For interior walls in high-traffic spaces like a mudroom, satin or eggshell finishes work best. Flat or matte finishes work best for most ceilings and semi-gloss is recommended for interior trim and doors. When it comes to exteriors, most homeowners paint their siding in a satin finish.
In my opinion, satin paint is the best finish for interior trim and doors. It has such a sleek finish, it's still durable and easy to clean, and it's not going to show nearly as many imperfections as a high-gloss paint would.
The most common and best sheen for interior trim is a satin or semi-gloss finish. Satin paint finishes have a medium sheen and are durable and easy to clean. Semi-gloss paint finishes have a higher sheen and stand out in a room. They are easy to clean and stand up to dirt, stains, mold, and mildew.
Satin Finish
This finish is ideal for adding a dose of drama to walls and trim, and is a good choice if you're looking for an option to help mask any flaws. Consider it for living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and even kids rooms, where durability is necessary. Keep in mind that satin is also brilliant for small spaces.
“What's the best paint for trim?” My answer is always the same: semi-gloss! It's a builder standard, and with good reason. Semi-gloss paint is easy to wipe down, has a pretty sheen that catches the light and highlights your pretty trim, and it creates a pretty edge next to your less shiny walls!
'Satin and eggshell finishes are the most popular for woodwork because they balance durability without being too shiny,' says Helen. 'A satin or eggshell has a light sheen that makes a surface feel solid without looking too shiny.
Trim paint is most often semi-gloss, meaning it has some shine, but not the intense shine of a gloss or high-gloss. There are a few reasons for using a glossy paint on trim, rather than eggshell or matte: The glossier the finish, the easier it is to wipe clean.
Interior Trim Materials
Though moldings made of other materials are available, wood remains the most common material for trim boards. At a home center or lumberyard, you will find at least some of these options: Hardwoods make the best trim. They resist warping and cracking and can be stained to a beautiful finish.
Semi-gloss and high-gloss finishes are best for trim and molding. Semi-gloss has a higher gloss level than a satin finish, but isn't as shiny as high-gloss. High-gloss is good for trim areas that are washed often.
"Using a matte finish on trims and doors will create a silky and elegant contrast against walls that have a slight sheen," she says. "Dark matte trim and doors against light walls will create an especially striking look that's unexpected, while colorful walls with a white matte trim can modernize a space."
Should my trim be lighter or darker than my walls? There are no set rules on whether your trim should be lighter or darker than your walls, it completely depends on your overall design and vision for your chosen space.
Generally, semi-gloss paint is used for baseboards, door and window casings, crown molding, cabinets, and doors. Its high sheen allows it to reflect more light, which highlights details in trim, while its durability makes it a good candidate for surfaces that see a lot of wear and frequent cleaning.
Gloss and semi-gloss finishes are a great choice for many interior doors and trim. The glossy, shiny finish helps to give the door and trim more dimension without having to use certain colors or painting techniques.
Opt for a cool white trim color. If all else fails: "A clean, neutral white will have a fresh, modern look that pairs well with pretty much any color." "Just like you would any other color, test your trim paint to make sure you love it in your space and that it looks good with your walls," Gibbons recommends.
When it comes to trim, baseboards, doors, moldings, etc. a white paint color is the most popular choice. It provides a beautiful contrast to the wall color, really making it pop.
Rounded or Stepped Baseboard
This is the most popular baseboard profile used in homes. The top of the trim has a rounded shape that tapers into the wall. The trim of these types of baseboards looks best in modern homes because of its relatively short profile and simple design.
Real wood, even softwood, is stronger than MDF. So, if you anticipate installing baseboards in a high-traffic, high-impact environment, you would want to purchase real wood or even PVC baseboards.
If you are painting your walls and trimming the same color, here are some of the things I recommend: When choosing the paint finish, paint the wood trim in satin (or high or semi-gloss for more “shiny drama”) and the walls in eggshell or flat.
Satin finishes are the most commonly used paint for interior walls. They are easier to clean than flat and eggshell paints, which makes them a great choice for high-traffic areas like kitchens, bathrooms, family rooms, and playrooms.
Best Paint to Use for Baseboards
Oil-based (alkyd) paint tends to hold up well and requires only one coat, while water-based (latex) paint is less toxic and dries more quickly. For most DIYers, water-based is probably the better bet, as it'll be easier to clean up any errant paint.
White paint is the most common baseboard and trim paint, but many home designs incorporate other colors. Flat or Matte: Flat paints are low-gloss. They help hide any flaws on the baseboards.
From the perspective of a Color Designer/Consultant, I typically specify eggshell on walls for multiple reasons that benefit the people who are dwelling in the home. Eggshell paint cleans easier, covers better, wears better, and lasts longer than flat paint.
Do you paint walls or trim first? From a professional point of view, with interior painting, it makes the most sense to paint your trim first, then ceilings, and then your walls. It's much easier and faster to tape off trim than to tape off your walls. And you definitely don't want the hassle of taping them both.
Oil/Alkyd. Good adhesion, excellent durability and stain resistance make Sherwin-Williams oil/alkyd-based paints excellent choices for trim in high-traffic rooms, such as kitchens and bathrooms.
Which is better satin or eggshell? Satin offers more durability than eggshell paint. However, eggshell will hide imperfections better than satin.