mixed in the endurance range at a Dulux mixing station. ITT is great does what it says on the tin!

Just wondered if you did use the Dulux Endurance and find it ok...?

I don't know about the original poster but we went with Dulux Endurance 'Timeless' in our hall, stairs and landing and it has been great so far - in fact, I scrubbed the walls with a flash wipe yesterday to get rid of grubby marks (8yo + toddler + muddy dog) and it has come up fantastically.

I have Timeless in my kitchen, it's nearly 5 years old and still looks fresh as a daisy. It's very easy to clean.

Thanks - the Tiimeless sounds very durable.

We just put a Craig and Rose chalky emulsion on which claims to be 'wipeable' and 'longlasting' - no chance!! It was on top of a normal matt emulsion, walls have no problems. Ten days after application I tried to remove a small mark with a damp cloth and the paint came off... very annoying as paid a decorator so not only do we need to either repaint or pay for the labour again but we had a professional decorator who said it would be fine to use and would be wipeable.

For other rooms I wanted to make sure we get something wipeable on now.

Will look at the Timeless range - thank you!