Satin paint is less shiny than semi-gloss paint since it has a lower gloss percentage. Satin paint only has a 30 percent gloss paint formula. Due to the mentioned percentage of gloss in both types of paints, the semi-gloss paint will reflect more than 50% of the light, while the satin will reflect between 30% and 40%.
Durability: Semi-gloss paint is more durable than satin paint. However, if dings, dents, or blemishes appear, they will be more noticeable with a glossy finish. Both options will be easy to clean, although semi-gloss paint will hold up better against moisture and protect the surface beneath it against water damage.
Semi-gloss paint is perfect for rooms where moisture, drips, and grease stains often end up on the walls—like your kitchen or bathroom. It's durable paint and can be easily scrubbed clean of any imperfections due to its high level of sheen—which also makes it the perfect choice for kids' bedrooms and playrooms.
Satin is more forgiving of pre-existing imperfections than semi-gloss. If you've got dings and dents in your walls, your cabinets, or your soon-to-be-painted dresser, the reflective nature of semi-gloss will only draw more attention to every flaw.
In most cases, the best paint for baseboards is a water-based or Acrylic-Alkyd hybrid paint with a semi-gloss paint sheen is the best choice for painting baseboards and trim. Benjamin Moore Advanced is a popular choice; it can be purchased at one of their paint stores.
High Gloss
The most durable and easiest to clean of all paint sheens, high-gloss paint is hard, ultra-shiny, and light-reflecting. Think appliance-paint tough. High gloss is a good choice for area that sticky fingers touch -- cabinets, trim, and doors. High-gloss, however, is too much shine for interior walls.
Of the two, satin is more durable and is slightly less likely to scuff or mark than eggshell and it's easier to clean when it does get marked. This makes it a better choice, especially for woodwork such as painting skirting boards, than eggshell for high traffic areas like hallways and living rooms.
Satin paint can easily be cleaned, though it can lose its sheen if scrubbed too roughly. It is advised that you clean it with a wipe and avoid abrasive scrubs. WHEN TO USE SATIN PAINT: Because of its durability, many people choose a satin finish for bathrooms, kitchens, and kids rooms.
You don't have to prime before applying paint over satin paint. As long as the satin paint coating is clean and properly sanded, you can apply paint over it without priming first. However, you should know that priming is ideal if the satin paint is damaged or if you want to switch color shades.
Satin paint is less shiny than semi-gloss paint since it has a lower gloss percentage. Satin paint only has a 30 percent gloss paint formula. Due to the mentioned percentage of gloss in both types of paints, the semi-gloss paint will reflect more than 50% of the light, while the satin will reflect between 30% and 40%.
Best paint finish for trim and baseboards is gloss or semi-gloss paint sheens. All trim, woodwork, baseboards which are painted, needs to be in gloss, or semi-gloss paint finish, and not satin. Semi-gloss offers more scrubbing, wiping, and deep cleanings than satin paint finishes.
Semi-gloss paint is always best for trim, doors and cabinetry because it's so easy to wipe clean. You can also choose gloss paint because it's also so easy to clean, but it's significantly shinier.
A flat paint finish tends to absorb light, while a semigloss finish reflects light. Flat finishes can help to camouflage minor surface imperfections, such as dings, drywall seams and other flaws. Conversely, semigloss finishes are inclined to make wall blemishes even more pronounced.
Using Dark Color Paint:
Just like the same way, flat finishes reduce dent visibility; darker paints also reflect less light than lighter paints. This makes them a better choice for hiding drywall imperfections. The only drawback of using dark color paint often makes the room look smaller.
Often confused with other finishes, the difference between eggshell and satin paint is that satin delivers a higher gloss, while offering better stain resistance and durability than lower sheens, including eggshell. Satin paint is ideal for areas that crave definition.
"Flat paint has virtually no gloss and is excellent for hiding surface imperfections and underlying colors," says Mindeck. "It also does a great job of toning down bold and bright colors, so they feel more livable — especially in spaces with low lighting."
Durability. For durability, semi-gloss paint outperforms eggshell. The higher percentage of binders in semi-gloss make the surface tougher and more flexible, allowing it to stand up better to wear and tear and scrubbing. Plus, it's better at resisting stains, dings, and dents while also being moisture-resistant.
Can You Put Eggshell Paint Over Gloss? The finish isn't as flat as regular flat paint, but it doesn't have the glossy sheen of gloss enamel. There is no difference between surfaces when it comes to eggshell paint, just the preparation you need before applying it is the only difference.
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.
So, while Dulux Easycare is absolutely a scrubbable paint, you never need to do much scrubbing. As a washable wall paint, it lets you wipe away stains before they stick... making cleaning a breeze.
Eggshell finish
"It is the easiest paint to wipe clean and is great for all areas of the home, including bathrooms and kitchens," she says.
With semi-gloss finishes, your walls will have a shiny look and really catch the light. Semi-gloss is also the toughest paint against wear and tear. "The most lustrous of this group, semi-gloss paints typically resist stains better than the other finishes, and are easy to clean," says de Paz.
Semigloss is the best paint finish for interior doors and trim. The reason being, semi-gloss can take up quite an abuse and stand up to nicks and scrapes better than any other sheen, flat or eggshell finish.
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.