Types of Sheen
Sheen refers to the level of gloss in paint. Once you've picked the color of your room, decide how much sheen you want. There are four types of paint sheen: flat, satin, semi-gloss and gloss.
Flat or Matte
- It has the lowest level, with a smooth finish.
- It's best for ceilings and low-traffic areas such as bedrooms.
Satin
- It brings warmth and depth to a space.
- It's easier to clean than flat paint.
- Satin works for most rooms.
- Good to use if you have kids or pets.
Semi-Gloss
- It gives a noticeable shine.
- It's good for high traffic areas.
- It's easy to clean and ideal for kids' rooms, kitchens and baths.
- Semi-gloss doesn't hide imperfections as well as satin.
Gloss
- Shiny, tough and durable.
- It's best for baseboards, doors and trim — areas with a lot of wear and tear.
- It can also be used in rooms or areas where you want to draw attention.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What does sheen mean?
A. Sheen is the level of shine that's on a surface. In terms of paint, there are four different sheens.
Q.
What are the different paint sheens?
A. Paint sheens range from flat (no shine), satin (slight shine), semi-gloss (noticeable shine) and gloss (highly reflective) surface.
Q.
What is the best sheen for wall paint?
A. It depends on the location. For low-traffic areas and ceilings, we recommend flat paint. Satin paint can be used in most spaces and is easier to clean than flat paint. For high-traffic areas (kitchens, bathrooms, playrooms and hallways), use semi-gloss paint. Trim, moulding and banisters look best with gloss paint.
Q.
Is eggshell the same as satin?
A. Satin paint has slightly more shine than eggshell.
Q.
What paint finish is easiest to clean?
A. Gloss is the easiest to clean because it's a slicker surface. But gloss is typically used on trim work. For walls, semi-gloss would be the easiest to clean.