Eggshell paint is generally used on larger surfaces but is becoming popular as a skirting paint (especially within shabby chic interiors). It's good for use within areas that have above average foot traffic as it is more durable than emulsion and is easily maintained and kept clean.
For the decorative coat, use any paint designed for wood and metal, such as gloss, satin and eggshell.
Sophisticated and subtle, eggshell paint leaves a beautifully soft and very low-sheen eggshell finish on wood, plasterboard, and metal surfaces. Unlike matt emulsion paints, eggshell wood paint also protects against the everyday wear and tear of busy areas such as skirting boards.
What Kind Of Paint Do You Use On Skirting Boards? You can use any paint that is designed for wood and metal, such as gloss, satin, and eggshell, for the decorative coat. Using a 2 inch brush, cut into the painting with long sweeping movements as you paint across the top.
Painting Skirting Boards With Emulsion
Most of the time, you'll be told that eggshell, satin or gloss paint will be the best paint for skirting boards. However, emulsion is another option. Surprisingly, you can get a hardwearing and attractive finish using emulsion paint even though it's normally the cheaper option.
Most skirting boards need an oil-based or gloss finish because of their hardwearing properties. It's important here to resist the urge to paint them using any kind of flat emulsion or you'll simply find them dirty again pretty quickly.
Ideally, eggshell paint is also best suited for areas such as ceilings, bedrooms, dining rooms and living areas where there is not a lot of dirt build up or traffic. In addition, its medium-level durability provides added protection a flat finish does not.
If you are painting a high traffic room, you should go for the satin paint finish without a second thought, as it is more durable than the eggshell paint. Satin paint is much more resistant to dents, divots, scuffs, scratches, and stains while being more persistent on the whole since it is a higher sheen paint.
Eggshell and satinwood are both classed as 'low sheen' little difference in the two but satinwood has a slightly higher sheen level than eggshell. Oil based paints were and still are easier to paint because they flow better, water based finish paints are a little more involved to use.
WHEN TO USE EGGSHELL PAINT: Eggshell is commonly used in living rooms and dining rooms, as it is durable and does not pick up dirt easily. If your walls have bumps or imperfections, an extra coat of eggshell can disguise them more easily than satin or high-gloss finishes.
The best paint use is Dulux trade primer for bare wood, then use Dulux trade undercoat and finally use Dulux trade high gloss finish for the top coat.
Can You Use Eggshell Paint Over Gloss? A thin layer of Gloss is not required on top. Painters don't need to clean or dry up before painting a surface. Additionally, if you paint over gloss wood with an eggshell, or satin finish, you won't need it.
Gloss finish can be used in the following places as painting windowsills, dado rails, picture rails, spindles, skirting boards, doors, frames, skins, kitchen cupboards, etc. It is the perfect fit for wear and tear areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and surfaces where gloss is preferred more.
Appearance. When it comes to appearance, the primary difference between eggshell and semi-gloss paint is the sheen. While eggshell has only the smallest amount of luster, semi-gloss has a noticeable shine.
Eggshell in both oil based and water based are self undercoating so negate the need for a separate undercoat. Two coats of either should suffice.
The shiny reflective property of a paint's sheen comes from a reflective particles in the paint. The more layers that are put on, the more light gets reflected back to the viewer. It's odd that this has happened with a low sheen; I have seen this with satin and eggshell quite a bit myself.
Semi-gloss finish: This is the best finish for your trims such as baseboards, mouldings and even cabinets and doors. It's also a good choice for highly trafficked area that gets lots of wear and tear such as a mudroom.
An eggshell sheen is a homeowner favorite for being easy to clean. Pearl and satin, both of which offer a bit more gloss than eggshell, are highly cleanable. But with all three, it is still recommended that you take a gentle touch when cleaning.
Eggshell paint cleans easier, covers better, wears better, and lasts longer than flat paint. You can clean scuffs and marks on the wall easily with a warm, damp cloth. The finish lasts many years longer than flat.
One of the most popular types of wall paint, eggshell finish provides a low sheen and a soft, smooth finish just like a true eggshell. Perfect for low- to mid-traffic areas like hallways, living rooms, entryways and family rooms. Eggshell paint is more washable than flat sheens, and it resists stains and scuffs.
You should paint your walls first and your skirting boards last. One of the golden rules of decorating is to start at the top and work your way down. By painting a feature wall beforehand, you'll avoid any drip marks ruining your newly painted skirting boards.
As a general rule, your skirting boards should follow the same colour tone as your walls. You'll need to pick a different finish for your woodwork, which requires a more hard-wearing paint type than wall emulsion. For a matt effect, try eggshell, or consider satinwood or gloss for contrast.
You can paint matt over water-based gloss after thorough preparation but we would advise against painting matt over oil-based gloss as bleeding can occur.
Do I need to prime my skirting boards? If you've got new or ready-primed skirting boards, or they've already been painted before, you can skip this step. But if your skirting boards are wood-finished or haven't been painted previously, you'll need to apply one to two coats of primer to them before painting.