Your Trusted Philadelphia House Painters Offer Useful Advice on Choosing Paint Finishes
When it comes to painting your home interiors, you spend hours flipping through home décor magazines, browsing paint company websites, comparing test swatches and having animated discussions with your family to finalize the shades. However, before you make that final trip to pick up your paint colors, there is one more aspect that requires reasonable consideration, the paint’s sheen. The finish you choose has a significant impact on the vibrancy and washability of the painted surface.
While each brand may label it by slightly different names, there are four main types of finishes that offer varying levels of shine and reflection. As a thumb rule, higher the sheen, greater the shine and durability of the paint. In fact, the right finish will not only add to the aesthetic appeal of your room, but also help in practical aspects, such as keeping the walls clean and extending the life of the paint.
Top Tips to Select Paint Finishes for Your Home Interiors
Typically, the paint finishes range from flat or matte, to shiny or super glossy. The right options will influence the overall look and functionality of your rooms, while making your painting project cost-effective in the long run. Moreover, certain finishes are more suited to high-traffic areas, whereas some others are labor-intensive and need multiple coats of paint.
Here is a quick rundown on how to go about your selection:
- Flat/ Matte – Conceal the Flaws: An ideal choice for low traffic areas, flat finish offers higher coverage, which means you can get a lot done with less paint. The higher pigmentation and low reflection helps to hide the imperfections of the surface you are painting. Use this finish for low-traffic zones such as your formal living or dining room, master bedroom, study or closet.
- Satin/ Eggshell – Enjoy Easy Maintenance: With slightly more luster than the flat finish, this attractive, durable and practical finish is extremely suitable for the high-traffic zones in your home. You can wipe off stains with just a damp cloth, making eggshell the perfect sheen for areas such as the kitchen, eat-in space, family room, children’s bedroom and playroom.
- Semi-Gloss – Delightfully Long-Lasting: A highly durable and washable finish, semi-gloss, like its name suggests, offers a visible but subtle shine that is ideal for cabinets, trims, railings and other woodwork. Its resistance to mildew and stains, along with easy cleanup features makes this sheen a good choice for your bathroom or kitchen.
- Gloss – Add Glam and Shine On: Offering the highest level of shine and durability, glossy finishes are an interesting way to highlight architectural details, or doors and trims. Since this finish reflects light, it will also highlight imperfections, hence do not skimp on the prep before you start painting. Sand down the surface and fill in any holes and dents to ensure a smooth, flawless surface when you use the high gloss paint.
Before you roll up your sleeves, attach the drop cloths and start taping your walls, make sure you have considered what you are signing up for. While deciding the paint finishes and shades may have been an unending debate with the family, taking on a painting project will come with its own set of challenges. Without the right prep work, your DIY paint job could be botched and unclean, leading to an expensive do-over.
Save time and money by relying on Philadelphia’s trusted interior painting experts, Mastercraft Painting and Finishes. Since all our crew members are licensed and trained on safe usage of products and equipment, they will ensure minimum disruption in your activities and movement around the premises. Moreover, our painters are insured, so you will not have to worry about any accidental liabilities. Hire our experienced painters and enjoy smooth, professional finishes for your home painting projects.
For reliable and hassle-free home painting services in and around Philadelphia, contact Mastercraft Painting and Finishes. Call us at 267-496-5307 or get in touch with us online to get a free estimate for your interior painting and refinishing requirements.