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December 27, 2023
After months of living in a new apartment or home, you’ve been meaning to paint your walls to bring a little more character into your living space. Perhaps you’re looking for durable paint selections because you plan to stay long-term, or maybe you want the right color to boost a room’s character.
The paint you choose for your walls can make all the difference in how your residence looks and feels. The durability and protection that different paints offer are also important factors when choosing the right color and finish for your home.
For the basics, the higher the sheen of the paint finish, the higher the shine and ability to reflect light. Flat and matte paints offer no light reflectivity, while semi-gloss and high-gloss paints reflect light, giving them a slight shine. Depending on what you decide will suit your room, several finish options can offer the perfect sheen to fit your style preferences.
Take a look at the following types of paint finishes and how to choose the best one for your home.
While picking the color of your paint might seem like the most important task when planning how the room will look overall, choosing the right sheen is just as critical. The gloss in each determines how the color appears to the naked eye, the paint’s durability and the ability to hide imperfections.
Before selecting a sheen based on appearance, you can also consider the following factors in your home:
Using the guide below, you can find out the specific nature of flat and matte, eggshell, satin, low-gloss and high-gloss paints and where they work best. Picking the option best suited to your rooms can ensure the longevity of the paint while maintaining the aesthetic you desire for your home.
Even if you have the perfect color picked out for a space in your home, it’s important to understand what each finish offers so you can enjoy your paint for longer.
The six types of paint finishes are:
Both flat and matte paint finishes have little shine at all. Both are excellent paint sheens for areas of the home that will not see a lot of dirt or foot traffic. The difference between flat and matte finishes is so minute that they are largely interchangeable. However, flat paint finishes have a slightly lower gloss appearance than matte.
If you have pets or children, you may want to avoid a flat finish on the walls as it is the most difficult to clean. However, the nature of the paint sheen is to soak up the light, providing no reflectivity. This feature allows you to hide imperfections in your walls. Because they have more pigment, they take less work to cover and are the most economical selection for covering large spaces in the home.
For those who do not wish to cover the cost of a more expensive sheen, matte finishes offer the most cost-effective solution to bring that perfect aesthetic to your home.
Matte finishes are best suited for areas such as ceilings, bedrooms and dining rooms that do not see a lot of traffic or dirt. In addition, the flat finish hides imperfections and damage to walls, making it ideal for patched drywall with joint compound or new drywall installations with imperfect taping.
Like matte, eggshell paint is a lower-reflectivity sheen and can be used for similar applications while still providing the same elegant, smooth shine. It’s easier to clean and slightly more durable than flat finishes. However, they are not as durable as high-light reflectivity finishes, such as satin, semi-gloss or high-gloss paints.
Like a flat finish, eggshell is best utilized for areas with low traffic and not susceptible to dirt. In addition, if you have pets or children, cleaning is not as easy with eggshell paint. If you plan on using an eggshell finish, consider the texture of your walls. Because of the lower reflectivity, eggshell offers a better ability to hide imperfections on your walls.
Ideally, eggshell paint is best suited for ceilings, bedrooms, dining rooms and living areas where there is not a lot of dirt build-up or traffic. In addition, its medium-level durability provides added protection that a flat finish does not. For areas such as walls, eggshell works best and is easier to clean. It would not be suited for a kitchen or bathroom space.
Occasionally, satin paint finishes fall into the same category as eggshell because of their slight luster, but they are slightly more durable and have a higher sheen than eggshell finishes. Since they are more durable and easier to clean, they are a perfect middle ground, offering a slight glow on walls while providing many of the same benefits of eggshell and matte finishes.
Because satin has more gloss and durability than matte and eggshell finishes, the application can take place in more areas in the home. It is also easier to clean than the lower reflective counterparts. It is ideal for more active rooms in the house and can even be used outdoors due to its higher durability. Consider the room where the satin paint will go. Unlike eggshell or matte paints, satin does not hide imperfections and can show an uneven application.
Because of their higher durability, satin paints are easier to clean and can make any room glow with a beautiful, elegant sheen. The durability and longevity of satin paints make them perfect for many high-traffic rooms in the home, such as:
While satin has more light reflectivity than matte or eggshell finishes, low-gloss or semi-gloss paints have a glossier sheen, making them highly durable and easy to clean. Even though they are reflective, they still don’t offer the reflectivity of a high-gloss application.
If you are having trouble deciding if low-gloss paint is right for you, consider the walls’ texture and the room’s purpose. Low-gloss finishes are highly durable and ideally suited to high-traffic areas of the home. They also provide better resistance to stains and damage. However, because of their higher reflectivity, you will be unable to hide imperfections in the wall.
Due to their higher durability, low-gloss paints can work well indoors and outdoors. Low-gloss is ideal in various spaces, including:
They are also ideally suited to areas that experience water, soap, dirt or grease so you can easily wipe away messes.
