The paint you choose is all the difference it makes about your home’s appearance. You always want the right colour to enhance your room’s appearance. So, you will be looking for durable paint that stays for a long time. Choosing the right paint is key to durability, protection, finishing, and appearance. Depending on your taste and budget, several options are available according to your style preferences. This article will help you understanding paint finishes, their types, factors to choose from, application methods, combinations and more. Let’s get started.
A paint finish refers to a painted surface’s final appearance and texture. It is determined by the type of paint used and the technique applied. Common paint finishes are matte, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and gloss. The choice of paint finish depends on our preferences, durability, and the area of the painted surface.
If you have pets or children in your home matte finish can be opted for because it absorbs more light and doesn’t reflect. As a result, it doesn’t expose any imperfections done by them. But, Glossy paint is easier to clean than matte paint. It is important to take action if something is spilled on the surface. The more difficult it becomes if you wait for a longer time. Matte finishes are economical and preferred to cover large spaces like ceilings, bedrooms, and dining rooms without more traffic and attracting less dirt.
A flat finish is also a matte finish that is not glossy. Moreover, matte is more solid in texture. It is generally used for painting drywalls and ceilings as these areas don’t need any reflective glossy finish because they get so much light reflection. A flat finish also helps to cover imperfections like matte. Still, it is easier to clean and durable if applied correctly.
Flat finishes enhance the look of the furniture, fabric and accessories as they are more pigmented and provide uniformity to the painted walls and ceilings.
The eggshell paint finish is used on surfaces with low traffic and less possibility of attracting dirt. It can hide imperfections on your walls due to its texture and lower reflectivity. It has a little sheen, giving the finishing a bit of gloss. It provides medium-level durability and protection than a flat finish. Eggshell works for areas such as walls that are easier to clean and unsuitable for bathroom or Kitchen spaces.
It is the most preferred choice for high-traffic halls, lobbies and children’s rooms. It is velvety and smooth, durable and very easy to clean. Unlike matte and flat paints, it doesn’t hide any imperfections and irregular brush strokes. It should be applied carefully, and touch-ups are challenging for these paints.
Semi-Gloss paints are highly durable and suited for high-traffic areas. They are more resistant to damage and stains. They are also suitable for areas more exposed to water, like the kitchen, Wash areas, and Bathrooms, indoors and outdoors. This finish is lightly glossy and doesn’t reflect much light.
Semi-gloss is very easy to wipe and clean due to its texture, and it is highly durable. But, It cannot hide any imperfections in the wall.
High Gloss paint looks good in rooms such as kitchens and areas with more spillages or areas with a lot of traffic and low light spaces. They are very easy to clean and are highly durable. It should be applied carefully and coated evenly as it can show imperfections and irregular brush strokes due to its thin texture. Hiring a professional is advisable for this paint type.
All it takes is a sponge or rag to wipe off the excess dirt or food spills easily. If you plan to stay in your home longer, consider this paint type, known for durability and longevity, with a glossy finish.
When choosing the paint finishes, it is important to consider your preferences and needs.
Durability: Most paint manufacturing companies promote their products by saying all their paints can be cleaned. But, the fact here is the more glossy the paint is, the more it is easier to clean, wipe or soft scrub it from any dirt.
Rustic Style: Use Flat paint if you choose a vintage look or a rustic style. If you feel that flat paint is not durable, consider eggshell for walls and flat enamel for trim.
High-gloss Style: A room covered with full glossy paint cannot be eye appealing sometimes. So, Use it in selected areas like doors, trims or accent walls rather than the whole room.
Ceiling Finishes: It is not easy to touch up the ceilings. So, While using glossy paint for ceilings, make sure you use a good quality that is more durable and doesn’t crack.
Spray painting is often done using air-atomized coatings. Applications that use air atomizing are very flexible and can be used with practically any material. The loss of paint is one of the main issues with air-atomized technology.
Airless spray forces the paint through a small and narrow nozzle to create pressure rather than mixing paint with air which is done in the air-atomized spray. So, as a result, there is a very low amount of paint lost through overspray.
HVLP spray uses spray gun technology which forces large quantities of low-pressured air onto the gun. By using this method, less amount of paint is overspray. It also requires more experienced painters.
Applications typically entail situations when appearances are not so important. It involves immersing the items to be painted in the coating substance in a tank, draining the excess in a solvent-filled environment, and then drying. It offers coverage in recessed places quickly and effectively.
In this method, the volume of coating needed is low compared to dip coating. The paint is sent through a channel by nozzles and coated on the upper surfaces of the products. The extra paint is collected in a channel below the conveyor, which will be recycled.
It is similar to flow coating in its work. Still, it uses airless spray nozzles attached to rotating arms in a designed cabin which reuses the coating material. It gives an even coating.
It is also called as “Dip Spin method,” which is similar to dip coating but suitable for small parts. The parts are placed in a basket with holes and dipped into the paint. After it is completely dipped, the basket spins very fast, eliminating the excess paint with the help of centrifugal force. This gives an even coating to small parts.
The name describes its method, where the paint falls from a slotted pipe as a curtain. The products will pass through it with the help of a conveyor belt. Excess paint will be collected below and will be sent for reuse.
It is a method of dip coating which uses electrical current to attract paint particles to oppositely charged surfaces which need to be painted.
Autodeposition is very similar to electrocoating, but it uses no electric current and deionized water is used to rinse and remove the excess paint.
We can create depth and visual interest by choosing a different paint finish for one wall. Try bold colours or patterns on the accent wall, and for other surrounding walls, use a matte or eggshell finish to make it more elegant.
To highlight architectural features and add dimension to your room, use a matte or eggshell finish for walls and semi-gloss or high gloss for trims like windows or frames.
Use a pearlescent or metallic finish for fireplaces, feature walls, and Shelves. Highlight them with magnetic or chalkboard paint to add spark and elegance to your home.
The colour and complete work should work evenly. So, choose the same finish for the ceiling and walls to give a Cohesive appearance, ultimately enhancing the overall space.
To achieve the required impact, combine the paints, test them in small areas, and analyze how they look in different lighting conditions. You can also use online tools if required and adjust the tint accordingly.
By carefully selecting the different paint finishes and their combinations, we can add depth, texture, and visual impact and increase the room’s aesthetics.
Ultimately, it is important to know about the different types of paints and their finishes so that you can choose wisely the kind of finish best suits you. Executive Touch Painters Ltd has expertise in residential and commercial painting services in Toronto and the GTA area. Our skilled workers recommend the best finishing and paint type suitable for great visual impact and ensure that the paint is durable according to the environment. By choosing and applying the best paint finishes and their combinations, we can enhance the room’s beauty and make it a conversation starter. Book an online appointment for free estimation, or contact us at (416)410–0164.
