When it comes to choosing interior paint there are a handful of things to consider such as color, brand, price, paint finish, and many more. Choosing the right paint finish doesn’t have to be a hassle. In this blog, we are going to discuss 5 of the most common interior paint finishes as well as some recommendations as to where those finishes will work best for your home.
Why Does Paint Come In Different Finishes?
Cost
The cost of paint varies with the type of finish that you choose. For example, flat/matte finish paint is typically cheaper than satin, eggshell, semi-gloss, and high gloss paint.
Maintainance
The type of finish you choose will depend on what room you are painting. If you are painting a room with high traffic you are going to want to avoid flat/matte finishes at all costs. Flat/matte finish is difficult to clean compared to higher sheen finishes such as satin, semi-gloss, or high-gloss. Scroll down to read more about each finish.
Wall Conditions
It is known that flat and matte finishes cover up dings, scratches, and blemishes better than the others. In fact, using eggshell, semi-gloss, satin, or high-gloss may actually highlight the blemishes on your wall. Just keep in mind that the higher the shine/luster, the more imperfections on your walls are going to be visible.
Don’t want to deal with the stress of choosing the right paint finish? If you hired us for your interior home painting, our painting experts will take care of the hassle and recommend the best paint finish options for you! Call (508) 250-7272 or visit our Contact Us page to schedule a FREE estimate in RI or MA!
What Are The Different Types of Paint Finishes & What Do They Do?
Now that we have covered the basics lets dive a bit deeper into the different types of paint finishes and where those finishes work best within your home.
Flat/Matte Finish
Sometimes known as matte finish, a flat finish is the cheapest option by far and is great for covering up blemishes, dings, and scratches on walls. Flat finishes have the best coverage compared to the other finishes so you will be able to cover larger areas with less paint.
Flat/Matte Finish Description:
A flat finish has no Shine and is rougher to the touch compared to the other finishes. Flat finishes are infamous for being harder to clean because residue sticks to it much easier than the other finishes in the market.
Flat/Matte Finish Recommendations:
We recommend using a flat finish for low traffic rooms such as adult bedrooms. We also recommend that you use flat finish paint for projects with a low budget and large areas to cover, this way you will get the most bang for your buck.
Eggshell Finish
An eggshell finish is fairly popular among homeowners. You can think of this finish somewhere between a flat/matte finish and a satin finish.
Eggshell Finish Description:
An eggshell paint finish is practically a matte finish with a little bit of luster to it such as a chickens egg, hence the name. Due to the added luster, this paint finish is slightly easier to clean compared to a matte finish.
Eggshell Finish Recommendations:
We recommend that you use an eggshell finish paint for dining rooms, adult bedrooms, and ceilings. You still want to steer clear of any high traffic rooms because an eggshell finish wall can still be a hassle to clean if there are a lot of people touching the walls.
Satin Finish
A satin finish is the most popular choice from what we have experienced from working with hundreds of homeowners. A satin finish will provide a look of elegance as well as ease of maintenance.
Satin Finish Description:
A satin finish is the most popular paint finish because it encompasses the perfect combination of luster/shine and flatness. The amount of sheen is directly in the middle and is a perfect option when you are unsure of what finish to use for your walls.
Satin Finish Recommendations:
We recommend that you use a satin finish for active rooms such as living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, children’s playrooms, etc. A satin finish is great for absorbing moisture as well as resisting mildew, dirt, and stains.
Satin finish paint is the most versatile out of all of the finishes because it is a viable option to be used on trim, ceilings, and even lightly used doors.
Semi-Gloss Finish
Semi-gloss finish paint is great for surfaces that experience a lot of traffic or interaction with people. Make sure that whatever surface you decide to cover with semi-gloss paint, that it is smooth or does not have a lot of blemishes because this paint finish will highlight those blemishes more than the others listed above.
Semi-Gloss Description
The semi-gloss paint finish is the second shiniest option available to purchase. Any surface that you choose to cover with this finish will have a shine to it as well as a smoother feel to the touch.
Semi-Gloss Finish Recommendations
We recommend using semi-gloss finish paint for surfaces that have high traffic and high interaction with people. For example kitchen cabinets, doors, molding, and trim. Semi-gloss finish resists dirt, mildew, and residue fairly well and can handle a good amount of wear and tear. Due to its high resistance, it is also easy to clean and maintain.
High-Gloss Finish
High-gloss finish paint is the most unique out of all of the different paint finishes and should be used for very specific areas of a home for it to work well.
High-Gloss Description
The high-gloss paint finish has the highest luster/shine compared to all of the other finishes covered in this blog. This paint finish will make any surface feel very smooth and look reflective.
High-Gloss Finish Recommendations
We recommend using this finish for areas that are high in traffic and constantly need to be scrubbed or cleaned such as kitchens and bathrooms. High-gloss finishes make cleaning very easy because dirt, mildew, and residue will not stick to it.
Pro-Tip
The higher the shine/luster the more saturated and intense the color you choose will be. Also, with a higher shine/luster, the more reflective your finish will be to light, therefore highlighting blemishes, dings, and scratches.
If you are in the MA or RI area and would like to hire us to paint your home, we will make sure to provide you with the best paint finish recommendations to fit your budget, the look you want, as well as the amount of maintenance that fits your lifestyle.
Give us a call at (508) 250-7272 or visit our Contact Us page to schedule a FREE estimate!