Call Epic Painting Services Today! (321)231-8966
Blog Layout
Paint Sheen: Flat, Satin or Semi-gloss? What's the difference and what is best for you?
Paint Sheen: Flat, Satin or Semi-gloss? What's the difference and what is best for you?
If I had to pick the most widely asked question that I get asked on a regular basis, it would be: What sheen do you think is best? Unfortunately, there is no right answer for every scenario, but by understanding the pros and cons of each; it might make you decision a little easier.
Flat finish: This is the lowest sheen available and would be considered a dull finish in comparison to a semi-gloss. Some advantages to flat finishes are that they can help hide wall defects. Flat finishes also touch up very well without flashing (flashing is observed when everything looks good from a straight forward perspective, but appear blotchy from an angle). Flats are also easy to apply for homeowners and novice painters because of their tendency not to flash. You don't have to pay special attention to cutting-in and rolling at the same time or be too concerned with one drying before the other is applied. The disadvantage for a flat finish is durability. They finish does not dry as hard as higher sheen paint, and because of this, they tend to scuff easy. They are also more difficult to clean.
For the reasons above, flat paints make an excellent choice for ceilings, walls in moderate to low traffic areas and on exterior walls. They should be avoided in areas like bathroom walls, behind kitchen stoves, on trim and doors, mud rooms, and areas prone to lots of scuffing. Of course, this can all change if you prefer this type of finish and are willing to touch up every now and again. High quality flats also offer much more durability and are easier to clean than cheaper paints. Matte finishes, low sheen and velvet flat offer greater ease of use without adding much more shine, and are all between flats and satins in terms of the sheen observed.
Eggshell and Satin's: These are technically different sheen's with eggshell being slightly less shiny than satin's, but some manufactures don't distinguish from them greatly and sometimes only offer one or the other depending on the brand of paint. They offer greater durability and clean-ability compared to flat paints and fall right between and flat and semi-gloss on a scale of shiny-ness. On the downside, they don't touch up very well. This holds especially true in rooms with lots of natural lighting or with darker colors in general. They can also expose more surface defects than a flat paint. A general rule is that the shinier and darker the paint, the more defects will be visible.
Eggshell's and satin's make great choices for kitchen and bathroom walls, cabinets, some trim work and exterior walls and trim.
Semi-gloss, gloss and high gloss: As the names suggest, these will be the shiniest of all the coatings. They dry hard and are much easier to keep clean than flat paints. They are often considered too shiny for use on most walls inside and outside, but to each their own. They are the go-to finish for doors and trim, and can be used in bathrooms and on cabinets as well.
This is also a regularly asked question again and again; one without a definitive answer for every scenario. Cheap paint generally contains less resins than premium paint. These resins help with coverage, durability and adhesion. Lower cost paint is not to be avoided in every situation though. Low cost, medium quality paints work great for ceilings and walls in some scenarios. This has a lot to do with how they dry and how flat the sheen dries. They are very forgiving when they are applied, which means you don't need to worry as much about lap marks and drying too quickly. Some of them have what is known as a dead flat finish (no sheen at all). For this reason, they touch up well. Got a small water stain that appeared on a ceiling? Wouldn't it be great to be able to spot prime and touch up just the stain without having to paint the entire ceiling? They are also great (in my opinion) for rental properties. Sure, they scuff and mar easily, but when a tenant moves out, the space can be returned to its original state using far less labor and materials because they touch up so well. I wouldn't recommend the cheapest option for walls in your home, but there is nothing wrong with medium quality paint for everyday interior use. The debate isn't settled on how much of an advantage is gained by using a premium or the top of the line paint for interior walls as opposed to middle and good quality paints. Crayon, dog scratches and water stains are not discriminatory on what quality of paint they affect. That being said, there are times where it pays big to go with a higher quality paint. I prefer to use high quality paints on all my exterior home finishes. I also like higher quality paints for trim and doors. Another instance would be for the coverage advantage. Let’s say that you want to repaint a bedroom in your home, and the color is not changing much. A better-quality paint can save you in time and materials. The difference between and $20 gallon of paint and a $60 gallon may seem steep, but if you factor in your time for having to apply two coats as opposed to one, and not having to purchase the extra gallon that would be required for the cheaper paint; the $20 is a small price to pay for saving you hours of your time. Who has time for that? Go with the better paint and spend that extra time with friends and family. Or better yet, call me instead and free up all your time.
If I had to pick the most widely asked question that I get asked on a regular basis, it would be: What sheen do you think is best? Unfortunately, there is no right answer for every scenario, but by understanding the pros and cons of each; it might make you decision a little easier. Flat finish: This is the lowest sheen available and would be considered a dull finish in comparison to a semi-gloss. Some advantages to flat finishes are that they can help hide wall defects. Flat finishes also touch up very well without flashing (flashing is observed when everything looks good from a straight forward perspective, but appear blotchy from an angle). Flats are also easy to apply for homeowners and novice painters because of their tendency not to flash. You don't have to pay special attention to cutting-in and rolling at the same time or be too concerned with one drying before the other is applied. The disadvantage for a flat finish is durability. They finish does not dry as hard as higher sheen paint, and because of this, they tend to scuff easy. They are also more difficult to clean. For the reasons above, flat paints make an excellent choice for ceilings, walls in moderate to low traffic areas and on exterior walls. They should be avoided in areas like bathroom walls, behind kitchen stoves, on trim and doors, mud rooms, and areas prone to lots of scuffing. Of course, this can all change if you prefer this type of finish and are willing to touch up every now and again. High quality flats also offer much more durability and are easier to clean than cheaper paints. Matte finishes, low sheen and velvet flat offer greater ease of use without adding much more shine, and are all between flats and satins in terms of the sheen observed. Eggshell and Satin's: These are technically different sheen's with eggshell being slightly less shiny than satin's, but some manufactures don't distinguish from them greatly and sometimes only offer one or the other depending on the brand of paint. They offer greater durability and clean-ability compared to flat paints and fall right between and flat and semi-gloss on a scale of shiny-ness. On the downside, they don't touch up very well. This holds especially true in rooms with lots of natural lighting or with darker colors in general. They can also expose more surface defects than a flat paint. A general rule is that the shinier and darker the paint, the more defects will be visible. Eggshell's and satin's make great choices for kitchen and bathroom walls, cabinets, some trim work and exterior walls and trim. Semi-gloss, gloss and high gloss: As the names suggest, these will be the shiniest of all the coatings. They dry hard and are much easier to keep clean than flat paints. They are often considered too shiny for use on most walls inside and outside, but to each their own. They are the go-to finish for doors and trim, and can be used in bathrooms and on cabinets as well.