How to choose the right paint finish.
Choosing the right paint finish is an important part of decision making for all your painting projects. Selecting the right sheen involves both aesthetic and practical considerations. Paints come in variety of finishes such as Flat, Eggshell, Satin, Semi Gloss and Gloss.
Flat is ideal for low traffic areas. It hides dirt and flaws and is difficult to clean. Its mostly used on ceilings, has no sheen and low durability.
Eggshell is an option for living room, dining and bedroom walls. It is durable but shows significant amount of flaws on the surfaces that are being painted and this type of finish is quite difficult to touch up with, typically requires entire wall from corner to corner to be repainted. Tougher to clean.
Satin is best for high traffic areas and active rooms like kitchen, playroom, family room, bathroom and hallways. It has a smooth finish, durable and easy to wash but doesn't stand up well to heavy scrubbing.
Semi Gloss is ideal for surfaces that are prone to abused, moisture, drip and grease. Generally used for trim, molding, doors, kitchen cabinets and woodwork. Its easy to clean, durable and has high sheen.
Gloss finish is rarely used. It has the highest sheen and durability and used furniture/woodwork for lacquered look.