Sprucing up your home with a fresh coat of paint can be an exciting and fulfilling project. With all the different kinds of paint sheens out there, it can be difficult to know which one to buy, especially if you’re standing in a line at the home improvement store needing to make a quick decision.
At Texas Professional Painting, we want to take the stress out of buying paint. We’ve created a guide to help you choose the paint finish to make your home pop. Read below to learn more!
Which Interior Paint Sheen Is Right for Me?
Paint finish is another term for paint sheen. You’ve probably made a trip to the home improvement store to buy paint and been asked the question, ‘What finish do you want?’.
Some stores will give you a quick rundown of what finishes are best for which projects, but it’s better to have this knowledge in your toolbox so you can make an informed decision yourself. Paint finishes come in satin, high gloss, semi-gloss, matte and eggshell and there are some key differences between each.
Sheen, or gloss, is the amount of light reflected off a surface. When paint has more resins, the result will be a shinier or glossier finish.
Below we will highlight finishes from matte (no shine) to gloss (the most shine).
Matte
Matte (sometimes called flat) paint finish has a low gloss percentage, so it doesn’t reflect a lot of light. This means that matte is a good choice if you don’t want imperfections to show through the paint.
Matte has tons of pigment, so the colors will look good anywhere, but it’s best to apply it in rooms that aren’t trafficked as much.
It is the least durable of the paint finish family, so use matte for surfaces in areas like ceilings, living rooms and dining rooms.
Eggshell
If you’re looking for a universal paint finish, eggshell is a great choice. It has a flat look with just a little bit of gloss to it, and it’s great for every interior surface in your home.
Eggshell is a little more durable and reflective than matte, while still keeping its ability to conceal surface flaws.
Another great benefit of eggshell is its stress-free application. Normally when painting interior walls, time is of the essence to avoid lapping. With eggshell finish, you can take breaks and come back to it and the finished product will still look amazing.
Satin
Satin is a very smooth and velvety finish and is a great choice for trim, doors and ceilings. It can also be used for walls in rooms that get a lot of foot traffic.
If you’re looking to paint a kids’ room, satin is the finish for you!
Semi-Gloss
Semi-gloss is the next stop in the paint finish family and it is (you guessed it) semi-glossy.
This sheen is great for rooms that get a lot of traffic because of its high durability and will be great in rooms that experience a lot of moisture and drips.
High Gloss
High gloss finish is glasslike, shiny and eye-catching, making it a great choice for statement walls as well as trim, molding and cabinets.
This beautiful finish is the most reflective in the paint sheen family, giving surfaces a mirror-like appearance. This beauty comes at a price though, as high-gloss paint is very difficult to apply, and makes surface impurities stick out like a sore thumb.
When using high-gloss on a surface, you’ll want to make sure to sand your wall and use primer before applying the paint.
A tip for applying high-gloss in your home is to use a quarter-inch or high-density paint roller to fully coat smaller spots.
Call Texas Professional Painters Today!
For painting projects that might seem too big to handle on your own, call Texas Professional Painters. We have proudly served San Antonio for years, and we will be happy to make your painting dreams come true.
We provide great prices and friendly service for interior, exterior and restoration painting as well as staining and finishing!
