Prevent blocking by turning the can upside down and spraying until clear gas emerges. Also wipe front of nozzle clean. Clean up over spray while it is still wet with mineral turps.

Overspray can occur both indoors and outdoors. Depending on your project and location of your spray paint area, there are many materials that can be used to cover surrounding surfaces and protect them from overspray (newspapers, tape, drop sheets etc.)

• Avoid spraying in an area subject to windy conditions. Aerosol spray particles are very fine and have little momentum so can be easily misdirected by even light breezes.

• Ensure that you do not spray from further away than 25cm from the target surface. The further from nozzle to target the greater the loss of particle momentum and the easier it is for a breeze to push it off course.

• All spray nozzles are designed so that they create a fan. This is set to a certain angle. Most Dulux Duramax colours and primers are set with nozzles to provide a fan between 9 and 13 degrees. Some manufacturers work with 30 degree nozzles. The wider the spray fan angle the more likely that overspray will occur as the distance to the target object increases. Some objects that you want to spray will be contoured, rounded or have openings in them. Typical of such items is a wicker seated chair. When spraying such items, obtain a larger cardboard box, open it up to make a three sided room into which you can place the chair and spray from the open side. This will help reduce breeze influence on paint placement and reduce potential for overspray to get on objects you do not intend to coat. If necessary mask and cover all items in the surroundings with a low cost, impermeable plastic drop sheet and use masking tape to secure in place.

Read the directions on each aerosol can. Dulux Duramax products outline instructions to ensure optimum results. Generally, you should prepare the surface by removing dirt, grease, rust, wax, moisture and loose paint. Make sure the surface is clean, dry and free of contaminants.

Spray painting is fun, and a little practice will enable any amateur to obtain professional results. Just read the directions carefully, always spray lightly and practice spraying on an old carton or box.

High quality ingredients and very high pigmentation levels guarantee good coverage. Shaking the can well ensures that the pigments and other ingredients mix well for a perfect job.

• Shake the can until you hear the ball rattle, and then for at least a further two minutes.

• Shake the can for 5 to 10 seconds periodically during use to ensure that the ingredients remain properly mixed. Always perform a test spray on a piece of paper or cardboard prior to application on your object of choice.

No. The valve on top of the can automatically seals itself. As long as you adhere to the directions in the next couple of sections you will be able to use your Dulux Duramax until the can is empty.

Follow these simple tips to help ensure that your Dulux Duramax spray paint is evenly applied to your project every time.

• Shake your Dulux Duramax spray can vigorously for two minutes after the ball within the can begins to rattle.

• Test your spray paint and painting technique on a piece of scrap material until you have achieved a satisfactory result.

• To ensure surface compatibility, test spray on an inconspicuous area before continuing with the whole project. (Some surfaces may need pre-treatment or be unsuitable for painting)

• Hold can upright 10 to 25cm from the surface.

• Begin and finish your spraying off the object, releasing the tip at the end of each pass

• IMPORTANT TIP: Make sure that you start to move your hand with the spray can before you depress the nozzle.

• Spray with smooth, even strokes parallel to the surface in an even side-to-side motion.

• Overlap your previous spray pass by about one-third with each successive pass

• For smoothest results, we suggest always applying a coat of a Dulux Duramax primer before applying any Duramax® Top Coat.

• Even though Dulux Duramax is formulated to resist running and sagging, it should be applied in one or more light coats, as opposed to one heavy coat.

• Release the trigger at the end of each stroke, to avoid a build up of too much paint at the ends.

• DO NOT HOLD the valve open while the spray can is stationary as this will result in a heavy deposit of paint that will sag.

• Applying Dulux Duramax spray paint in ideal weather conditions can help prevent bubbles from forming on the surface of your project.

• We suggest applying Dulux Duramax when the temperature is between 10 and 35oC with a relative humidity below 85%.

• In addition to this, we suggest applying the paint according to the manner outlined in the preceding FAQ.

• If bubbles do occur: Allow spray paint to dry, lightly sand the affected surface to remove all traces of the bubbles and reapply Dulux Duramax under correct environmental conditions, using the previously described application method.

• Prevent blocking by turning the can upside down and spraying until clear gas emerges. ( 2 - 3 seconds of spray) Also wipe front of the nozzle clean. The spray tip is attached to a valve and a tube system that draws material from the very bottom of the can.

• When you turn the can upside down, the end of the tube is no longer in the paint but in a free gas layer inside the can. When the spray tip is depressed with the tube in free gas, it purges all paint from the tube valve and the spray tip leaving the system clean for next use.

• Clean up any paint on the nozzle while it is still wet with mineral turps.

The following comments apply only to the Dulux Duramax range from Dulux®. Other Dulux spray paints use a valve and nozzle combination where it is not recommended to remove and replace nozzles. Dulux Duramax has a nozzle design that allows replacement and fitment of different nozzles as needed.

• When aerosol paints were first introduced, this was the number one complaint. However, technical improvements in both product and valve have practically eliminated this problem.If the spray nozzle becomes clogged, rotate the nozzle by a 1/4 turn and try spraying again. 

• If the spray nozzle continues to be clogged, remove and clean the nozzle stem using a toothpick and/or by soaking in acetone or comparable solvent to remove dried paint.

• You may be able to interchange spray nozzles from another Dulux Duramax can. DO NOT stick pins, wire or other objects into the hole on top of an aerosol can.

• Remember, after using an aerosol can it’s important to clear the valve to avoid having a clogged spray nozzle which affects future performance. We recommend that after each painting project, invert the aerosol can and press the nozzle until clear propellant gas is emitted, normally for 2-3 seconds.

• Dulux Duramax contains a rapid dry formulation that ensures the coating is touch dry in 20 minutes and ready to use in 1 hour.

