When you go to the store to purchase paint for your home, you will be asked what sheen (how glossy) you want the paint.
Your paint sheen should depend on where in your home you are painting.
Here are some tips & tricks for selecting the best paint sheen for your home.
Ceiling
A ceiling almost always receives flat paint.
Flat paint is usually the cheapest price and it hides wall imperfections better than glossier paint.
Since nobody usually touches your ceiling, you might be able to get away with a lower quality paint in this area only.
If you have any stains on your ceiling, you might need to invest in primer first and/or a higher quality flat paint to hide the stains.
Low traffic areas
If you live in a home without kids or pets, then most of your home is most likely low traffic.
For low traffic areas, a high quality flat paint is suggested.
Flat paint can give your walls more of a suede effect, however it is not able to be scrubbed without damage like higher sheen paints.
If you really like the look of flat paint and want to use it in an area of medium traffic, make sure to purchase the highest quality paint available so the paint is more durable.
Areas with more traffic or might get messy
If you are going to be painting a room that will have a little more traffic (or you have pets or kids), consider using paint with an eggshell or satin paint sheen.
This also includes rooms that might get messy, such as kitchens, laundry rooms, mudrooms, and bathrooms.
Eggshell paint sheen is glossier than flat paint sheen, but not as glossy as satin paint sheen.
Satin paint sheen is glossier than eggshell paint sheen, but not as glossy as semi-gloss paint sheen.
Eggshell and satin paint sheens are a bit more durable than flat paint sheen so are able to be scrubbed more than flat paint, however they do not hide wall imperfections as well as flat paint sheen.
High Durability
If you want highly durable paint on your walls that can be washed off easily, you can use a semi-gloss paint sheen.
Semi-gloss paint sheen will make wall imperfections very visible, so make sure your walls are in good condition.
This might be appropriate in high task areas such as near a kitchen trash can or other areas that might need to be cleaned daily.
Woodwork
Woodwork includes cabinets, baseboards, door trim, doors, and window sills.
Semi gloss paint is very washable and ideal for areas that are likely to be touched regularly.
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