Thinking about improving the interior of your home with a fresh coat of paint? While color is certainly an important decision when choosing what type of paint to use, there are several other very important factors to consider as well. One often confusing aspect of picking what paint you should be using for your job is deciding what finish will be most appropriate once it’s dry.
Here’s some advice for deciding what type of paint finish will work best to achieve your desired results:
Matte/Flat: If the purpose of your painting endeavor is to cover up imperfections in your walls and ceilings, then chances are you want to go for a paint that has a matte or flat finish. This type of paint is an industry standard for walls and ceilings in areas of the home such as the living room, bedrooms, hallways and dining room. Matte/flat paints offer a high variety of color choices and are great for touch-ups, but they can also be more difficult to clean than some of their more reflective counterparts.
Eggshell: Eggshell paints have a slightly more reflective sheen and are generally more durable and easier to clean than paints with matte finishes. As such, eggshell is a popular choice for areas of the home where a quick cleanup without too much of a glossy finish are desired, such as the kitchen, bathrooms, living room, and bedrooms.
Satin: Satin paints offer the same amount of durability and are just as easy to wash as eggshell paints, but they are slightly glossier and therefore more difficult to touch up without being able to notice a difference in the sheen between the new paint and the old paint. Therefore, satin finishes are a good choice for kitchens, bathrooms, children’s rooms, the laundry room, as well as any woodworking that might be present throughout the house, such as baseboards and trim.
Semi-Gloss: Semi-gloss is much more resistant to moisture, humidity and stains than many of the paints listed above, making it a smart choice for doors, trim and molding, along with kitchen and bathroom walls. While semi-gloss can be used in other parts of the house, the reflective sheen can highlight imperfections and make walls look messy.
Gloss: While paint with a glossy sheen is generally the most durable and the easiest to clean, it should really only be used on surfaces that are entirely smooth because imperfections can be quite visible with such a shiny finish. Save glossy paint for molding, trim, doors, and any other woodwork that might be found throughout the house. Due to the high reflectivity of this finish, touching up is tough to do as the difference between old paint and new paint will be extremely apparent.
Choosing the right finish for your upcoming paint job requires knowledge and foresight to determine what will last the longest and be the easiest to maintain. To make sure that you’ll get the most out of your paint job and its finish, hiring a professional is definitely recommended. Make sure to contact Skokie Painters with any questions or concerns regarding your painting needs, and they’ll be able to help you decide what’s best for you and your home.