5 Types of Paint Finishes and Where to Use Them

You may have a color palate picked out for your latest home refresh project, but have you thought about the types of paint finishes that will be best for the job? The finish of your paint determines the level of luster or “sheen” your paint gives off when it is dried and cured. It’s not just a matter of shiny walls vs. flat, either. The type of finish will determine how easy it is to maintain your paint, how your chosen color will appear under different lighting and so much more. Too much shine in the wrong space and all that work you spent picking a color could be buried under reflective glare! Too little sheen, and you could be repainting to cover stains and fading way more often. 

The key is to determine which finish works best in your space. We’ve shared the top five most popular paint finishes in order from lowest to highest in terms of sheen. We’ve also included the best places to use them. Check it out!

1. Flat Paint Finish

Flat paint has no sheen. Think of a chalkboard or a piece of smooth, dry concrete and you’ll have an idea of the effect. The overall look is matte and non-reflective. The lack of luster and reflective properties also ensure that any color you select will be rich and pigmented once it’s applied. However, flat paint does have its challenges — which is probably why it’s one of the least-used paint finishes. 

The leading reason that most homeowners do not use a flat paint finish more often comes down to durability. To begin with, there are fewer binders in a flat paint. Binders help the paint stick to a surface and then assist in creating the hard coating that seals in the paint. That means the paint is not as strong as its counterparts when it comes to cleaning. 

It also means that it is more porous — which is another challenge for flat paint. Yes, flat paint can actually absorb stains. That same absorbent quality also makes it a poor choice for any room with high moisture, like your bathroom, laundry room or kitchen. It will degrade much faster than paints with more sheen in humid spaces. 

Where does a flat finish (not) shine? Despite the challenges, flat paint has a lot to offer. For example, it’s incredibly popular for painting ceilings. It’s not reflective, so it doesn’t generate glare from lighting. It has some of the best coverage of any paint when it comes to hiding imperfections, too. It’s really surprising how a little less luster changes the impact. It’s also an incredible finish for theater rooms, gallery walls with lots of art, ceilings and much more. 

Great surfaces for flat finishes:

✅ Ceilings

✅ Theater room

✅ Library

✅ Accent wall

✅ Bedrooms

✅ Home office

Flat paint may not be the most popular paint finish available, but it’s still one of the top five for a reason. If you can master where to use it, you’ll be quite pleased with the results. 

2. Eggshell Paint Finish

Eggshell has become a leading type of paint finish for homeowners because of its sophisticated look and increased durability over flat finishes. An eggshell finish provides the elegant “matte” look of a flat paint, but with a delicate sheen that makes it easier to clean without damaging the paint. 

The eggshell sheen gets its name, of course, from the soft finish you’d find on the surface of an egg. When dry, an eggshell paint has the look and feel of a piece of freshly fired pottery or a light porcelain bisque. The hint of additional resin in the paint’s composition gives it a slight luster while also strengthening it for cleaning.

Eggshell paint is more durable than flat paint when it comes to cleaning, but that does not make it capable of withstanding brisk scrubbing if the wall becomes extremely dirty. Do not clean with harsh or abrasive chemicals and avoid using “magic” erasers. They can grind through an eggshell finish no matter how “safe” they claim to be. Stick with sponges and paint-safe cleaning products. You also do not want to use this finish in areas that are prone to getting a lot of dirt, grime, moisture and splatter, like mudrooms, kitchens or bathrooms. 

Let’s talk about where you should use an eggshell paint finish! This finish is amazing for creating a soft, high-impact look in some of your favorite spaces. The lower reflective properties make it perfect for rooms with lots of dynamic lighting (because of the reduced glare) or anywhere you want a warmer, more velvety finish. If you display a lot of art, have a space you want more cozy or simply want walls that absorb a bit of the glare, eggshell is your new favorite sheen.

Premium places to apply this type of paint finish:

✅ Dining room

✅ Sitting room

✅ Bedroom

✅ Library

✅ Office area

✅ Theater room

✅ Low-traffic hallways

✅ Bedrooms

Eggshell is a clear winner for homeowners who want the dramatic finish of a flatter, more matte paint with a bit more durability and luster. 

3. Satin Paint Finish

Satin paint is the next step in shine, with more binders/resin than eggshell or flat. As a result, it is a very popular choice for interior painting, although not quite popular enough to beat eggshell. It is glossier and more reflective than eggshell, but not nearly as much as a semi-gloss paint. 

