Brand Overview
Resene and Dulux are the two dominant paint brands in New Zealand, collectively holding over 80% of the professional market. Both are global companies with strong local presence: Resene is NZ-owned (Wellington-headquartered), while Dulux is part of the multinational AkzoNobel group.
Both brands offer comprehensive product ranges from budget interior through to premium exterior systems. For Wellington homeowners, the choice often comes down to specific product performance, colour preference, availability, and price.
As independent painters, we use both brands regularly. We don't have exclusive supplier deals — we specify what works best for each project. This comparison reflects real field experience across hundreds of Wellington homes.
Exterior Performance
Resene Lumbersider and Dulux Weathershield are the flagship timber exterior products. In Wellington's climate, both perform excellently when applied correctly. Lumbersider has a slight edge in UV resistance — our long-term monitoring shows 10–15% better colour retention on north-facing walls after 5 years.
Dulux Weathershield's Dirt Resistance Technology is genuinely effective. On light-coloured homes in exposed positions, Weathershield stays visibly cleaner 20–25% longer than competitors. For white, cream, or pale grey exteriors, this is significant.
For concrete and stucco, Resene X-200 and Dulux AcraTex are comparable. X-200 has better crack-bridging ability (fills hairlines up to 1mm), while AcraTex offers superior water repellency. We specify X-200 for older homes with existing cracking, AcraTex for newer builds seeking maximum weatherproofing.
Roof paint: Resene Summit Roof and Dulux Roof & Trim are both excellent. Summit Roof has better flexibility for temperature movement, reducing stress cracking. Dulux offers a wider colour range for roof customisation.
Interior Range
Both brands offer premium interior lines: Resene SpaceCote vs Dulux Wash&Wear. Both are washable, low-sheen, low-VOC finishes. In blind testing, we find Wash&Wear slightly more scrub-resistant (an extra 500–1,000 scrub cycles in standard testing), while SpaceCote offers marginally better coverage per litre.
For bathrooms and kitchens, Resene's SpaceCote with MoulDefender and Dulux's Wash&Wear Kitchen & Bathroom are essentially equivalent. Both prevent mould growth for 5+ years in Wellington's humid conditions. We specify whichever is more readily available at the time.
Ceiling paint: Resene Ceiling Flat vs Dulux Ceiling White. Resene's product has superior hiding power (covers stains in one coat where Dulux needs two). For water-stained ceilings, this saves material and labour.
Primer range: Resene's primer system is more comprehensive, with specific primers for every substrate (timber, metal, plaster, concrete, PVC). Dulux covers the basics well but lacks the specialised niche primers. For complex renovations, Resene's range is advantageous.
Colour and Availability
Resene's colour range is larger — over 10,000 colours including the Heritage and Karen Walker collections. Dulux offers approximately 4,500 colours. For custom or precise matching, Resene has more options.
Dulux's tinted-to-order system is faster. Their stores typically turn around custom tints in 30 minutes versus Resene's 1–2 hours. For urgent jobs or last-minute changes, Dulux wins on convenience.
Resene's ColourMatch app is superior for digital colour selection, with better accuracy in different lighting conditions. Dulux's Visualizer app is improving but still less reliable for real-world colour prediction.
Both brands have extensive Wellington retail networks. Resene has 4 stores in the Wellington region; Dulux has 3. Trade account holders get 15–25% discounts with both.
Price and Value
Retail pricing is comparable: premium exterior paint ranges $280–350 per 10 litres for both brands. Interior premiums run $180–250 per 10 litres. Trade pricing brings these down to $200–280 exterior and $130–180 interior.
Value depends on coverage and durability. Resene products often achieve 12–15 m² per litre on smooth surfaces, while Dulux achieves 10–12 m² per litre. This means Resene goes further, but the per-litre price is similar, so per-m² cost is slightly lower for Resene.
Warranty terms: Resene offers 15-year durability statements on Lumbersider and X-200. Dulux offers 12-year guarantees on Weathershield. In practice, both achieve 10–12 years in Wellington conditions when applied correctly. The warranty difference is marginal for real-world decision-making.
Our recommendation: specify by product, not by brand. For UV-challenged exteriors, Resene Lumbersider. For light-coloured homes needing cleanliness, Dulux Weathershield. For ceilings with stains, Resene. For fast-turnaround jobs, Dulux. Both are excellent — the right product for the right situation.