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How to Choose Paint Finish

How to Choose Paint Finish

If you’ve ever been to a paint store then you know there is an overwhelming number of options – hundreds of colors and also several paint finishes to choose from. But what is paint finish and which one is right for your project? This guide will explain more about paint finish including how to choose paint finish for your home.

What Is Paint Finish?

Paint finish is also known as paint sheen. It refers to the luster and ranges from flat (no shine) to high gloss (very shiny). In practice, the paint finish also denotes the durability and washability of the paint, with glossier finishes being more durable and washable over time. Common paint finishes in order of sheen are: flat/matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss.

How to Choose Paint Finish

Now that you have a general understanding of the concept, let’s run through the steps of how to choose interior paint finish.

1. What room are you painting?

Knowing what room you are painting will give you a baseline estimate for what type of paint finish you should choose. The most popular paint finishes for each room or application are:

  • Trim – High-gloss
  • Kitchen – Semi-gloss
  • Bathroom – Semi-gloss
  • Living Room – Satin or Eggshell
  • Bedrooms – Satin or Eggshell
  • Home Office & Low Traffic Rooms – Flat
  • Ceilings – Flat

As we mentioned, knowing the room gives you a baseline, but you should walk through the rest of the steps to adjust this baseline accordingly. These next steps of how to choose paint finish will be specific to your unique situation.

2. How messy does the room get?

When people wonder what paint finish for kitchen painting, the answer is typically semi-gloss because we all know that kitchens get dirty and therefore need a paint that can be easily wiped up. However, other rooms are so straightforward.

Take the bedroom for example. An adult’s bedroom may not get that messy, so while you could go with the traditional satin or eggshell, you may also go down a notch in luster by choosing flat. However, if you’re painting a kid’s bedroom (for example, a toddler who likes to put their hands on everything), you would be wiser to move up a notch and use semi-gloss paint that is easier to clean.

3. How much traffic does the room get?

In considering what paint finish to use, you also should consider how much traffic the room gets. High traffic areas get messier no matter who the occupants are, so if you have a busy mudroom or an active living room, for example, then you should consider a higher sheen.

4. Who are the room & house occupants?

Another consideration when choosing paint finish are the occupants. Picture a family room that is occupied by young kids, then picture another family room occupied by adults and young adults – the child-occupied room is a likely candidate for a higher sheen as a precautionary measure against potential messes. Now picture two kitchens – one is owned by a budding chef who loves to experiment with recipes and the other is owned by a bachelor who orders out 7 days a week. The bachelor may consider skipping the semi-gloss and choosing satin instead. Finally, families with particularly active young children may consider painting all rooms in semi-gloss and satin, avoiding the lower sheens altogether.

5. What is your budget?

A final consideration is budget. As you go up in sheen, costs also rise, meaning that a high-gloss paint is more expensive than a flat or matte paint. When working within your budget, try to get the highest appropriate sheen for that room, while remembering that if you go too low you may need to repaint more frequently, which is also a cost.

The steps for how to choose paint finish go on the principle that you should start with a baseline and then adjust according to your unique circumstances so that the room, occupants and traffic are all factored in. Choosing the right paint finish will make upkeep easier and prolong the life of your paint.

Want more painting ideas and inspiration? Call us at (510) 655-7000 to discuss your next painting project and then check out MB Jessee’s Painting Ideas Pinterest board!

Follow MB Jessee's board Painting Tips on Pinterest.

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“Just had MB Jessee paint the interior of our house and they did a wonderful job. They tackled some crazy wallpaper as well as painted some very high ceilings and walls. The whole process was quick and they did a great job! We are very pleased. I was also very impressed by the crew. They were very personable, kind and actually took pride in the work they were doing. In one of our conversations with the lead Ricardo, he actually told me he was very proud of how the rooms had turned out. I agree sir! It turned out great and it's not often you hear someone thinking of your home like they would theirs, and putting that level of work and quality into it. That made a huge difference in how I viewed this company. Ricardo, you were fantastic and thank you for the great job, we will be using you again.”

— Jeff M.
Danville, CA

“Charles finished yesterday and did a fantastic job. We really enjoyed meeting Charles and having him in our home. He is a great guy in addition to his attention to detail in his work, the protection of our floors, walls and furnishings, and his overall interaction with us both. I would be pleased to recommend him to any of my clients.”