If you’re all about capturing that perfect elegant shine and want the highest durability, then a high-gloss paint finish is the best option for your application. High-gloss paints offer the highest reflectivity and are the easiest to clean compared to semi-gloss, satin, eggshell and matte finishes. One of the major downsides to using high-gloss paints is nearly every imperfection in the wall will be highlighted by the sheen. In addition, areas susceptible to fingerprints should have a high-gloss coat application over any other paint finish.
High-gloss is perfect for high-traffic areas and rooms in your home that will see constant and heavy use. Achieve the highest durability and longevity through high-gloss finishes. While highly reflective paint might show imperfections in your wall or dirt build-up, cleaning is effortless compared to matte or eggshell finishes.
High-gloss finishes are perfect for door trims, woodwork, molding, cabinets, kitchens, bathrooms and even outdoor applications. Since it is the most durable type of paint available, you can also count on the longevity of the application. If you plan on staying in your home for many years, consider the benefits of applying high-gloss paint to high-traffic areas that will see dirt and damage. Due to the highly reflective nature of the paint, hiring a professional to apply it is a better choice, as it is challenging to maintain an even coat. The imperfections of the application will be far more noticeable when compared with flat, eggshell, satin or even semi-gloss finishes.
Now that you have a better idea of which type of paint finish goes best in certain rooms, let’s see how each one compares to the others. Explore these paint finish comparisons to see which one is best for you and your home.
High-gloss paint provides more durability and higher reflectivity than low-gloss paint. While many of the same areas of the home are both suited to low-gloss and high-gloss applications, consider the benefits of each and what you’re trying to achieve before selecting a finish. High-gloss finishes might be the best choice for areas like bathrooms and kitchens. However, specific living spaces may call for low-gloss paint, such as hallways, foyers and indoor applications.
The most significant differences between high-gloss, eggshell and satin paints are reflectivity, ease of cleaning and durability. With this in mind, high-gloss paints may not work in the same living spaces as eggshell paints. Eggshell paints are best for walls and low-traffic areas of the house because they are harder to clean effectively. Satin is a nice middle ground between high-gloss and eggshell finishes, and might be the best choice if you are trying to determine if the aesthetic is more important than longevity.
The difference between matte and high-gloss finishes is night and day. Matte finishes have no light reflectivity, while high-gloss offers the highest light reflection available regarding sheen. Compared to high-gloss finishes, matte paints are the least durable and the hardest to clean. However, in rooms with little traffic and areas such as ceilings, matte finishes offer an elegant, smooth sheen and are more economical than high-gloss paints.
Imperfections in the walls are no match for matte finishes, which have a very high amount of pigment. Matte finishes offer the best way to hide those imperfections with a fresh coat that covers surfaces easily. High-gloss paints are very reflective and require our professional painters to apply them to specific areas of your home.
The main difference between satin and semi-gloss paints is the quality and quantity of sheen in each can. Semi-gloss paints have more of a sheen than a satin paint finish. The extra sheen can change how paint colors look on your wall because a semi-gloss surface will reflect more natural and artificial light.
Additionally, semi-gloss is more durable and easier to clean. Still, satin finishes are more forgiving regarding pre-existing imperfections on your walls. When deciding on the type of paint to choose, it’s important to consider the space it will go in, the light sources and the foot traffic in the room.
The difference between eggshell and satin finishes is the texture and appearance. Eggshell offers little to no shine while providing a unique texture similar to real eggshells. In contrast, satin looks like a velvet shine that gives your walls an elegant appearance.
Eggshell is a great paint option for rooms with medium foot traffic, like gathering areas, while satin can withstand more elements such as grease, moisture and heat. Since satin has a higher sheen, this finish offers more durability. Depending on the room, you can decide whether durability is at the top of your priorities.
With this information about paint finishes and sheens at your fingertips, it’s time to turn your vision into reality. If you live in the New York or Connecticut areas, contact Shoreline Painting to request a consultation for your newest painting project.
Not sure where to start? Explore our completed interior and exterior painting projects for additional inspiration. Our team of professional painters and expert staff is happy to offer guidance on what type of paint sheen to use and much more.
The main difference between satin and matte paint finishes is the gloss or shine. Satin paint has a shinier finish than matte which is more flat.
Comparatively, satin finishes have between 25% and 35% gloss while matte finishes have a gloss percentage between 5% and 10%. This means that satin paint reflects around three to five times as much light as matte paint does.
Without question, satin has a glossier finish versus matte. On the plus side, this makes satin paint easier to clean and more durable than a matte finish. However, matte paint is easier to apply and touch up than satin. Not to mention, matte covers better, shows fewer imperfections and is cheaper per gallon than satin paint.
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Generally speaking, both matte and satin paint finishes are great options. The choice between satin or matte depends in large part on which room or surface you are painting.
Is it a high-traffic area like a mudroom or hallway that gets scuffs? Perhaps a satin sheen works better on the walls than matte because it’s easier to clean.
Does your ceiling or wall have lots of imperfections or bumps? Then you should choose matte over satin because it hides surface imperfections better.
In this guide, we’ll highlight factors that most affect which of the two types of paint sheens work best for your particular home painting project.