• If the weather is very cold – less than 10oC – or very hot – more than 35oC avoid spraying if possible. High and low temperatures can have impacts on drying rate and gloss of the finished part.

• Where possible avoid spraying items in direct sunlight

Dulux Duramax can cover up to 4.5m2 per can depending on the surface and colour used. Coverage depends on the type of surface, porosity, thickness of application, original colour, surface profile and shape of the object and the skill of the painter. The benefits of using aerosol paint are the quality of the finish, time and convenience. No brushes or cleaning solvents are required.

Since spray paint is not recommended as a substitute for conventional paint in painting large, flat surfaces, it should be sold for what it does, rather than how much surface it covers. The cost of the can of spray paint is less than a good quality paint brush.

Dulux Duramax can be recoated anytime after becoming touch dry (20 minutes).

• This does not mean you should apply a single light coat then wait 20 minutes. Multiple light coats to build to a single coat with full cover are acceptable.

• After you gain coverage, wait for the 20 minutes than apply a second series of light coats.

• Now wait for 1 hour, or the dry time specified and start using the item. (Important Tip: Not all Dulux Duramax products dry in 1 hour – directions are provided on the can)

• Where possible, move the object to be sprayed so that you can access the hard to reach areas without having to contort yourself.

• Dulux recognises that all spray paint projects are unique, and therefore a flexible approach to product application may be required. In response to needs for adaptable convenience, Dulux supplies on its Dulux Duramax colour paints, a general purpose nozzle that can handle projects small and large, short and wide.

• This General Purpose nozzle has a relatively narrow fan width to assist with proper paint placement and minimise overspray. Additional nozzle configurations are available as part of a Dulux Duramax accessory pack. For some applications you may find it better to use a nozzle with a different spray pattern from the accessory pack.

A primer is designed to prepare bare metal, wood, canvas plastic or other materials to create a smooth surface for which your Dulux Duramax can be applied. A primer should be used on projects in order to seal the surface which will help:

• Smooth out uneven surfaces and cover blemishes

• Increase paint adhesion on difficult to bond substrates

• Improve corrosion resistance (on metal substrates). Ensure that you achieve the truest colour of the paint by “hiding” any colour input from the substrate

Using a primer improves the amount of coverage you get from a can of Dulux Duramax top coat and it provides additional benefits for the following surfaces:

• Metal – increases corrosion resistance on bare metal surfaces

• Wood – helps avoid an uneven paint finish by sealing the surface and reducing uneven penetration of bare wood surfaces

• Plastic – provides a necessary “key” into the plastic surface to help secure the top coat to the object. (Important Tip: Not all plastics can be painted.)

Unlike some Aerosol paint manufacturers, Dulux does not supply a “Paint and Prime” option in the Duramax® range. Dulux recognises that in many applications primers are not required. Dulux is of a view that the compromise of final paint performance by inclusion of primer components is unnecessary. Since the top coat is what a user wants to perform in both visual and protective capacities, it is better to focus on building theses properties into the top coat and use purpose built primers where they are required.

Some plastics like polyethylene and polypropylene do not allow for paint adhesion, even with primers.Try to identify the type of plastic an article is made from before starting your project. Some plastic products will be marked with recycling information or advise the type of plastic. If possible use these as reference information to define the plastic. For those plastics you cannot identify test in an inconspicuous area first. Hard plastic like uPVC pipe should be sanded with a fine (800 grit) wet and dry paper then wiped with alcohol before top coating.

This is an important question and one that needs to be clearly understood.

• Unlike other primers Dulux Duramax Plastic Primer requires only a very thin coating.

• Work with the following statement in mind -- “If you think that you have not applied enough you probably have applied too much.”

• Dulux Duramax Plastic Primer needs to applied in a single very light list coat so that there are just enough of the spray particles reaching the surface to make a continuous film. i.e. If you apply too thick a layer of primer the paint job may fail within the primer layer

Dulux Duramax primers are available for a wide range of project substrates. The following Table provides a list of substrates and suitable Dulux Duramax Primer systems.

Yes, Dulux Duramax allows for the finished top coat to be polished again and again, ensuring that your projects continue to look great!

Products from the Turtle Wax® range can be used for this purpose.

There are several reasons why this may be occurring. If you are holding the can in one spot - rather than using a sweeping motion - the paint tends to build up and form a run. You may also be holding the can too close to the object you are painting. For best results refer to the previous point on “How to apply paint evenly”.

The temperature of the spray paint can and the object should be roughly room temperature.

Any extremes in temperature, distance to substrate, or failure to keep the can moving when the valve is open, can cause irregularities in the finished paintwork.

This occurs for a number of reasons. If you apply a primer, (or a more highly pigmented paint) to a topcoat this can cause flaking and cracking.

• Cracks also appear from poor preparation. Always clean and degrease all surfaces to be painted. Sanding previously painted or new surfaces with a very fine paper (600 grit or finer) will assist with obtaining adhesion.

• Use the recommended primer from the Dulux Duramax range to prime all surfaces for maximum adhesion and elasticity of your final coat.

• We always recommend using the same brand of product throughout the painting process. Different companies have differing chemicals in their paints and this can cause reactions between coats.

The most common cause is not shaking the can for long enough.

• Shake the can until you hear the ball rattle and then for at least a further two minutes. This ensures the contents have completely mixed, as they may have settled and separated during transport.

• Colour variations can also occur when parts of a coat are missed or applied too lightly. Please ensure all areas are sprayed, in two coats, from a distance between 10 – 25 cms.

This tends to happen when the spray can has been held too far away from the object while spraying. The paint dries in the air before it hits the surface and forms a rough layer on the object. Always hold the spray can at a maximum of 25cm from the object.If you have used a less than full gloss product then simply apply two layers of clear coat after the coloured paint has dried.