At Absolute Painting, we offer extensive home painting services to homeowners in the Lawrence KS area. While it’s common for homeowners to focus mainly on the paint color that they want for their home, the finish is just as important. Even though the underlying paint is essential to the appearance of your walls or trim, the finish you choose dictates what type of sheen the paint will have.
This means that the texture created by the paint is determined by the exact finish you select. There are numerous finishes that we can provide when painting the interiors of your home. Different finishes work well with different surfaces and areas of the home. The following guide offers a more detailed look at the various finishes our painting contractor can work with.
Eggshell
Eggshell finishes are exceedingly popular because they have a low sheen but are more durable than flat finishes. An eggshell finish is able to cover imperfections and flaws better than glossy finishes. Eggshell paints have proven to be ideal for areas in the home that have either low or medium amounts of traffic, which include hallways, entryways, and living rooms. Even though eggshell paint is more durable than flat and matte paints, it can still be tricky to clean without damaging the paint.
Flat
Flat paints come with very little sheen, which means that the paint will effectively absorb the light instead of reflecting it. In most cases, flat paints show no shine. The main benefit of selecting flat paint for your home is that it can hide nearly any imperfection that’s found on the interior walls of your home, which means that you won’t need to spend as much money repairing issues with your walls. However, cleaning flat paint can be difficult due to its low durability. Consider using flat paints in rooms with low traffic, which include dining rooms.
Satin
The most common type of finish used in homes is the satin finish, which has a medium sheen. These paints will provide your home interiors with a velvety sheen. Paints that contain this type of finish are durable and very easy to clean. Some imperfections can also be covered with satin paints. You can use satin paints in high-traffic areas, which include bathrooms, family rooms, laundry rooms, foyers, and kitchens.
Matte
Even though matte and flat are oftentimes used interchangeably, matte paints have a little more sheen than flat paints. However, these paints only reflect a small amount of light. Just like all other paints with low sheen, matte paints have low durability, which means that you should clean walls with matte paint infrequently to avoid damaging the paint. Place this paint in a relatively low-traffic room like a bedroom.
Semi-Gloss
Semi-gloss paints can vary substantially in how glossy and reflective they are. You’ll find that semi-gloss paints come with a high durability as well as a high gloss. The high durability of semi-gloss paints means that any wall the paint is used with will be moisture-resistant and mildew-resistant. Consider using this paint in rooms that obtain a considerable amount of traffic on a regular basis.
Semi-gloss paints go well in bathrooms, kitchens, and children’s rooms. You could also use this paint for the trim around your home. If you would like your doors and windows to have a glossier finish, semi-gloss paints go well with these areas of a home’s interior. Keep in mind, however, that semi-gloss paints show more imperfections than all of the paints mentioned above.
High Gloss
High-gloss paints are invariably the shiniest and glossiest paints you can obtain when painting the interiors of your home. This type of paint is also very easy to clean and highly durable when compared to any other paint. High-gloss finishes have a glass-like appearance to them because of how glossy they are. Many homeowners enjoy high-gloss paints when compared to flat paints because of how rich and deep the paint color appears.
When paints have a high sheen, the colors will be more bold and vivid. Because of the durability of high-gloss paint, you should consider using it for surfaces that get a lot of use, which include doors, cabinets, and trims. However, the high shine means that the paint isn’t great for interior walls. You’ll also find that imperfections and flaws will be much more visible when you use a high-gloss paint. As such, the surfaces should be prepared or repaired before work begins.
As mentioned previously, the finish you choose for your paint is just as important as the color. How glossy or shiny the paint is will dictate what the interiors of your home look like. Flat or matte interiors look considerably different than glossy surfaces, which is why you should have a good understanding of what the final results will look like once the project has been completed. If you have any questions or would like to obtain an interior painting estimate, call one of our experienced painting contractors today. We’ll be happy to consult with you on project scope, colors, and schedules.
