Interior Paint Finishes and Where to Use Them

Copyright (c) 2008 Smoky Mountain Painting

There are different types of interior paint finishes and each one refer to the finishes reaction to light. Since latex paint is the most common type of interior paint used, we will only look at latex paint finishes in this article.

Flat paint finishes have virtually no sheen when the paint has dried. Flat paint absorbs light and does not reflect it. Flat paint finish is great at hiding any imperfections that you may have in your walls and also looks good in most colors. The best rooms to use a flat finish is rooms that usually receive little traffic such as bedrooms or closets. Don't use flat paint in a room that will require a lot of cleaning because it is difficult to clean when it gets dirty.

An eggshell paint offers about as much sheen as an actual eggshell, hence its name. It is mainly flat but offers a small amount of luster. It is easier to clean than flat paint so it would be a better choice for areas of your house that receive more traffic such as a hallway or a living room. Another benefit of eggshell paint is that like a flat finish it also looks good in a variety of colors.

A satin paint finish is much easier to clean than flat or eggshell paints, just be careful not to scrub too hard because you could possibly remove some of the sheen which will leave an uneven finish in your wall. A satin finish will not hide imperfections in your walls as well as flat or eggshell finishes will. Since satin paints stand up better to cleaning they are a great choice kids rooms, kitchens and bathrooms.

Semi gloss paints are a step up from satin and reflect more light. It is a good choice for painting trim but could be used for a kitchen or bathroom because it does not absorb kitchen greases or bathroom condensations as much as the other paint finishes do. It could also be used in playrooms since it is much easier to clean up. Semi gloss paints generally look better in a lighter shade of paint.

Gloss paints offer the most sheen of all of the other finishes and is also the easiest to clean. Gloss paint is generally used for painting trim and is usually not a good choice for walls. Gloss paint is also commonly used to paint cabinetry in kitchens and bathrooms.

Choosing a paint finish ia a matter of personal preference, just remember that the more sheen a paint has the more durable it will be. In general, you get what you pay for. Buy the best quality paint you can afford. High quality paint makes the paint job last longer, is less prone to turning yellow with age, goes on smoother, and is also less likely to leave brush marks in the finish.

If you are not sure of what sheen or color will be best for the room you are painting, it would be a good idea to buy several quarts of paint to test before you purchase the full amount of paint that you will need. Many of the large retail paint outlets even sell small sample containers of paint which are great for testing different sheen's and colors at a small price.