PAINT SHEEN - WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

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PAINT SHEEN - WHAT IS IT AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

David Borthwick - Borthwick Decorators Ltd

Jun 29, 2020

What is Paint Sheen?

There's more to choosing the right colour and paint than looking through colour cards and finding the right one to match your decor. Another very important consideration is the paint's sheen, or the finish of the paint. This article will help you understand what paint sheen is, what the differences are, and which finish will be best for your project.

Paint sheen, or finish, refers to the level of shine in the paint. In layman's terms, the more sheen a paint has, the more shine the finished results will have. Generally speaking, the shinier the finish, the more scrubbable and durable the end product will be, but there are tradeoffs. Let's take a look below.

Flat Finish

The flatter and more matt the finish is, the less shine on the finished product. The result is a surface that doesn't stand up well to fingerprints, scuffing and stains. Excessive cleaning and scrubbing is likely to damage the finish. The tradeoff is an exceptional ability to hide flaws and imperfections.

A flat matt sheen is the perfect way to hide rough ceilings and walls, or textures that you don’t like. It helps the ceiling or wall have a uniform appearance and doesn’t highlight surface imperfections at all. The lack of sheen means lights and strong daylight won't show up imperfections such as dings, dents and bad tapes. Flat matt sheen belongs in only low traffic areas where there won’t be a lot of hands touching it. A flat matt finish will provide a traditional finish and is the right choice for low traffic walls in bedrooms and formal spaces. Flat matt comes to the fore when used on ceilings and rough textured walls as long as it is not used in damp or high humid rooms like in bathrooms or kitchens.

Matt Finish

Matt is a move up the sheen scale from flat matt and doesn't have much shine. It comes in several forms in the U.K.

Vinyl matt is slightly more durable than flat matt and can be used in main living areas where occasional cleaning is necessary. It's not recommended for high traffic areas such as hallways, kitchens or children's rooms.

Durable matt is suitable for high traffic areas but it is generally a little bit shinier than vinyl matt. It is a good compromise where people would like a durable finish with least sheen possible.

Eggshell and Satin Finishes

Next up on the sheen scale are eggshell and satin finishes.

Much like a real eggshell, the finish isn't glossy, but it does have a bit of lustre to it. Eggshell is a good all around sheen for walls where it offers good durability and is easy to clean. If your walls are in decent shape, you can use an eggshell sheen - it won’t make you cringe at the flaws it reveals! Eggshell is also used on traditional woodwork internally.

Satin finishes are suitable for virtually any room of the house. Satin paint is a good all around paint and it can honestly work just about anywhere you want. Satin is best reserved for walls in bathrooms and kitchens because of its very good cleaning ability. Satin is also used on trim, windows, and doors. It is durable and gives an attractive appearance. Satin will help hide trim imperfections compared to its higher gloss cousins below.

Semi-Gloss and High Gloss Finishes

Glossy paints offer the highest level of durability, but it comes at a cost; glossy finishes are likely to expose even minor imperfections on the surface you are painting. When choosing a glossy finish, surface preparation is key and taking the time to create a surface that's as smooth as possible will pay off dividends in the long run.

Semi-gloss is a great all around paint for trim, windows, and doors. It is very cleanable and takes years of heavy traffic before needing recoated. The reason for its popularity is it looks almost as shiny as high gloss paint without showing every single flaw. It’s relatively easy to apply compared to high gloss paint and generally doesn't run as much.

For the greatest wow factor, nothing beats a high gloss finish. If done correctly it's like a mirror, has an incredible shine and it's extremely durable. With that in mind, it requires exceptional skill to apply properly. High gloss paint is not forgiving of surface imperfections and shows every single brush mark for everyone to see. There is no escaping the flaws that high gloss shows. We recommend high gloss is only applied to traditional exterior doors and windows.

Our advice is to avoid using semi-gloss and high gloss on ceilings or walls - don't do it, you will regret it!

About Borthwick Decorators Ltd

At Borthwick Decorators Ltd you have found one of Scotland’s leading painting and decorating companies, where quality, reliability and professionalism come as standard. We are based in Edinburgh, with affiliated branches in Glasgow, Stirling and Crieff which allows us to cover the whole of Central and South Scotland. We are a Painting and Decorating Association and Scottish Decorators Federation accredited business with £10 million public liability insurance. We are also a CHAS and SMAS accredited company and IPAF and PAL licensed to operate cherry pickers. All of our tradespeople are fully qualified painters and decorators. We also offer plastering, joinery and multi-trade services in conjunction with our painting and decorating jobs. Residential and commercial painters and decorators since 1959.

If you have any questions regarding the painting and decorating services we offer or you would like to book a free no obligation quotation, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us via our online enquiry form or alternatively by sending us an email or by telephoning 0131 235 2733 or 0800 772 3973.

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