Furthermore, we’ll discuss how lighting, room functionality, and different surfaces impact which type of finish you choose. Ultimately helping you make the right choice between the two sheens before purchasing any paint cans as a homeowner.
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A matte finish is a low gloss sheen that’s shinier than flat paint but less shiny than satin or eggshell. It has a low gloss percentage which means it contains less luster or reflects less light than most paints.
However, with a gloss percentage of 5% to 10%, matte has slightly more sheen than flat paint which has an under 5% gloss formula. As a result, both matte and flat paint contains more pigment which leads to better coverage per gallon.
Typically, we recommend using matte on walls in lower-traffic areas like master bedrooms, dining rooms, or living rooms that won’t get dirty or scuffed up as often.
Moreover, flat and matte paints are easier to touch up and apply, which makes them ideal for novice painters or DIY projects.
Not to mention, matte finishes hide bumps and blemishes better than satin or eggshell. Making it an ideal paint for older exterior siding with lots of peeling paint.
While slightly rougher or chalky to the touch, matte offers a cozy and modern look to any room or outdoor surface.
On the other hand, high-gloss paints like satin look plastic-like on interior walls and exterior siding.
Given this, another great surface for matte paint is on interior ceilings which look best with lower gloss sheens that hide nail pops better.
Indeed, the look of a matte finish resembled a velvety, almost powdery finish that absorbs light. Because of its higher pigment, matte adds depth to deeper shades and increases the richness of darker paint colors.
A last key benefit of matte is it softens bright colors, allowing you to explore bolder color palettes.
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A satin finish is a medium gloss sheen that’s shinier than matte but not as shiny as semi-gloss paint. Likewise, satin offers slightly more luster or light reflectiveness than eggshell finishes.
Concurrently, satin works perfectly on smooth walls in higher-traffic areas like hallways, family rooms, and kids’ rooms. This is because satin finishes are easier to clean and more durable than lower sheen paints like matte or flat.
Additionally, satin is moisture resistant, which makes it the right finish for bathrooms or kitchens. You can also use it on interior or exterior trim and molding for a “not too glossy” type finish.
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In general, a surface with a satin sheen falls between the dull, non-shiny matte finish and the glass-like reflectiveness of a high gloss. Accordingly, it looks silky and feels smooth to the touch.
However, satin finishes are harder to apply, offer less coverage and are more difficult to touch up than matte paints. Similarly, a slight sanding of the surfaces before applying glossier paint like satin will go a long way to even out the final finish.
Certainly, the amount of light your room gets and the number of prior repaints a surface has received will impact if satin is the right finish to use.
So if you have walls with a ton of cracks and divots, stick with eggshell or matte vs satin paints. Also, if you have an older home with bumpy plaster walls, stay far away from high gloss paint like satin.
Likewise, if you have a room with tons of light, satin may be too reflective or shiny based on your interior design preferences.
In those cases, opt for a low sheen paint like matte during interior painting.
Use matte paints for low-traffic areas like bedrooms, formal dining rooms, and living rooms. Likewise, matte sheens work great on both ceilings and walls or as an accent paint color.
Just remember that matte has a little gloss finish which means scuff and fingerprints will show over time. Accordingly, avoid using matte in high-traffic spaces like hallways, kids’ bedrooms, and bathrooms.
Also, since matte paint absorbs light, avoid using it in small rooms with little light. In this case, it will make the space look smaller.
All major paint companies, including Sherwin Williams, Benjamin Moore, and Behr, sell matte paint formulated for interior and exterior surfaces.
Indeed, you can use a matte finish for interior spaces or outdoor surfaces like siding. Because it hides imperfections, it works great on bumpier surfaces that have been repainted many times.
For example, many homeowners would use matte on the siding of an 80-year-old victorian home, which has layers of paint. But keep in mind that matte is harder to clean so it may get dirty over time.
Lastly, you should never directly apply matte over an already glossy finish like semi-gloss or satin.
Before painting, lightly sand or scuff up the surface and use a primer to ensure your matte finish has something to “bite” onto.
This pro tip will save you time and money as your matte paint coat will apply more evenly using a brush or roller. Learn more painting tips by reading our guide on how to paint a room.
Use satin paint for higher-traffic areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and hallways. Because it contains more gloss than eggshell or matte, it’s also more durable.
As a result, satin is a perfect finish for a kids’ bedroom, mudroom, or foyer.
Typically, satin works best on walls but you can also use it on trim if semi-gloss or high gloss finishes are too shiny.
While not recommended for ceilings, you can use it on a bathroom ceiling as it is more moisture resistant than flatter sheens like matte.
Likewise, satin can be used on interior surfaces as well as exterior siding, trim, or doors. Since it’s easier to wash and more durable than flat paints, it will hold up longer and resist moisture better.
Because satin reflects light, it can make a small space with low light look larger. On the other hand, satin shows imperfections more. More often than not, avoid using satin on bumpier walls with lots of prior drywall patches or repairs.
Finally, most major paint manufacturers including Benjamin Moore and Sherwin-Williams carry satin interior and exterior products. This final detail makes it easy to find at your local paint store or hardware shop.
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