Choosing well for a paint job is two decisions, not one: the right paint for the surface, and the right licensed painter to apply it. For most Australian homes a water-based acrylic is the better paint, because it dries fast, stays flexible and doesn't yellow, with the finish (matt, low-sheen, gloss) picked to suit each surface.Dulux TradeView source Haymes PaintView source
The second half matters just as much. The best paint still fails on a poorly prepared surface or in the wrong hands, so who applies it is part of the choice, not an afterthought.
This page is the map of that whole choice. Below, you'll find how the paint decision works and how to choose a painter, with a link to the deeper guide for each once you know which half you're deciding. It's part of the complete house painting guide, which covers the whole job end to end.
Paint is a water-based-versus-oil-based decision before it's a colour
Before the colour chart comes out, the real paint decision is what type of paint goes on. For years the rule of thumb was that oil-based paint was tougher, but the chemistry has moved on, and that is the timely thing to know: modern water-based acrylics now dry fast, stay flexible as the surface expands and shrinks, and don't yellow. Dulux itself recommends water-based where maximum exterior durability is the prime consideration.Dulux TradeView source For most Australian homes, that means water-based on the walls and a modern water-based enamel on the trim.
Oil-based enamel still has a place. It dries to a harder, brighter gloss that some people prefer on doors and detailed trim, and that look is the main reason to reach for it. The trade-offs are real, though. It is slower to dry, higher in odour and VOCs, and it tends to yellow out of direct sunlight and gets more brittle as it ages.Dulux TradeView source Haymes PaintView source So the choice isn't 'which is best' in the abstract. It's which set of trade-offs suits the surface you're painting.
Two words you'll see on the tin shelf are primer and undercoat. They're not the colour coat. They're the preparation coats that seal a raw or patchy surface and give the topcoat something to grip, which is why a bare or repaired surface gets one before any finish goes on. The finish itself, meaning how matt or glossy each surface should be, is a decision in its own right. That's where the deeper guide takes over.
Water-based vs oil-based, at a glance
The quick contrast for the two paint types, so you can see which set of trade-offs suits your surface. The finish (matt to gloss) and the per-room choice sit on top of this. Both are covered in the colours-and-finishes guide.
| What matters | Water-based (acrylic) | Oil-based (enamel) |
|---|---|---|
| Drying | Fast. Touch-dry in about 20–30 minutes, recoat in roughly 2 hours | Slow. Touch-dry in about 6–8 hours |
| Odour & VOCs | Low-odour, reduced VOCs, cleans up with water | Higher odour and VOCs, needs solvent to clean up |
| Look over time | Stays its colour (non-yellowing) and flexes with the surface | Brighter, harder gloss, but tends to yellow out of sunlight and gets brittle with age |
| Best suited to | Most walls, and modern enamel on trim; recommended where exterior durability matters most | Where a hard, high-gloss look is wanted and the trade-offs are accepted |
Manufacturer guidance (Dulux Trade and Haymes Paint). A general comparison, not a substitute for the product datasheet for your surface.{{cite:dulux-water-vs-oil}}{{cite:haymes-water-vs-oil}}
Match the paint to the surface, then pick the finish
Once you've settled water-based versus oil-based, the surface decides the rest. Walls, trim, exterior weatherboard and a roof are different surfaces, and each wants a paint built for it, because there is no single 'house paint' that does all of them well. So the practical order is simple. Pick the type for the surface, then pick the finish that suits how that surface is used.
The finish, meaning how matt or glossy each surface should be, is its own decision, and it changes both how a room looks and how well the paint wears. Matt hides flaws but marks easily. Higher-sheen finishes wipe clean but show every bump. Working out which finish goes where, and how to test a colour before you commit, is a guide in its own right. For the room-by-room finish choice and how to sample colours properly, see choosing paint colours and finishes.
The painter matters as much as the paint, and licensing depends on your state
The second half of the choice is who applies the paint, and it carries as much weight as the tin. A good painter preps the surface properly, uses the right system for it, and hands you a clear written scope, and that combination is what actually makes a finish last rather than the brand on the lid. The same paint over a rushed, unprepared surface peels inside a couple of years. So the painter is part of the product decision. Not a separate one.
Painter licensing is set by your state, not by a national rule, so what's required depends on where you live and the value of the work. In Queensland, for example, building work valued over $3,300 requires a QBCC licence, and painting falls under that building-work threshold. So a sizeable paint job there should go to a licensed contractor.QBCCView source Thresholds and whether painting is a separately licensed trade differ across Australia. Check your own state's rule before you hire.
