It used to be that walls were always done in a flat finish paint and the trim, and by trim I mean all woodwork, was painted with a gloss finish paint.  The only exceptions were kitchens and bathrooms where everything was done using gloss paint. Times have changed. Today, when a house is built, the standard is all walls and ceilings are painted with a flat finish; and trim with a semi gloss finish. The paint job that comes with the new house is like the tires on a new car….good, but by no means the best.

How do you know what paint finish to use, and where to use it?

Now,  a homeowner has many options – they can chose flat,  eggshell,  satin, semi gloss and gloss for walls; and satin, semi gloss and gloss for trim.  I’ve been a custom, residential painting contractor for over 20 years; of which, the last nine in Indianapolis, IN and before that in the Pasadena and Los Angeles, CA  area  (where I became very good at repairing cracks in walls thanks to the many earthquakes in the region). Here is my advice:

• Kitchens and baths –  because of the humidity in these rooms, I always recommend using a satin or higher finish (sheen).  It gives you the ability to wipe down the walls when an accident happens. Spaghetti sauce on a kitchen wall painted with a flat finish will be there forever!
• Hallways – there are two schools of thought….a satin or higher finish lets you  wipe  off dirt, mud in most cases, but a satin or higher sheen can be difficult to touch up if marred.  A high quality flat paint will have a certain scrub durability,  but, if necessary,  is very easy for a homeowner to touch up.
• Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms are usually painted flat or eggshell. The reason may not be what you think. A paint with a sheen will show off any imperfections in the walls like cracks, nail pops, bumps (wavy walls) due to uneven framing and a host of other issues. Even if all of the issues are addressed before painting, many of them will resurface in a year or so, usually in the same place. I know from past experience that these imperfections can drive some people nuts, even when everything is explained to them upfront. I’d say about 90% of the walls I paint are flat,  and that is the safe way to go.
• Trim – I like to use oil based paint here. Oil is harder than water based paint, and wears much, much better. Recently the trend is toward satin and semigloss. High gloss looks too industrial for most people.  A satin or semigloss finish will highlight the woodwork without being overpowering.

So, if you have great walls or don’t mind the glaring wall imperfections,  a semi gloss or gloss finish can be dramatic and set off a room. Just remember that your walls will need extra prep work to make them as perfect as possible. This is when a highly skilled painter becomes your best friend.

Tags: flat paint, gloss paint, Greg Mrakich Interior Painting Tips, indianapolis area painting companies, Indianapolis area painting contractors, interior design, interior painting tips, paint finish, semi gloss paint, trim finish, wall finish

Posted on Wednesday, June 9th, 2010 at 6:35 am under Indianapolis Painting Contractor, Interior Painting, painting, Painting for do-it-yourselfers. Follow any responses through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.