Levels of sheen in paint
Types of Paint Finishes | Paint Sheen Guide
From Spotlight: Paint to Go from Blah to Ooh La La!
Choosing the wrong type of paint finish could mean a do-over that costs twice as much.
Image: boonchai wedmakawand/GettyThere’s a basic rule of thumb to follow when choosing paint sheens: The higher the sheen, the higher the shine -- and the higher the shine, the more durable it will be.
Flat paint has no shine; high-gloss is all shine. In between are eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss, each with its own practical and decorative job to do.
Here’s how to choose the right paint sheen for your painting job.
Image: HouseLogic
High Gloss
The most durable and easiest to clean of all paint sheens, high-gloss paint is hard, ultra-shiny, and light-reflecting. Think appliance-paint tough.
High gloss is a good choice for area that sticky fingers touch -- cabinets, trim, and doors. High-gloss, however, is too much shine for interior walls. And like a Spandex dress, high gloss shows every bump and roll, so don’t skimp on prep work.
- Practical application: kitchens, door, and window trim
- Durability: very high
Semi-Gloss
Good for rooms where moisture, drips, and grease stains challenge walls. Also great for trim work that takes a lot of abuse.
- Practical application: kitchens, bathrooms, trim, chair rails
- Durability: high
Satin
Has a yummy luster that, despite the name, is often described as velvety. It’s easy to clean, making it excellent for high-traffic areas. Its biggest flaw is it reveals application flaws, such as roller or brush strokes. Touch-ups later can be tricky.
- Practical application: family rooms, foyers, hallways, kids' bedrooms
- Durability: high
Eggshell
Between satin and flat on the sheen (and durability) scale is eggshell, so named because it’s essentially a flat (no-shine) finish with little luster, like a chicken’s egg.
Eggshell covers wall imperfections well and is a great finish for gathering spaces that don’t get a lot of bumps and scuffs.
- Practical application: dining rooms, living rooms
- Durability: medium
Flat or Matte
A friend to walls that have something to hide, flat/matte soaks up, rather than reflects, light. It has the most pigment and will provide the most coverage, which translates to time and money savings. However, it’s tough to clean without taking paint off with the grime.
- Practical application: adults' bedrooms and other interior rooms that won’t be roughed up by kids
- Durability: medium-low
Tips For Choosing the Right Sheen
If your paint color is dark and rich but you don’t want a super shiny effect, step down at least one level on the sheen scale. That’s because the darker and richer the paint color is, the more colorant it has, which boosts sheen.
Ditto if you’re painting a large, sun-washed, or imperfect wall. The higher the sheen, the more defects will show.
Adding sheen also adds to the cost, usually an extra dollar or two per gallon as you step up on the sheen scale.
Related:
- Painting Hacks Only the Pros Know
- How to Choose Paint Colors
More in Improve
Paint sheen levels explained |
(Image credit: Alamy)
When selecting a paint for your next decorating project, as well as the color, it’s vital to choose the right sheen level for the surface, the room and the overall effect you wish to create.
Paint comes in varying sheen levels and the higher the sheen, the higher the shine. So, if you want a really flat looking wall for instance, you need to go for a matte or flat emulsion. When you want something super-shiny, it has to be high gloss. The other thing to bear in mind is that the shinier and more sheen a paint has, the more durable and hardwearing it will be, as well as more reflective too.
Paint finishes can have just as much of an impact on a room as the color, so it is important to make an informed decision when trying to bring your paint ideas to life.
‘As well as selecting your perfect color it is important to consider the paint finish,’ confirms Ruth Mottershead creative director at Little Greene . ‘Are you looking for a matte, chalky finish or a high sheen gloss? The surface you are painting will also determine your choice, as different surfaces have differing requirements. Sheen level, like color, is really a personal preference. I love the luxurious matte finish of Absolute Matt Emulsion, as it appears especially rich and sumptuous in darker shades such as Obsidian Green, Pompeian Ash or Lamp Black, as its flat matte finish affords a real depth to the color due to the subtle texture of its chalky surface.’
Helen Shaw, director of Benjamin Moore agrees, ‘Sheen, or paint finish, is a measure of how much light is reflected from a painted surface, resulting in gloss – or a lack thereof.
Different levels of sheen can affect how colors appear, how paint finishes look – and add dimension to rooms.’
