When you undergo a painting project, most people dwell on colors, patterns, and the theme of the room they want to paint. This can become an overwhelming task. As you make up your mind as to themes and colors, you’ll have to decide what type of paint you want to use. This is where it can get confusing. You will find there is flat paint, satin or eggshell paint, semi gloss and gloss paint. Not to mention the latex or oil base paints. L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc. will cover the difference and the proper use of the different types of paint.
Latex Paint is Not the Same as Oil Based Paint
Latex is a water base paint with many advantages. It is durable, fast-drying, has low odor, and is easy to apply. You can use soap and water to clean any messes that gets on your wall without damaging your wall or paint. Latex is most often used in kitchen or bathrooms due to its resistance to mildew. It also holds its color longer then oil base paints.
Oil Paint is a higher quality base paint. It does have better abrasion resistance then latex paints. The oil in the paint produces a higher glossy surface. It is easy to apply to surfaces and is very durable. This makes it a good choice for living rooms and bedrooms. The downside to oil base paint is that it has a stronger smell that can linger, and you can not use water or soaps to clean up messes.
What are the Different Paint Sheen Finishes?
Paints have different levels of matte to glossy surfaces. You will find that most paint will have a flat, satin or eggshell, semi-gloss and gloss choice of sheen. Choosing the right sheen will depend on the look you want each room to have.
Flat paint is the lowest grade of sheen. As it dries it will have a non-reflective smooth surface. Flat paints are great when it come to hiding imperfections on the walls. It will continue to hide those blemishes that occur over time. Due to its ability to hide unwanted blemishes on the wall, flat pain is very popular. This is why it is used in a lot of homes and businesses. However, flat paint can be rather porous, which makes it difficult to clean. It is recommended that you use flat paint in low traffic areas.
Satin, or Eggshell paints or low-luster paint. Although this grade of sheen is considered low-luster, it does have a more lustrous coat than flat paints. Many like to use satin or eggshell paint to add warmth and depth to the rooms. Satins and eggshell paints are easy to clean and can be used anywhere in the home. We recommend that you paint a small area of the wall and let it dry. Satin and eggshell paint can dry differently than what you want or expect.
Semi-gloss paint is the easiest of all paints to clean up. You will want to use this kind of paint in living rooms; children’s play areas, and bedrooms because of its ability for easy cleaning. If you are going to use a semi-gloss in the kitchen or bathrooms, be sure to use 100% acrylic latex paint. This makes it more durable in those moist areas. Semi-gloss does have a reflective surface. This will show the imperfections on the walls. If there has been any extensive work done on your wall, semi-gloss will show the wall’s past scars.
Gloss paint is great because it is the toughest and most durable paint on the market today. It also has the shiniest surface of all the paint types. Although the gloss paint can be used anywhere, it is most commonly used on doors, door frames, base boards, and molding—in and outside the home.
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L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc. wants to help you understand the different types of paints so the next time you are talking with the painter, you will know what type of paint you want to use. You no longer need to feel lost in the conversation, and can make the right choice for your next painting project.