6 Types of Interior Paint Finishes and How to Use Them

If you’re tired of staring at the same paint color on your wall, maybe it’s time to change it! Repainting your walls is a simple way to increase the value of your home and protect it from any damage. At the same time, you’ll also be beautifying your interior and freshening up your home.

Before thinking about what paint color will be the best, you must first consider which paint finish you should use for each room. There are six paint finish types, and they all have different benefits, sheen, and durability. So let’s review each paint finish in detail!

Flat paint finish

The flat finish is a non-reflective finish that does not reflect light, resulting in no sheen. It allows more pigment, making it a good concealer paint. It can hide bumps, holes, and scratches excellently, creating a smoother and more uniform surface.

One thing you should consider about the flat finish is that since it is entirely non-reflective, it soaks up any light directed toward it. It is also hard to clean, has low durability, and is non-moisture resistant. Therefore, you should avoid using it in high-traffic areas of the house, such as the kitchen, bathroom, and bedrooms.

The flat finish is ideal for:

• Ceilings

• Low-traffic rooms that have much natural light

• Formal dining room wall

• Office wall

Matte paint finish

The matte finish is another low-luster finish that provides a smooth and subtle look. It is similar to the flat finish but has a bit more sheen. It can give the most pigment with the most coverage, excellently concealing imperfections on any surface.

You should also note that, like the flat finish, the matte finish does not reflect light in a room but absorbs it. Matte finishes are prone to holding dirt and are difficult to clean, as cleaning them can result in removing the paint. However, it is durable and will do best in rooms with low to moderate traffic.

The matte finish is ideal for:

• Ceilings

• Low-to-moderate traffic areas

• Bedroom walls for adults

• Living room wall

• Dining room wall

Eggshell paint finish

The eggshell finish is a popular paint finish with a soft luster between matte and satin finishes. True to its name, it’s smooth like an eggshell. It reflects more light than its flat and matte counterparts, making a room look brighter with a good amount of pigment and coverage. It’s easier to clean and is more resistant to dirt, stains, and scuffs. It also has a medium durability that’s perfect to use in medium-traffic areas at home, such as entryways, hallways, family rooms, and living rooms.

When using the eggshell finish, you should know it can be difficult to touch up. Its slight sheen makes adding new layers in small areas almost impossible without being visible. With the eggshell finish, a touch-up might mean repainting the whole wall.

The eggshell finish is ideal for:

• Any medium-traffic room that needs a little sheen

• Entryways

• Hallways

• Family rooms

• Living rooms

• Bedrooms

Satin

The satin finish is a versatile paint finish as it can be used both indoors and outdoors. It provides a soft sheen with a pear-like appearance that resists fading and mildew. In addition, it has a higher gloss and is easier to clean than the flat and eggshell finishes. Because of its versatility, a satin finish is an excellent choice of paint for moderate to high-traffic areas or those exposed to moisture.

Although this paint finish is a beautiful and versatile option, you have to make sure that you apply this paint properly. When not done right, application flaws such as roller or brush strokes can be revealed, making touch-ups trickier.

The satin finish is ideal for:

• Kids’ bedrooms

• Playrooms

• Home offices

• Kitchens

• Baths

• Laundry rooms

• Outdoor areas such as siding, trim, and shutters

Semi-Gloss

The semi-gloss paint finish is a level up from satin as it has more shine, giving it a sleek look. It is an excellent choice for high-traffic areas and those frequently touched because of its high durability. In addition, it is resistant to mildew, moisture, and wear, making it perfect for walls prone to drips, grease, and stains.

Among the finishes listed above, this paint finish is more reflective. Hence, it will likely show blemishes, scratches, and more on ceilings and walls.

The semi-gloss finish is ideal for:

• Bathrooms

• Laundry rooms

• Kitchen, especially kitchen cabinets

• Doors

• Wall trim

Gloss paint finish

The gloss paint finish is hard, ultra-shiny, and the most reflective among paint finishes. Surfaces painted with gloss finish provide a glass-like look. Of all the paint sheens mentioned, gloss finish is the most durable and the easiest to clean. Hence, it is an excellent choice for surfaces often touched, like cabinets, trim, and doors.

Despite being the most durable, we don’t recommend using a gloss finish for interior walls. Its high gloss can easily highlight imperfections on the wall.

The gloss finish is ideal for:

• Cabinets

• Doors

• Trims and moldings

• Window casings and shutters

Have you decided on which paint finish to use for your home? More than the choice of color, picking out the right paint finish might be trickier and more challenging. Depending on which area you plan to apply the paint, you must consider different factors. If you still aren’t sure which one is best to use among the finishes mentioned above, use these factors to help you decide – durability, quality of paint, ease of cleaning, amount of traffic to the area, and moisture in the room.

Deciding based on these will help you choose the paint finish that will look beautiful, elegant, durable, and long-lasting.