Satin and semi-gloss finishes are popular choices for doors due to their subtle shine and easy-to-clean characteristics. Glossy finishes can provide a more striking look, but they may highlight any imperfections on the door's surface.
A satin or semi-gloss finish is the best for doors both inside and outside the home. Glossy finishes offer the best protection against damage and deterioration, while semi-gloss paint is easy to clean, given the paint dries in a way that allows accumulated dirt and grime to wipe off with little effort required.
Satin reflects light and because of that it will show imperfections like divots and patches more than flatter paints. Satin is my go-to sheen for bathroom walls, interior doors, trim, baseboards, and exterior walls. Semi-gloss paint is great for frequently cleaned areas and rooms that deal with excess moisture.
Doors. You can use gloss, semi-gloss or satin paint for doors. Satin paint is easier to wipe down than matte or flat paint so it's sometimes considered a better choice for somewhere that's bound to attract fingermarks.
Pros: A satin finish reflects more light than matte and stands up well to washing. Use in high-traffic areas such as bathrooms, the kitchen and a kid's room as well as on trim and molding throughout the house. Cons: This finish does not hide imperfections in surface or application; any touch-ups will stand out.
Satin paint has some sheen to it, and is an excellent choice for hardworking rooms, like kitchens and bathrooms. It stands up exceptionally well to scrubbing and regular cleaning. However, its glossiness highlights wall imperfections like cracks, divots or poorly patched areas.
Fingerprints and grime are to be expected on interior doors in high-traffic areas. So pick paint with a gloss or semi-gloss finish, rather than flat or eggshell, for a surface that's much easier to wipe clean. A glossier paint also makes doors and trim stand out beautifully against the flatter wall surface.
Painting interior doors requires a different type of paint than for exterior doors, such as your front door. Exterior doors are typically painted with oil-based paint, while the best paint for interior doors generally is a latex-based or acrylic paint.
Front doors, particularly on older homes, benefit from a low sheen paint. However, always remember that a semi-gloss paint will be more durable so if you have children who scuff the door as they enter you may benefit from a touch more protection here!
Flat paint may be suitable for a garage door, but any high-traffic entry, such as your front door, usually looks better painted in satin or semi-gloss. However, if you really want to put a flat paint on your front door, newer brands of flat or matte paints are stain resistant and washable.
Most people go for semi-gloss or satin paint on their front doors because it hides imperfections a bit better than a gloss sheen, but is more durable than matte finish. Semi-gloss and satin paints also wipe clean easily and provide just enough lustre to make your timber door stand out in all the right ways.
Both satin and eggshell paints can be used on interior woodwork including doors, window and door frames, skirting boards, architraves, stair railings and other architectural details. Eggshell is better for a lower sheen with a matte emulsion feel while satin is glossier.
Alkyd/Oil Based
Oil-based paint is the classic trim paint. If you have a house that is at least a few decades old, chances are good that the trim was painted with oil-based paint. Oil-based trim paint results in superior, glass-like finishes with minimal to zero brush marks.
An eggshell finish will be more forgiving when it comes to imperfections on your walls, and is durable and easy to clean. Semi-gloss finish: This is the best finish for your trims such as baseboards, mouldings and even cabinets and doors.
Semi-gloss acrylic latex exterior paint is ideal for front doors. Many homeowners like it for its durability, color compatibility and easy clean-up. It's great for steel, wood and fiberglass doors. Semi-gloss latex enamel exterior paint and primer in one eliminates the need for a primer coat before the finish coat.
The traditional choice for painting doors, trims and skirting boards has always been oil based gloss because it's practical and hardwearing. Gloss paint holds up better for cleaning. Doors and the trims can get grubby which makes gloss type paints the preferred option, but some argue it's outdated.
You'll want to pick a paint with a high gloss or semi-gloss paint finish. This is the best finish. The reason behind this is twofold. Glossy finishes reflect light and look great on doors, especially darker painted doors.
Lay the door flat to avoid drips and runs
For convenience, it's tempting to leave a door hanging on its hinges when you paint. But for a smooth finish, you have to lay it flat and remove the hinges, knobs and other hardware.
Type of Paint to Use
Choose eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss sheens. Avoid using flat or matte paint on doors.
The satin finish holds up well to regular cleaning and scrubbing. Matte finishes wash off when scrubbed, unlike satin. Satin interior wall paint is ideal for hallways, kids' rooms, and living areas. While satin is not as durable as gloss finishes, it's practical for high-traffic areas.
Over time, they can cause problems ranging from infertility to cancer. Other chemicals used in the creation of satin material can lead to dermatitis and allergies. For instance, AZO dyes, which are used to color textiles into vivid colors, can come off and come into contact with the skin.
Satin. Satin finish paint has a smooth, velvety look with a bit more gloss than eggshell. It is most often used for windows, doors, trim, or ceilings, but it can also be used as wall paint. This is particularly suitable for kids' rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and other areas that get a lot of traffic.