Satin is largely popular because it is much easier to clean, but still muted in its sheen. You can put a little elbow grease into your stain removal routine because you aren’t going to remove the paint simply by pressing too hard. It can be used in almost every room in the house. Even high-traffic hallways can hold up to both stains and cleaning where satin paint is applied. 

The list for where you can use satin paint is long. It’s strong, it’s durable and it’s ready to beautify your space and maybe take a few Nerf darts and juice splatters, too. We’ve narrowed it down to the top rooms to paint to make the most impact on your home. 

✅ Bedrooms

✅ Dining room

✅ Well-ventilated bathrooms

✅ Office area

✅ Hallways

✅ Living room

✅ Family room

We love satin paint for its durability and subtle sheen. If you have a family that lives hard, this is a paint that will help you keep your house looking fresh and new no matter the mess — or chaos — that ensues. 

4. Semi-gloss Paint

Semi-gloss paint is a heavy hitter for interior paint, with a higher gloss than flat, eggshell or satin. It may not have the slick shine of a high gloss paint (which we will discuss further down, but the difference is significant, particularly if you compare two sheen swatches side-by-side). The binder to pigment ratio is higher, giving it the higher reflective properties and enhanced strength. 

Strength is the real benefit of a semi-gloss paint. The increased resin in its formula gives it a hard finish that bonds well and can withstand some pretty hefty cleaning. It can also withstand environments with higher moisture content, like your bathroom. 

However, that high level of light reflectivity can make it a less desirable finish for many home interior projects. It also limits your color selection. Brighter, primary types of paint colors can look fake or garish with such a high sheen. It can come across more like a fast food play place for kids or a hospital waiting area than your dream living room.

Semi-gloss is an amazing finish for areas that take a beating — like your hallways, doors and trim. When making the decision, consider how often you may have to clean the walls, like, say, behind your stove, or behind the sink in your bathroom. If you feel like you may find yourself breaking out the sponge and getting to work fairly often, semi-gloss might be your best bet.

Here are some other places to consider semi-gloss:

✅ Kitchens

✅ Bathrooms

✅ Trim

✅ Hallways

✅ Playrooms

✅ Doors

✅ Cabinets

✅ Baseboards

✅ Kids’ rooms

✅ Laundry room

✅ Pet areas

Take a look around your home before making the commitment to semi-gloss. Do you have any semi-gloss in your bathroom or kitchen? Do you like the appearance or does the gloss bother you? Alternatively, do you have an eggshell or satin paint that is wearing or damaged by frequent cleaning? Maybe a glossier finish can save you some time!

5. High-gloss Paint

High-gloss paint is probably the least common sheen of all five options. Most homeowners will select a semi-gloss before they apply a high-gloss because it has a similar strength with a more muted sheen. It’s difficult to apply if you do not have commercial painting equipment and it can come out with uneven shine, streaky pigment and other imperfections. It is definitely not a paint for amateurs, which is a leading reason why it’s less popular. 

High-gloss paint has a shine that rivals mirrors for gloss and reflectiveness. Remember the warning about semi-gloss making a project look more like a children’s playground? High-gloss paint amplifies that effect even more. The shine can be quite impressive, but it can also make things look glassy or fake. 

You do not want to use high-gloss paint on walls and large spaces if possible. Fortunately, a semi-gloss can do the job just as well. Unless, of course, you want walls with a mirror shine.

With such a unique profile, you may be wondering where you can use a paint with such a high sheen. The durability of this paint cannot be beat. It is strong and it works well on high-touch surfaces and in areas that get a lot of traffic. 

✅ Cabinets

✅ Metal and metal surfaces

✅ Kitchens

✅ Bathrooms

✅ Furniture

✅ Doorframes

✅ Molding

✅ Trim

✅ Hallways

✅ Doors

✅ Cabinets

✅ Baseboards

✅ Laundry room

✅ Pet areas

Additionally, high-gloss paint translates well for wear and tear. Its hard, protective properties will keep your surfaces looking fresh and new — if you’re good about polishing up fingerprints and smudges. 

Find Your Favorite Paint Finish

If you want to know more about selecting the right types of paint finish for your home, give us a call. We walk you through your options as part of your complimentary estimate. We can show you the difference, share best practices and make recommendations based on the state of your existing paint. Whatever you choose, we hope it makes your home shine (or not).