As you plan your next painting project, it’s important to consider what paint sheen would be best for your space. The sheen you use will play a role in how the paint looks over time.
When choosing a paint sheen, make sure you consider a few details of the space you’ll be painting. Are you painting the exterior or interior? Is the space a high traffic area, such as a kitchen, or a low traffic area, such as a closet? Do you expect to clean parts of the walls on a regular basis?
For an interior painting project, you may consider the entire range of sheens from flat to high gloss depending on the space. Higher sheens make the paint easier to clean and more resistant to stains from oils and dirt. However, paint with a high sheen shows imperfections and dings more easily because the sheen reflects light well. This means a spot with a dent or ding will also reflect light well and almost highlight the imperfection. Another detail to consider is you can’t do touch ups on any sheen higher than a matte without seeing a marked difference between the old paint and the new. If you use a higher sheen paint and later want to cover some imperfections in the paint, you’ll need to do a full wall repaint, which increases the cost of maintenance.
On the other hand, lower sheens, such as flat and matte, tend to show dirt and oil stains faster, but imperfections are hidden better than with higher sheens. Flat and matte sheens also allow for touch ups to the paint without seeing a noticeable sheen difference between the original paint and the touched up area. This makes long-term repainting easier regarding both labor and materials.
If you’re planning an exterior painting project, flat or matte sheen is generally recommended. These sheens are less likely to show damage from hail, animals, or other natural elements that can cause minor dents in the paint. That being said, you may still consider a higher sheen if you will be using a darker color. These colors contain more black pigment, which causes the paint to absorb more UV radiation, and the paint will break down and fade more quickly than a lighter color. A higher sheen will reflect more of the light away from the paint instead of absorbing it.
If you’re not sure what sheen is right for your project, JMJ Painters can help. Each paint project estimate we do includes a recommendation for paint sheen. We would love to partner with you on your next project. You can schedule a free estimate online by clicking here or by calling us at (612) 255-3351.