Imperfections: If you're looking to cover or hide imperfections, flat or eggshell finishes are best. Durability: Areas with high traffic or exposure to moisture require more durable finishes, such as semi-
Finish: The type of paint finish is crucial. A flat or matte finish is the best choice for hiding imperfections, as it reflects less light and reduces the visibility of bumps, dents, and texture variations. Satin or eggshell finishes can also work well but are more reflective, which may highlight imperfections.
Eggshell is commonly used in living rooms and dining rooms, as it does not pick up dirt easily. Pro tip: If your walls have bumps or imperfections, an extra coat of eggshell can disguise them more easily than satin or high-gloss finishes.
Imperfections: Despite being more durable, satin paint will show imperfections in your walls a lot more obviously than flat paint. This is down to the glossy nature, making it hard to hide things like cracks or patches. With the matte effect of flat paint, any minor imperfections are hidden away.
Matte finishes absorb light rather than reflect it. This means they will hide bumps and other little flaws in your walls rather well. These type of finishes are not very durable, but they make for rather easy touch up jobs. Experts recommend matte finishes for bedrooms and studies.
Color Considerations
We all know that lighter colors emphasize imperfections while darker colors hide them. This also has to do with light and reflection. Lighter colors reflect more light while darker shades absorb it.
Eggshell finish, perennially popular with professional and DIY painters alike, has a low-sheen reminiscent of flat or matte, but it is infinitely more durable than its namesake.
The least glossy texture is flat, which is often referred to as matte. The greatest option for covering up flaws like bumps or tiny fractures on walls is a material that doesn't reflect light. Additionally, it applies more smoothly over uneven surfaces, making it a fantastic choice for textured walls.
Avoid using eggshell paint in high-contact, high-traffic areas such as door and window trim, baseboards, cabinetry, and doors. It's best to use semi-gloss paint in these areas.
If you're using a high-quality paint, you may be able to get away with just one or two coats. However, if you're using a lower-quality paint, you may need to apply three or more coats to achieve the desired results.
Eggshell is always an interior designer's preferred paint finish, which is why we chose this as our ultimate finish for walls. The name eggshell stems from the fact the finish appears mostly flat with just a touch of luster... similar to a chicken egg!
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.
Can You Paint Flat Over Satin? Painting over existing satin paint with a flat finish can be done, but it requires careful preparation and attention to detail. Before beginning the painting process, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned and sanded to ensure that the new finish will adhere properly.
Eggshell sheen can potentially give a room a greater visual depth than the flatter matte finish. Matte sheens do not reflect light as much as an eggshell or even glossier finish. In fact, they can actually absorb light!
It's formulated with premium pigments to guarantee you get an excellent depth of colour. If you're wondering, does eggshell paint need a primer, it's worth knowing that it's actually self-undercoating, so you can get a great finish from just two coats.
Short or medium pile microfibre mini rollers are the best when applying water-based, woodwork paints, such as Quick Dry Eggshell, Quick Dry Satinwood or Quick Dry Gloss. Avoid using foam mini rollers when applying Quick Dry products, as these can cause paint bubbles to form when rolled onto the surface.
Matte: A low-luster finish that's less durable, but easy to clean, touches up well, and hides minor surface imperfections.
Paint designed for uneven surfaces may be sold under a range of names including elastomeric paint, high-build paint, crack-free paint or renovation paint (which is basically a filler and undercoat in one). These paints are much thicker than ordinary paints which gives them much better coverage.
FLAT or MATTE
Flat/Matte paint is the most forgiving finish with the most color options. Pros - Allows the color to be the main focus. Flat and Matte finishes help hide and or reduce imperfections in your walls and ceilings.
Using Flat Finish Paint:
You can also apply flat paint finish on the wall as they can reduce the amount of light reflected off the wall. This also reduces the visibility of dents and dings and other drywall imperfections. Flat finishes also look bolder and classier than other glossier paints.
Contractors are often requested to use low- or zero-VOC paints, and this is something they can get from Sherwin-Williams in a variety of their paint lines. Sherwin-Williams paint is thick because it uses more solids, which makes it easier to work with and will cover more surface area.
For one level of sheen up from flat or matte, eggshell and satin are good choices. “Satin is slightly shinier, and both are easier to clean than flat or matte paint,” Handel says.