New range of dark exterior paint colours guaranteed to stay truer for longer

Inspired by current fashions and roofing colours, there has been a growing trend among New Zealand homeowners towards using darker colours on homes. Until now however, dark exterior paint has not always fared well when exposed to harsh UV rays and exterior conditions.

Dulux Technical Quality & Colour Services Manager, Heather Goode, says darker colours tend to fade much more quickly than lighter colours because the pigments break down differently.

“Lighter colours contain titanium dioxide, which is great at reflecting light, which makes them less susceptible to pigment degradation”

While Dulux keeps abreast of new technology, they also respond to consumer insights and continue developing new products to meet changing needs. So, the company recently launched Dulux Weathershield^® ColourGuard^™, a product offering a range of hard-wearing darker exterior colours specially formulated for superior colour fade resistance. It lasts up to twice as long as traditional exterior paints.

“The market told us that they wanted to use dark colours and they didn’t want them to fade. We have worked hard for a number of years to make that happen.”

Around 10 years ago, Dulux began researching longer-lasting colours by putting specific types of colourfast pigments under UV exposure. As they gained a better understanding of how pigments react following numerous experiments, trials and lots of real-world exposure testing, the technology was able to be continually refined, resulting in the Dulux Weathershield ColourGuard range.

The Dulux team installed panels in high UV environments in both northern and southern hemispheres to speed up their trial period. Different areas around New Zealand were dedicated to testing Dulux Weathershield ColourGuard exposure panels in morning frost to scorching hot afternoon sun. Panels were also tested at the Allunga Exposure Laboratory in Australia’s Northern Queensland, as well as Florida in the USA.

“Our knowledge has been building and building over time,” says Heather.

Nothing is left to chance as Dulux is always looking for improvements. “We don’t launch products until we’re very confident in their performance.”

The Dulux Weathershield ColourGuard range contains heavy-duty reflective pigments that provide tough, hardwearing protection suited to all weather conditions. These pigments reflect the heat, so the darker paint doesn’t heat up as much as standard pigments, reducing the stress on both the coating and the substrate underneath.

Formulated with MaxiFlex^™ technology, the paint expands and contracts with the surface. Dulux guarantees* it won’t peel, flake or blister. It also comes with standard Weathershield guarantees.

Dulux tried to think of everything when developing the product to meet all the needs of people who want to use dark colours on their properties, so the range features anti-mould traits and is dirt and stain-resistant as well.

No primer is required and it can be applied to a wide range of exterior surfaces including: timber, brick, concrete, fibre cement board, masonry, Zincalume^® steel, Colorbond^®, Colorsteel^®, galvanised iron and suitably prepared steel and wrought iron.

A wide range of dark Dulux Colours of New Zealand^® colours, such as Dulux Rawene, Castlecliff and Blackwood Bay, are readily available and many Colorsteel colours, such as Colorsteel Grey Friars, Ironsand, and FlaxPod^®, have been matched, ensuring seamless exterior colour on a home.

Dulux also has the ability, through their laboratory, to colour match using special tints. Heather advises: “you should speak to your Dulux consultant if you want a colour that is not already available. It will only take a couple of days to create the colour you want”.

Dulux Weathershield ColourGuard comes in a low-sheen finish, which is becoming the most popular exterior sheen level.

As a result of their extensive testing of the product, Dulux has very good data available to know what ColourGuard looks like after time outside. So, customers can now be confident that the dark exterior paint they select for their home will stay truer for longer and they will enjoy long-lasting results.

Learn more about the Dulux Weathershield ColourGuard range.

* THE DULUX PROMISE Guaranteed for as long as you are living in your house.

We guarantee, as long as Weathershield is applied in accordance with the instructions for use, Weathershield will not PEEL, FLAKE or BLISTER for as long as you’re living in your house. This guarantee does not cover paint failure caused by any breakdown of coatings applied previously, where Weathershield is applied over coatings not specified by Dulux or in the event of substrate failure.