FLAT PAINT reflects little light. It looks rich and velvety, especially in deep colors. It doesn’t show all the imperfections in plaster or drywall. It’s great in a living room or a room frequented by adults who do not damage or touch their walls. It’s the least washable. Most builders use flat paint when you buy a new home.
SATIN PAINT is a step shinier than Flat. It’s one of the less common sheens. A lot of paints jump right up to eggshell from flat. It’s usually pretty close to eggshell.
EGGSHELL PAINT is a little shinier still. It is very popular as an all-around sheen. Not too shiny but still pretty washable. Good for offices, bathrooms, and public areas and rooms with kids in them with dirty little hands.
SEMI-GLOSS PAINT is good for doors and trim. It’s not super shiny but still gives a nice glow to the painted surface. Bathroom and kitchen walls do well in semi-gloss because it is even more washable than eggshell. The problem with semi-gloss is it shows drywall imperfections.
GLOSS/HIGH GLOSS/PLASTIC GLOSS are very shiny paints. They often look good on older traditional woodwork. The flaws really show with this paint but that can also be part of the beauty.
Leave A Comment