What Paint sheen do i pick (Part 2)

Now we are getting into the shiny side of things.  We left off with “eggshell” sheen which is the most common for wall paint. We will move up a step to a somewhat uncommon sheen. 

Satin:  Satin is almost the forgotten sheen.  It’s a little shinier than eggshell, but not as shiny as semi-gloss.  It kind of falls into a “no man’s land” of sheens.  Some paint brands even label their paint as “eggshell/satin.”  Satin is best used on walls and customers will generally use it in a bathroom or a kitchen since it looks more durable because of the shine.  This isn’t necessary as many eggshells are perfectly cleanable and not as shiny. I actually used a satin one time on some trim and it came out looking like a flat.  It was dull and almost chalky.  That could be a good use for a unique project, but I wouldn’t have that as my go to. 

Pros - Wipeable and durable

Cons - Difficult to touch up, will likely be too shiny on projects.

Recommended uses: Walls or unique trim projects.

Brands we use:  PPG Speedhide Zero.

Semi-Gloss:  Now we are into the shiny stuff.  Semi-gloss is the standard sheen for trim, doors, window casings, crown moulding.  It has more shine which allows these trim pieces to stand out.  A good semi-gloss paint will level out well and should be easy to work with as long as you don’t overbrush. Trim can be painted with either latex or oil (in semi-gloss).  I would recommend latex for most DIYers since it’s easy to clean up and work with. Now the more shine you have, the more defects/inconsistencies will be visible.  Before you paint these areas I would recommend filling holes/defects, sanding them smooth, wiping and cleaning the surface before paint.  If you have inconsistent repairs then they will likely show through the paint and you won’t be happy with the project. 

Pros - Nice finish, perfect for accent pieces (trim, doors, casings, etc.)

Cons - Would not look good on walls, prep needs to be done very well to look proper. 

Recommended uses:  Trim, doors, window casings, crown moulding.

Brands we use:  C2 Luxe

Gloss:  This would be the shiniest of all the paints, which we rarely use.  Gloss paint would be very shiny and used on trim pieces to make a bold statement.  This would generally look good in an older house with a lot of character or a new, custom build.  The prep on these surfaces would need to be nearly perfect to not have the defects show through.

Pros - Looks amazing in the right context

Cons - Prep work needs to be almost perfect, sheen can be difficult to find, could look gaudy in the wrong places.

Recommended uses:  Trim, doors, window casings, crown moulding.  Also special projects such as bannisters and furniture.

Brands we use: C2 or Fine Paints of Europe (if we did much gloss).

Well, there you have it!  The six main paint sheens, broken down, and discussed so you can pick the right one for your project.  Happy DIY painting!