Whatever the state, the same few checks protect you. Confirm the licence and insurance, get the scope in writing, and compare a few quotes on what's actually in them rather than the headline price. How to run those checks properly, what to ask, and how to read the gap between quotes is covered in the guide to hiring a house painter. You can also find and compare licensed painters in your area through the directory.
Older homes: check for lead paint before anyone sands
If your home is older, there's a safety step that comes before any paint or painter decision. Houses built before 1970 commonly used lead-based paint, on both interior and exterior surfaces.NSW EPAView source NSW HealthView source Lead is a health hazard. Even low-level exposure can affect children's development, and in adults it can affect kidney and brain function. You can't tell it's there by looking.
So for a home from that era, the safe move is to test suspected surfaces (or, if you can't test, assume they're contaminated) and keep children and pregnant women away before anyone sands, scrapes or disturbs old paint.NSW EPAView source NSW HealthView source A licensed painter will factor this into how they prepare the surface.
What will your paint job cost?
Your real number comes from your surfaces, their condition and the prep they need, not the price of the tin. This is the usual range for house painting. Pick your scope to bring it closer to your home.
Go deeper: choose your paint, or choose your painter
- Choose the paintChoosing paint colours and finishesWhich sheen level suits each room, how the finish changes wear and look, and how to test a colour at home before you commit.
- Choose the painterHiring a house painterWhat to check on a licence and insurance, what to ask, and how to read the gap between written quotes.
- Price itHouse painting cost guideSee a fair-price range for interior, exterior and roof painting in your area, broken down by what actually moves the number.
- HireFind licensed painters near youBrowse and compare painters in your suburb, then line up quotes from a shortlist you can check on licence and reviews.
Choosing paint and a painter: common questions
For most Australian homes, a water-based acrylic is the better all-round choice. It dries fast, stays flexible, doesn't yellow, and is recommended where exterior durability matters most. The finish (matt, low-sheen or gloss) is then picked to suit each surface and room. Oil-based enamel still suits a hard, high-gloss look on trim, with slower drying and more odour as the trade-off.Dulux TradeView source
For most jobs, water-based. It dries in 20 to 30 minutes, is low-odour with reduced VOCs, cleans up with water, stays its colour and flexes with the surface. Oil-based enamel gives a harder, brighter gloss but dries slowly, is higher in VOCs, and yellows and gets brittle with age. So water-based wins on walls and modern trim. Oil-based earns its place only where you want that hard gloss.Dulux TradeView source
Exterior paint is built to take weather: sun, rain and movement. So it's tougher and more flexible than interior paint, which is formulated for washability and look indoors. That's why you match the paint to the surface and where it lives, rather than using one tin everywhere. The full surface-by-surface breakdown sits in the complete house painting guide.
It depends on the room and surface. Matt hides wall flaws but marks easily, low-sheen wipes clean for kitchens and bathrooms, and gloss suits doors and trim that get handled. Higher sheen is more durable and washable but shows every bump in the surface. The room-by-room choice, and how to test it, is walked through in the choosing paint colours and finishes guide.
Primer and undercoat are the preparation coats that go on before the colour. They seal a raw, patchy or repaired surface and give the topcoat something to grip, so the finish goes on evenly and lasts. A bare or freshly-repaired surface usually needs one. A sound, previously-painted surface in good shape may not. A painter decides based on the surface.
It depends on your state and the value of the work. In Queensland, building work valued over $3,300 requires a QBCC licence, and painting falls under that building-work threshold. Other states set their own rules and thresholds, and some don't licence painting on its own. So check your own state before you hire, and confirm the licence and insurance of anyone you shortlist.QBCCView source
Start with the basics that protect you. Are you licensed and insured for this work, what prep is included, how many coats, and what's the written scope and timeline? Then compare quotes on what's actually in them, not just the price. The full checklist, including how to read the gap between quotes, is in the hiring a house painter guide.
Three is the usual rule of thumb. That's enough to see the spread without drowning in options. The useful part isn't the lowest number. It's comparing what each quote includes, because a cheaper one often skips prep or coats. How to line them up properly is covered in the hiring a house painter guide.
Get your house painting priced and quoted
Now you know the choice has two halves: the right paint for the surface, and the right licensed painter to apply it. See a fair-price estimate up front, then get quotes from vetted local painters who'll confirm the scope and price your home's surfaces as part of the job.
Sources
General information to help you plan a paint job, not a substitute for advice from a licensed painter. Lead-paint and safety guidance is attributed to the relevant regulator.
- Dulux TradeView source
- Haymes PaintView source
- QBCCView source
- NSW EPAView source
- NSW HealthView source