Paint Finishes… What’s The Difference?

If you’re about to paint the inside of your home, the chances are that you have not thought much about the finish of the paint. The way that the paint looks and feels can be just as important as the color you choose. You might know the difference between gloss paint and satin, but there are also other finishes that can influence your decision to buy paint.

What Finishes Are You Looking for?

There are actually a number of different paint finishes. The one you choose will determine what the paint looks and feels like, so it’s an important decision. 

1. Gloss

This is the finish that most people are familiar with. It has a nice and shiny finish and is great for kitchen cabinets and areas in the home where you want to have a nice sheen and smooth texture. The only issue is that it will show more imperfections in the wall surface, so you have to be careful.

2. High Gloss

As the name suggests, this is a high-gloss finish, not a simple gloss paint. It will show up even more imperfections on a surface, so you might want to save it for very small details, such as cornices, where it can function as an appealing texture and reflective surface in the room.

3. Semi-Gloss

This paint contains anywhere between 35% to 75% gloss mixture. Thus, it is not as glossy as the previous two. While you still might not paint the walls in semi-gloss because it will show imperfections well too, it can be a nice paint finish to use on window frames, door frames, and even on entire doors.

4. Satin

Many people choose this as a classic compromise between matte and gloss paint finishes. With only a 25% to 35% gloss mixture, this is a great looking finish that is also good for high traffic areas of the home where you might want to quickly wipe finger marks off the wall.

5. Matte

As you’d expect, matte paint only has a low gloss addition, in the value of up to 10%. This makes it a great candidate for interior wall painting because it will not show up as many surface imperfections as glossy paints. It will also not reflect much light, so it can create a sense of color depth in the home. 

6. Flat

Flat paint contains the least amount of gloss additive, and some people like its modern look. You might want to use this for painting over walls with plenty of imperfections. It can really make them look much better. The biggest issue with flat paint like this is that it can be hard to clean. It often picks up smudges and marks easily and running a cloth over them won’t necessarily clean them off.

7. Eggshell

Eggshell is a great choice if you don’t want the flat look because it contains between 10% and 25% gloss additive. It combines good imperfection covering power with a sheen that makes it slightly easier to keep clean.

Conclusion

There are many different paint finishes, determined by the amount of gloss additive in the paint. The choice you make depends on how many imperfections you want to hide, how clean you need to keep the walls, and how much depth you want to add to the room.