Paint sheen levels and where to use them
‘There are several key paint sheen levels, ranging from matte paint (low sheen) to gloss (high sheen),’ explains Dominic Myland, CEO of Mylands . ‘In the middle are eggshell and satin, both medium sheen, and semi-gloss (mid to high sheen). A matte paint sheen lacks the reflective qualities of its glossy counterparts and is best for hiding imperfections, while shinier finishes are more resilient and washable as well as an easy way to add style to walls, cabinets, furniture, trim and woodwork.’
To help you determine which sheen is best for your next decorating project, here’s a breakdown of what each sheen level means:
High gloss
Gloss paint is the most durable and easiest to clean of all. It’s super-shiny and reflects light really well. As it’s so tough, it’s the perfect paint finish for trim made from wood such as baseboards, stair rails and window frames as well as cabinets and doors and metal, too.
Don’t be tempted to use it for interior walls and always prepare your surface well, as gloss will show up every imperfection.
Semi gloss
Semi gloss is a great paint finish for rooms with moisture such as kitchens and as a paint finish for bathrooms, as well as architectural trims, and this highly durable paint combats grease and humidity. Wondering about satin vs semi gloss? Semi gloss has a higher sheen than satin.
Satin
For a paint finish with luster that isn’t too shiny, satin paint is more of a velvety paint that’s easy to clean and ideal for high traffic areas. Consider it as a paint finish for living rooms, entryways, children’s bedrooms and playrooms. It can be tricky to touch up if any scuff marks do occur but it’s a great all-rounder. Use for woodwork and metal. Satin vs matte? Satin is a little glossier.
Eggshell
Lying somewhere between satin and sheen, eggshell paint is named after a chicken’s egg as it has a similar look. This is a flat paint with no sheen and it can be used to hide blemishes on walls or woodwork.
It’s not as hardwearing as gloss or satin but works well in living areas and dining spaces as well as bedrooms.
When it comes to choosing between satin vs eggshell paint, the main thing to bear in mind is that eggshell has a lower sheen than satin, which means it is duller and closer to a flat or matte emulsion – but when lining up eggshell vs matte eggshell does have a slightly higher sheen level.
Matte paint
The most popular choice when it comes to decorating interior walls and as a paint finish for ceilings, matte paint soaks up light rather than reflecting it, so it provides good coverage and hides any imperfections well. It’s not that easy to clean however, unless you go for a specialist easy-clean emulsion. Use in kitchens, powder rooms, living spaces and bedrooms.
Flat matte
This one is even flatter and reflects even less light than matte so colors look stunning and walls will look even and smooth. Use in all rooms for an instant refresh.
How to choose the perfect sheen
When you want a dark, dramatic color without the shiny finish, go down one on the sheen scale.
The richer the color, the more colorant it has, which increases sheen. Also bear in mind that the more sheen a paint has, the more any imperfections will show up.
Hayley is an interiors journalist, content provider and copywriter with 26 years experience who has contributed to a wide range of consumer magazines, trade titles, newspapers, blogs and online content. Specialising in kitchens and bathrooms, she has twice won the CEDIA Award for Best Technology feature. Hayley writes for H&G about kitchens, bathrooms, cleaning, DIY and organizing.
Matt or gloss paint: which gloss level should I choose?
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- Matt or gloss paint: which gloss level should I choose?
Matt or gloss paint: which gloss level should I choose?
Hide a crack in the ceiling with matte paint or create a mirror finish with glossy paint?
Most often, manufacturers use the Gardner gloss scale.
And its degree is determined using a special device - a gloss meter. Conventional units are used for designation - from 0 to 100. nine0011
1. Deep matte paint (0-5 gloss level)
Suitable for ceiling. The main difference from matte is the complete absence of shine. It hides coating defects and helps create a smooth surface. In addition, it does not tire the eyes, without giving reflections from lighting fixtures.
2. Matt paint (6-10 units)
A popular coating for interior and design solutions. The matte finish helps hide small cracks and dents on the wall. At the same time, many matte paints have good wash resistance, such as Holzer NEO Azalea, which neutralizes formaldehyde in the air. nine0011
3. Semi-matte paint or silk matt (11-29 units)
Versatile interior design. Its faint sheen on a velvety surface resembles an eggshell.
The semi-gloss option is chosen for the kitchen, bathroom, as well as for decorating wooden furniture.
It is superior in wear resistance and durability to deep matte and matte coatings.
4. Semi-gloss paint (30-59 units)
This coating is moderately shiny, compared to a glossy sheen. Semi-gloss paint will emphasize the details (for example, the cornice) or emphasize the walls in the interior. Rarely used for continuous painting of the walls of the premises. nine0011
5. Gloss paint (60-89 units)
Glossy coatings are easier to keep clean than others, because even dust does not stick to them. However, such painting of walls or ceilings will tire the eyes.
