11/16/2022
CHOOSING INTERIOR PAINT FINISHES
So now you have hung up your drywall, you got your drywall finish work done, mudded, sanded and skim coated and now you are ready to paint. But there is an overwhelming number of colors, finishes, textures that are available on the market and it’s honestly enough to get anyone frustrated and overwhelmed with the number of options there are. But in this guide here we hope to help alleviate some of the stress in choosing the perfect finish for your home.
The type of paint finish you choose is just as important as the color you choose and will make just as much of an impact in the room as the color you choose for the room. I learned this in my personal experience when remodeling my own house when I picked a high gloss paint for trim pieces for my doors and baseboards. When that paint dried boy did those pieces stand out, and I don’t mean in the best way. I remember against my satin finish walls that I had painted these trim pieces stuck out to you like a sore thumb and if there were holes from nailing them up I forgot to fill in or any other imperfections in the wood that were not sanded down they were also sticking out. So after that setback I had to repaint the trim with a semi gloss paint, remove the trim that was necessary to remove while trying not to damage my freshly painted walls and paint them again and fill in the imperfections that I had missed the first time around, then go back and mount the trim again. This is one example of how choosing the wrong finish of paint can impact your project but in this article I am going to cover the different types of finishes and where you would choose one type of finish over another.
FLAT PAINT
Flat paint or also commonly referred to as “wall paint” is the most common type of paint used for ceilings and the reason is being a flat paint; meaning nothing was added to make it shinier or glossier it does very well at hiding imperfections, seams, bumps or cracks. It is because of this flat finish that these blend in very well and are not highlighted in the way that they would be if you were to choose a paint that has a gloss finish to it. The texture of this paint feels slightly like chalk, and the drawback of this one is compared to paints with either a satin or a semi gloss finish cleaning flat paint can be very difficult and often times it is just easier to touch it up with a fresh coat of paint so that that in mind when using it and keep flat paint on hand for this reason through the duration of your project.
FLAT ENAMEL (MATTE) PAINT
Flat enamel is exactly how it sounds, basically a slightly more durable version of the flat paint that can hold up to occasional scrubbing or cleaning. This paint is often marketed as just a matte paint so as to not confuse it with the normal flat paint. This is not a paint you would want to use in a high traffic area as it as not quite as durable as a satin or a semi gloss paint but if you wanted to paint a powder room witn it or space in your home that doesn’t get much use such as the inside of a closet a guest or craft room this paint would work just fine.
EGGSHELL
This paint has just a hint of gloss so it will shine a little bit over a flat paint but it will not stand out the way a satin or semi gloss will. This type of paint is a very popular choice for high traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, hallways, home offices, game rooms, also because of the added benefit of its ability to hide small imperfections. This paint can stand up to light scrubbing and cleaning far better than flat or enamel can, and provides a simple low gloss look for the person who wants the cleanability of a satin without the high sheen look.
SATIN
Here we have another popular choice for wall paint or ceiling paint is another common application for this. This paint is also generally used to paint trim pieces on windows, doors, wainscoting, crown molding, baseboards, or even unfinished cabinets. This paint gives a nice velvet like finish with a moderate amount of gloss giving you a generally warm inviting look to a room. This paint is also durable, able to withstand light scrubbing and cleaning, making it a good paint for kitchens, hallways, kids rooms,, playrooms or other areas of your home that are always filled with a lot of activity.
SEMI GLOSS
This finish here gives you more shine than satin. It is commonly used on trim pieces once again because this one cleans up easier, is very durable, and provides a subtle amount of gloss to make those pieces stand out. Another popular application for this is cabinets crown molding, baseboards, wainscoting, trim for windows and doors or even in kitchens and bathrooms.
HIGH GLOSS
This paint is generally not used in home interiors, at least not on walls or ceilings, but has started to gain popularity for cabinets and furniture. This paint as the name suggests is a high gloss finish that is very reflective and it has a tendency to show off any imperfections in the prep work of whatever it is that you are planning to use this paint on. On the upside this paint is the easiest to clean with its plastic like finish it cleans up better then any of the paint types listed here which gives it a number of suitable applications.
FINAL THINGS TO CONSIDER
When you choose your paint type you need to consider your design preferences and and your individual needs, here are some things to consider:
Durability
Most paint manufacturers are going to market on the guise that all of their paint is durable or washable, scrubbable but the truth be told is that is simply not the case. Shinier paints tend to hold up better and respond better to cleaning than paints that have low or no gloss. Keep this in mind when doing your next project.
Ceiling paint
Ceilings in general are painted in a flat paint because of its ability to hide seams and imperfections as compared to other paints. However in some applications it may be appropriate to paint ceilings in a high gloss paint to reflect some of the light in the room downward. However if you choose to do this bear in mind that any imperfections will show up with this so maybe consider a semi gloss paint if this is what you want to do as this hides things better than high gloss.
I hope you found this helpful. If you still have any questions you can always reach out to your painting expert or myself and we will do our best to help you out.
