Paint finishes
Some paints are more suited to certain surfaces than others. There are 5 kinds of paints that result in different finishes. The finish of the paint depends on the sheen level (level of shine.) Below, the types of paint that exist have been categorised into areas and surfaces of best usage depending on the level of traffic that they experience. Examples have been given.
Low Traffic
Paint:
Matt
Appearance:
No sheen. Smooth, flat finish
Uses:
Walls and ceilings in a adult's bedroom or a dining room for example
Pro:
Good at hiding imperfections. Maintains colour consistency since it doesn’t reflect light
Con:
Prone to scuff marks
Clean up:
Water and soap will remove this paint from your roller and brushes since it is water based.
Moderate Traffic
Paint:
Eggshell
Appearance:
Dull sheen. Smooth appearance
Uses:
Walls and ceilings in a children's bedroom for example
Pro:
Slightly reflective so creates depth within a room. Easily washable. Good durability.
Con:
Highlights imperfections due to reflective quality.
Clean up:
Water and soap will remove this paint from your roller and brushes since it is water based.
High Traffic
Paint
Soft Sheen
Appearance:
Moderate sheen. Smooth finish
Uses:
Walls and Ceilings in hallways, bathrooms, kitchens for example
Pro:
Very durable. More resistant to condensation and mould. Washable.
Con:
Reflective nature means that the paint highlights imperfections
Clean up:
Water and soap will remove this paint from your roller and brushes since it is water based.
Low-moderate trimmings
Paint:
Satin
Appearance:
Dull sheen. Smooth appearance
Uses:
Interior doors, skirtings, windowsills, and frames
Pro:
Slightly reflective so creates depth within a room. Easily washable. Good durability
Con:
Highlights imperfections due to reflective quality
Clean up:
se a paint thinner such as white spirit to remove paint from brushes and rollers. Water will not remove this paint since it is oil based. You may need to soak the brushes for a while if the paint has dried. Once most of the paint has been removed, rinse the brushes and rollers with water.
High traffic trimmings
Paint:
Gloss
Appearance:
Uses:
windowsills, doors, skirtings in high traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and hallways
Pro:
Reflective, moisture resistant, durable, washable
Con:
Reveals every imperfection of the surface. Difficult to create an even finish.
Clean up:
Use a paint thinner such as white spirit to remove paint from brushes and rollers. Water will not remove this paint since it is oil based. You may need to soak the brushes for a while if the paint has dried. Once most of the paint has been removed, rinse the brushes and rollers with water. (Some modern-day gloss paints are water based and are a blessing to clean up. You won’t need to use a paint thinner – water will work. Look out for these in stores!)