6. High gloss (90 to 100 units)
Suitable for painting wooden surfaces inside and out. Creates an almost mirror-like surface.
Today the most popular paints are gloss 2, 3, 7 and 20. KUBE interior paints have different gloss levels to suit every taste. nine0011
The more evenly the light is scattered in space, the more matte the surface looks.
For example, a glossy paint color will appear more saturated, while a matte paint color will appear calmer.
Generally, the higher the sheen of an ink, the higher its washability, but the lower its opacity. If the ceiling is not necessary to wash, then the walls, on the contrary, are often contaminated.
To create an accent on the walls or a mirror finish, choose paints with a high degree of gloss. To emphasize decor or furniture - matte. For solid wall painting, it is better to use matte or silky-matte paints. nine0011
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Useful articles and life hacks from Holzerfarbe experts. What is adhesion, how to choose the degree of gloss of paint and deal with wet abrasion classes? Read this and much more in our articles, as well as on social networks using the hashtags: #adviceholzer and #terminoholzer.
Paint gloss level - Kolorika Ltd.
Articles
- Published Colorica nine0004
06 Jan
Gloss (gloss) - is an optical property of the surface of the paintwork, characterizing its ability to reflect beams of light.
This definition is contained in GOST 31975-2017 “Paint and varnish materials. Method for determining the gloss of paint coatings at an angle of 20°, 60° and 85°.
Glitter is just a visual impression of a paintwork.
The principle of gloss determination is based on the measurement of a directionally reflected beam of light. The intensity of this beam of light is measured in a certain angular field around the angle of reflection. The intensity of the reflected light beam depends on the surface material and the angle of incidence of the light beam. Accordingly, more light is reflected on painted surfaces as the angle of incidence increases. nine0011
To measure the degree of gloss of paint coatings, the device "Glossometer" is used, which works according to the photoelectric method. A beam of light is directed to the surface at an angle of 60°. Part of the light is scattered, and the other part is reflected at the same angle and hits the photodetector. The value of the degree of gloss is expressed in%.
The glass gloss degree, which is equal to 100, is taken as a standard. It is in relation to it that the gloss degree of the paint is set.
Accordingly, the closer the gloss index is to 100, the more shiny (glossy) the surface will be. nine0011
It is customary to distinguish six groups of paints depending on the degree of gloss:
- 0 - 5 - these are matte paints that almost do not reflect light at all;
- 6 - 10 - matte paints that reflect little light;
- 11 - 29 - semi-gloss paints have a low sheen;
- 30 - 59 - semi-gloss paints have an average degree of gloss;
- 60 - 89 - glossy paints with a brilliant effect;
- 90 - 100 - highest gloss paints. nine0009
- 0 - 5% gloss. This is matte paint. It hides all surface defects as much as possible. It’s better for her to paint the ceiling, because she will automatically level it, and also because you don’t smear the ceiling with your hands, because. the matte surface gets dirty the fastest. It is neutral and creates a velvety, warm feeling.
- 6 - 10% gloss. This is the degree of haze of the eggshell (egg shell). The most ideal option for walls.
Which material is right for you?
Let's try to figure it out from the point of view of operational characteristics.
The more matt the gloss level, the less surface irregularities are visible. Those who cannot (or do not want to) make a quality surface try to hide all the flaws through the use of matte materials.
At the same time, such a surface collects more dirt and dust, respectively, it is more difficult to clean it. The bottom line is that the degree of gloss of the coating depends on the microroughness of the surface. The smoother the surface - the smaller the micro-roughness, the more glossy the surface, and vice versa, the greater the micro-roughness, the greater the haze. nine0011
Matte paints are not intended for surfaces that need to be washed frequently. Therefore, they are usually used for ceilings and walls. An essential advantage of matte paint is its ability to hide defects on any surface. While glossy paint will only emphasize the slightest scratch or unevenness.
But gloss is not only gloss. Gloss determines the wear resistance of the paint. Glossy paints contain more resin than pigment, while matte paints do the opposite. The high amount of resin allows the paint to shine and be resistant to moisture. The coating that forms the glossy paint is easy to clean and more durable.
This type of paint is ideal for rooms with high humidity and pollution. nine0011
Matt surfaces can be recommended for those who cannot provide high-quality surface preparation and material application. You can also consider using a semi-gloss or semi-gloss paint.
It should be noted that almost all anti-corrosion materials (primer-enamels 3in1) for metal structures, which contain a rust converter (modifier), have a matte or semi-matte surface.
