Paint Finishes

When it comes to house painting, everybody thinks of the paint colors. However, interior painting is a job which needs to be performed in various steps, with a number of products. For the job of house painting, first comes preparation of the surface, which means cleaning the surface to make it smooth. The first application to seal up any cracks or gaps is to use a primer or sealer. Also, for uneven surfaces smoothing with sandpaper is done. A primer is also useful if you are trying to paint water based paint over oil based paint or vice versa, as this helps to adhere the new paint better. Next step in is applying the paint color. Finally, a paint finish is applied to protect the painted walls better. Paint finishes are nothing but another application of a transparent paint to the walls, which allows the underlying main paint color to see through. This coat applied can be either non-reflective or can be very reflective. There are different kinds of finishes. Some finishes for furniture work well, while some work good as finishes for walls.

Paint Finishes Types & Uses

Flat Paint: Flat paint is also known as matte finish or wall paint, so check the label properly. It gives a flat matte surface appearance, and the best part about this paint finish is that it works great for uneven or imperfect surfaces, and so popular as interior paint finishes. It helps to camouflage cracks, small bumps. But, this is not a good finish for high-traffic areas, as this paint is not very durable.

Enamel Finish: Flat enamel finish is more durable flat finish, and is good for rooms which needs to hold up for occasional cleaning.

Eggshell Finish: This finish is actually a wise decision, as this has very low sheen at the same time it can be cleaned up. So, eggshell paint is a good idea if you want a paint finish between semi-gloss and matte.

Satin Finish: This finish gives a smooth velvety look, and a bit of more gloss. This can be used for ceilings, doors, trims, kid's room, bathroom, kitchens, etc. This finish can stand light scrubbing, and so can hold up to cleaning.

Semi-Gloss Finish: This finish can be scrubbed, and hence is one of the preferred choice for high traffic areas. You can create good faux paint finishes surfaces using semi-gloss finish. Faux finishing of different materials like wood, brick, stone, marble, etc. can be created. You can go through this link to learn faux finishing techniques.

Gloss Finish: This finish is very reflective, and gives a look of enamel or plastic. This is not used for painting interiors, but can be used to crate dramatic faux finish painting. It also used to give a striking look to wall trims, furniture, cabinets.

Homeowners should not just use one type of finish, but rather use various kinds of finishes for various surfaces. For example, bedrooms can be painted with a matter finish, while children bedroom can be painted with eggshell finish. Kitchens and bathrooms need a semi-gloss finish. Also, for wall trims semi-gloss finish is a good idea. You can also use gloss and semi-gloss for wooden surfaces, while matter or satin finish for ceilings or areas which don't need much cleaning. But, make sure you prepare the surface well before applying paint finishes, as finishes with gloss can magnify imperfections of the surfaces.