If you’re looking at getting a new paint job, you’ve likely been researching online to find advice relevant to you. One thing you may have stumbled across is the term “paint sheen”. Many painters will use it to describe the appearance of paint, but what exactly does it mean? In simple painting terms, sheen is defined as the ‘glossiness’ of a paint. Different paint sheens will create different tones and textures to your paint. But what do they mean for your paint, and why do they matter to you? First, let’s take a look at the different sheens available on the market.
What are the different types of paint sheen?
- Gloss
- Semi-gloss
- Satin
- Eggshell
- Matte
Most household name paint brands will come in a variety of sheens. This gives you the ability to create a customised finish for your walls. Gloss sheens are the most light-reflective paints available on the market. After this comes semi-gloss sheens, followed by satin and eggshell which are much less reflective than gloss. Finally, you have the matte sheens which are the least shiny and are more dull in their appearance.
Why is sheen so important?
The sheen of a paint is important because it tells you about how the paint will look on your wall. Different sheens will interact with the light differently, giving them a shiny or matte appearance. Each sheen has applications that they’re most suited to. The rooms or areas of the house that you’re painting should have the correct finish for optimal results. Our house painters on the Mornington Peninsula know exactly which sheens will produce the desired effect for the rooms that are being painted, and to which rooms they should be applied. If you’re seeking advice for which paint sheen to use for your home, you can contact us here.
How to know which paint sheen to use
Certain sheens are more suited to certain areas of the home. This makes it difficult to know which sheen to select for certain applications. The higher the gloss, the shinier the paint will be. Generally, shiny paints are more durable than matte paints due to their ability to be cleaned.
High gloss sheens are a perfect choice for such as doors, cabinets, and trim. These are all areas that experience high levels of traffic and use. However, high gloss is often too shiny for most interior walls. For this reason, its use is kept mainly for areas that can experience wear and tear. Semi-gloss sheens can be used on some interior walls, it’s all just personal preference.
Satin sheens are often used for the interior walls. They are easier to clean than matte and eggshell paints. This makes them perfect for areas such as the kitchen, living room, bedrooms, and bathrooms. They provide a slightly less glossy appearance to the walls. This creates a more smooth and velvety tone that is much more suited to large walls.
Eggshell sheens are slightly less glossy than satin sheens. They often appear somewhat flat with a minor glossy appearance to it. Eggshell paints will reflect more light than matte paints to create a low luster. This brings out more of the paint’s colour than a matte sheen, giving the room a soft glowing effect. Due to the slight gloss of eggshell paint, it is easier to maintain than matte or flat paint.
Matte sheens are low light reflective, giving the paint a modest and refined finish. The lower light reflection can help to hide lumps, bumps and imperfections on the walls. This can be extremely useful in family homes. Many people will use a matte finish to reduce the glaring effect in rooms with large windows. However, matte paint can be more difficult to clean than eggshell or satin paints. For this reason, it’s important to clean it correctly when it becomes dirty.
What are the most popular sheens?
When it comes to which sheens are the most popular for interior painting in Mornington and across Melbourne, semi-gloss and eggshell are the most commonly used. They are the perfect choice for walls, doors, and hallways. These sheens are somewhere in between high gloss and matte. They provide the easy cleaning benefits of a glossy sheen, whilst not reflecting too much light to create the perfect tone on your wall.
If you’re still unsure of what sheen to use for your wall, our team of house painters on the Mornington Peninsula are happy to visit your home and help you decide on the perfect sheen that will suit your interior design and everyday needs. Our female painters in Melbourne have years of experience using various paints. This experience has enabled our team to work out which sheens are suited to certain areas of the home.
At SG Coatings, we are renowned for providing our high-quality painting services with solutions that can transform any home. We take pride in our work to ensure that we always provide the best quality paint jobs for our clients. If you would like to book a free design consultation and/or free painting quote to discuss domestic painting in Mornington or the surrounding suburbs, please contact us.
