When deciding on the paint finish that you would like to use on your home, you must take into consideration the way that light will interact with the wall and the way that you will need to clean the wall. The paint finish refers to the level of shine that the paint will provide to the wall or furnitures once the paint is dry. Paint finish is important in that the paint finish will determine the amount of light that will reflect off of the wall, as well as the ease with which you can clean that wall.
In order to make sure that the paint is suitable for the area within the home, you should be aware of each of the different types of paint finishes. For instance, flat paint creates a paint finish that contains very little shine to the wall, and the paint will absorb most of the light that interacts with the paint. Paint of this type is useful in that it can hide the bumps and imperfections on the wall, which makes it a common choice for ceilings or bedrooms within the home.
How to Choose a Paint Finish
Because flat paint is difficult to clean (as scrubbing the paint may remove the paint from the wall), it isnt a common choice for areas of the home that require frequent and heavy cleaning. Other paint finishes that contains more resins in the paint than flat paint include eggshell and satin paint finishes. Paint of these types will reflect a soft glow onto the wall.
Eggshell paint is a common choice for living areas within the home, and the paint is more durable than flat paint. Satin paint contains more shine than eggshell paint, and you clean it with damp cloths. Satin paint is more durable choice than eggshell paint, so people often use it in areas of the home where there is many inhabitants or young children and pets.
Semi-gloss and high-gloss paint contains a high level of shine to the wall and reflect most of the light that interact with the painted walls. Paint of this type is common in areas of the home that require the paint to be resistant to moisture and grease, such as baseboards, doors, and kitchens and bathrooms. Because semi-gloss and high-gloss paint will reflect the shine of any imperfections in the wall, you should ensure the paint is smooth before applying semi-gloss or high-gloss paint.
Otherwise, all inhabitants of the home will see those imperfections. The level of shine of the paint will help to determine the amount of light that will reflect within the room. Areas with high levels of light reflection will make small or dark areas of the home feel larger and more spacious.
If you are painting a dark hallway, for instance, high light reflectance of the paint will allow the paint to brighten the hallway. Additionally, you can use different types of paint finishes within the same room to create contrast between different areas. For instance, using matte paint on the walls and semi-gloss paint on the trim will create a contrast between the two areas of the room.
When painting furniture, it is also important to consider the material of that furniture. For instance, you will need to sand laminate furniture prior to painting. For furniture that is touched daily, satin or semi-gloss paint is a good choice because these finishes are both durable and easy to clean.
Additionally, depending on the type of paint finish is selected for the furniture, it may be difficult to repair any mistakes with the paint. Matte paint is one of the easiest paint finishes to repair; a small amount of matte paint will blend in with the existing paint. High-gloss paint is one of the more difficult types of paint to repair; a small patch of high-gloss paint will contrast against the rest of the high-gloss paint on the furniture.
If an individual makes a mistake with high-gloss paint, you may have to repaint the entire piece of furniture to ensure that it appears even throughout it’s entirety. Finally, any paint samples should of been tested in the light within the room in which the painted furniture will be used; the sample paint may look different in the showroom in which paint stores exist than the paint finish that will appear on the furniture in the home. Youll need to look at the colors actualy in the room.