— Ken Morrison
Oakland

“Dear Matt,You must be so proud of your men! They were fantastic to have around. Polite, courteous and hardworking. I am so pleased with the outcome of our home--in fact, I couldn't be any more pleased than I am!”

— Mrs. S
San Leandro

“The completed 'Client Satisfaction Survey' we sent in only modestly reflects our total satisfaction with the work. As a retired small business owner, I compliment you on setting 'best practices' that are consistently followed. Everything described in your marketing materials was a reality! The crew is a super bowl team and our neighbors commented on how quiet they were. We are very happy to be a client of MB Jessee.”

— Richard
Orinda

“The painters at MB Jesse are top notch! Cesar's team was super friendly and helpful. They were very polite and accommodating. Their expertise in everything painting related was evident in their attention to detail and efficiency painting tricky spaces. The apartment looks brand new!”

— Adam Swisher

“Matt, Julie & Ricardo, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank the three of you for the wonderful job you did in hosting the SFBA NARI Chapter Meeting on Wednesday evening. Everything was perfect from beginning to end. Members and guests alike walked away with a truly positive experience. The "painter for a day" and the cookies in the paint cans were an absolute brilliant touch and received rave reviews. What a wonderful way to do such positive marketing. Thanks again for a truly memorable experience for our members and guests. You are valued as a NARI member.”

— Judy Tufo, SFBA NARI Executive Director

“I want to express my thanks for a job well done. The rooms look great and there is no problem with any marks on the all the trim, floor, carpet, etc. The paint job is lovely. I also want to express my thanks for the level of professionalism the foreman showed in running the job. He was very attentive to any changes I needed to make, was extremely careful in getting the faux paint color and effect correct. Thanks so much for a job well done.”

— Suzan D’Arcy

“Julie,Just to let you know I am very appreciative of your crew catching the plumbing/mold problem. It was very astute of them. I wanted to let you know that again your crew has done excellent work here, please pass this along to Mr. Jessee. There are some bumps in the road here, but the painting and your crew has not been one of them. Their work is the only thing going right currently, and this crew is very nice and respectful. It is much appreciated. Thank you again.”

— Beth
Oakland

“It was a great experience working with MB Jessee. The crew was careful and thorough as they painted the house, sealed stucco cracks, repaired dry-rotted wood, stained the deck, etc. Robert, Gersson, Jose, and all of the people involved in the process from the estimate to the job completion were friendly and professional.”

— Mike C.
Livermore, CA

“MB Jessee just finished our exterior and we couldn't be happier with our experience. The foreman (Pedro) and lead painter (Ricardo) were incredible to work with: they communicated scheduling clearly, Ricardo was a joy to be around every day, the showed up early every day, were incredibly tidy and did great paint work. The final walkthrough experience was incredible. Pedro pointed out items I missed demonstrating a clear desire to complete another quality project. I highly recommend them. As others have noted they definitely aren't the cheapest but you quickly realize that you're getting what you pay for. The 3-year guarantee is also a nice touch since there are likely touch-up items that will show up after the job is done.”

— Joshua J.
Oakland, CA

“I just wanted to send you an email to say that John did such a great job over here today. He is truly a hard worker. He has the perfect balance of friendliness, honesty, and professionalism. I trust him. He takes the time to do the job to the best of his ability and that is what sets him (and your company) apart from the competition. He didn't make me feel rushed. He really made me feel like our job was the most important thing in the world. Thanks again!”

— Jo
Oakland

“Hello Matt,Just another notice of thanks to your wonderful crew, Rigoberto, Javier and John. They did fantastic work, with Rigo providing meticulous and conscientious attention to the details and excellent woodwork finishing, as evidenced by the beautiful fireplace. Javier did a fantastic job in the bathroom especially, it looks "brand new," and John always does quality work, both with the interior and exterior. I can tell they care about what they do. Rigo's "punch out" was very thorough, too. I will call again when I need some more work and will definitely recommend your company and fine crew. I also felt as a homeowner, I could leave my house in their good hands during the day and that took a lot of worry from me, they were honest, prompt and reliable. They were also very kind, respectful and clean in their work, very professional. Thank you.”

— Beth Marx & Melissa Kirsch
Oakland