Semi-gloss is often most compared to a satin finish, but has much more sheen than the latter. That means light from windows and lamps will bounce off semi-gloss paint more easily than than a flatter finish, like eggshell or satin.
Most notably, semi-gloss has more sheen than satin.
Semi-gloss is slightly higher on the scale than satin and, thus, promises a little more reflectivity.
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.
Satin reflects less light, giving it a duller, low-sheen appearance, while semi-gloss reflects more light, making it more lustrous and shiny. Wood finished with satin polyurethane hides imperfections better than wood finished with semi-gloss.
There are many differences between satin and semi-gloss. Satin has a soft sheen that reflects light softly, making it a common choice for bedrooms and living spaces. While surfaces with satin finish paints may be cleaned, care must be taken to avoid marring the surface.
Semi-gloss is often most compared to a satin finish, but has much more sheen than the latter. That means light from windows and lamps will bounce off semi-gloss paint more easily than than a flatter finish, like eggshell or satin.
A gloss paint is typically more robust and durable than a satin paint, but a poorly prepped gloss finish is not as good as a well-prepped satin finish. Both paints can withstand the odd scuff or mark but gloss is less likely to retain them.
When it comes to painting your skirting boards (and architraves for that matter), we'd recommend opting for a satin finish as you get the best of gloss and eggshell.
Summarizing Semi-gloss Is Best Paint For Bedrooms
Semi-gloss is very good for bedroom trim. If you're wanting the cleanest bedroom wall paint, satin is the way to go. Stepping down a notch to eggshell on large wall surfaces, still using semi-gloss on trim, will give you more distinction than satin.
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.
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.
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.
Is Semi-gloss Good For Bedroom Walls? In bedrooms, semi-gloss is the best choice. A flat ceiling, eggshell or satin walls, and semi-gloss trim and doors are typical. In a room, semi-gloss is very good for all trim and woodwork.
Painting your walls with a semi-gloss finish helps to brighten a room. Semi-gloss finishes are often applied to walls in kitchens and bathrooms, because they provide an easy-to-clean and durable surface. Painting a semi-gloss wall requires a process similar to that used with other paint finishes.
Eggshell has a lower duller sheen than satin and is close to a matt or flat finish that you find in a lot of emulsions. It is reminiscent of the shell of an egg — hence its name. Satin has a glossier finish than eggshell and reflects more light, so is more likely to show up any imperfections.
Not much gloss nowadays, usually satinwood. Gloss tends to turn yellow too quickly when used internally. I generally always use Dulux oil-based undercoat and gloss. Or even their satinwood.
In order to paint satin paint over gloss service, you will need to de-gloss the undercoat finish to prevent it from becoming slippery and to allow the paint to adhere properly to it. Sand the paint finish with 180-grit sandpaper in circular motions to remove the gloss.
Yes, you can put satin paint over gloss as long as you sand the gloss to knock off the sheen. The satin will have no trouble sticking to the painted surface. You could also use a liquid de-glosser to prep gloss walls for repainting if you don't want to sand them.
What Paint Can Go Over Semi-gloss? You can apply an oil-based satin paint to the semi-gloss paint on the walls if it is oil-based. In the case of otherwise latex semi-gloss paint on the wall, use latex satin. Even though your semi-glossy wall now has texture, it can still shine when painted.
Satin finishes have a beautiful luster that is often described as appearing velvety. Satin is slightly less lustrous than semi-gloss, and can appear to be both flat and glossy, depending on the lighting in the room. Satin has a slightly higher sheen than eggshell, meaning that it is more reflective and more durable.
Semigloss paint has some sheen, but not nearly as much as gloss paint. It represents a good compromise between gloss and flat paint, which has very little sheen. Semigloss paint is easy to clean and can withstand high levels of moisture. It will show flaws in construction, but not as much as gloss paint does.
Best Paint Sheens for Bathrooms
The experts at Consumer Reports recommend satin paint for bathrooms. They claim that it is shinier and more durable than eggshell and easier to clean. Semigloss is also durable and easy to clean. However, it does look shiner and can make wall imperfections more noticeable.
Flat or matte sheens almost always work best for ceilings. If your ceiling has many imperfections, you'll want to stick to a flat paint sheen. Another benefit of using flat sheen on ceilings is that any light emitted from ceiling lights or windows can cause textured plaster to stand out from the sharp angles of light.