Picking The Right Paint Finish: a house log

Picking the ideal paint finish is all about learning the pros and cons of each one and then exercising your right to choose. In other words, it is one part knowledge and one part personal preference. Here is a little rundown of paint finish possibilities along with a few facts about each one to assist you hone in on the one that is right for you.

Flat paint: This is a strong choice for hiding imperfections in your walls and it is by far the easiest to touch up. The cons are that many people say that it shows more wear than its more wipe-able counterparts (like eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss) but we have found that with a Magic Eraser and sometimes simply a kitchen sponge there are a surprising amount of scrapes and marks that come right out. Paint quality is getting better and better, so non-durable and easily marred flat paint of the ’80s is a thing of the past. Plus because it is the easiest finish to touch up without any telltale signs of a patch job, those few stains that cannot be wiped off can easily be eliminated with a smidge of fresh paint.

Where we used it: We in fact chose flat paint for all of our rooms except for the nursery, the kitchen, and the bathrooms since it provides such a smooth and even look (hiding all those dings and cracks that are much more obvious when the paint is more glossy). Oh and all of our ceilings (save for the ones in the bathrooms) are painted in a flat finish as well. Update: in our new house we use satin on all walls except for the kitchen and bathrooms since we have a mobile child and like that it is slightly more wipeable and durable.

Eggshell paint: This is a slightly less matte version of paint with a compact bit of sheen brought in to introduce a bit of wipe-able protection that is a tad better at holding up to fingerprints and other wear and tear than flat paint is. It certainly still looks fairly matte on the walls (nothing glaring or shiny) but it does add a pleasant little buffer of protection. Although the hint of sheen makes it a bit harder to touch up than flat paint, it is still certainly possible.

Where we used it: Nowhere. Now this is not because it is a bad choice- we are plain people, so sticking with the few finishes helps us keep track of what is what (if every room were a distinct finish it would be hard to keep it all straight).

Satin paint: This is ever so slightly more glossy than eggshell but still not as shiny as semi-gloss. In fact it is a lot closer to a flat or an eggshell look than a glossy one. As you may guess it is therefore even easier to wipe down but also a bit harder (although still not impossible) to touch up due to the shine factor. It is a pleasant elegant choice in a more formal space where you’d like a bit of shimmer without going overboard into especially shiny territory (like a candle-lit dining room for example) and many people go with satin for their bathroom and kitchen walls as well.

Where we used it: We went with satin for the nursery because we reasoned that it would provide a little more wipe-ability while still hiding the majority of our wall’s imperfections since it is far from the shiny texture of semi-gloss or gloss (which emphasizes any dings or dents as opposed to hiding them). It still went on quite smooth and was a pleasant “compromise” when it came to adding a bit of kid-friendly function to the space. Update: in our new house we use satin on all walls except for the kitchen and bathrooms since we have a mobile child and like that it is slightly more wipeable and durable.

Semi-gloss paint: This is a strong choice for areas that are exposed to more water and grease than the average room (ie: bathrooms and kitchens). Some people fear that semi-gloss paint is a bit too shiny for their liking and opt to go eggshell or satin in their kitchens or bathrooms, but for unparalleled protection and wipe-ability, semi-gloss truly is the more thorough choice. Of course it is not as straightforward to touch up but the durability that it offers is a strong perk. We in fact painted our kitchen backsplash in semi-gloss paint (along with the rest of the room) and 2+ years later it is still in ideal condition (even with grease and other cooking side-effects working against it).

Where we used it: Both of our bathrooms are semi-gloss (including the ceilings) along with the kitchen (but the ceiling is flat in there since there is less steam & moisture). We also opted to paint all of our interior and exterior doors in semi-gloss paint along with all of our home’s molding and trim (it is so much more wipe-able and straightforward to maintain). And as a side note, for some reason while semi-gloss paint is hard to touch up on the walls without getting that telltale “ring” around the newly painted area, trim can easily be touched up time and time again without any issue – which is consistently a good thing.

Gloss or high-gloss paint: This finish provides the shiniest, most lacquer-like effect. As you can imagine, it is especially wipe-able and durable (it has a lot of flex in it) but it highlights imperfections in a major way (a small ding in the wall that would virtually disappear when covered in flat paint would look a lot deeper and more pronounced when covered with gloss instead). It is also extremely difficult to touch up without creating a noticeable “ring” where the new paint is applied. So it is best to repaint an whole wall with glossy paint when you need to refresh it (instead of applying spot touch ups which can be easily detected).

Where we used it: Nowhere, but again it does not mean it is a bad choice. Some people think it can be a bit overpowering on the walls (especially in a modestly sized house like ours) but that is truly a personal preference thing. We have seen small rooms look like glittering jewel boxes with dramatic glossy paint jobs- and it is consistently a strong choice for painting furniture (it truly gives you that lacquered look). Even doors and trim throughout a house could look glamorous and sleek painted in a high gloss finish instead of the standard semi-gloss one.

So what about you folks? Do you have any finishes that you prefer for certain jobs? Any nightmarishly bad finish decisions that you had to redo (we painted all of our house’s trim with flat paint before realizing that was a terrible idea- talk about a major project to take on twice!).

Psst- Got more paint questions? Check out the top of our How To page for all of the answers that you seek.