Paint Sheens Explained: Flat, Eggshell, Satin and Semi-Gloss

Two walls painted the same colour can look completely different depending on the sheen. Sheen is how much light the dried paint reflects, from flat with almost no shine to gloss that looks almost glassy. It also changes how tough the surface is, how easily it cleans and how much it shows the bumps underneath. Here is a plain guide to choosing the right one.

The sheens, from least to most shine

• Flat: no shine at all. Hides wall flaws best, but is the least washable.
• Matte: a touch more durable than flat, with the same soft look. Many brands make washable mattes.
• Eggshell: a low, soft glow. Easier to wipe than matte while still hiding small flaws.
• Satin: a gentle sheen that stands up to cleaning. Common in busy rooms.
• Semi-gloss: clearly shiny and very durable. The usual choice for trim and doors.
• Gloss: the shiniest and hardest. Used for accents, some doors and furniture-style finishes.

Names and levels vary between paint brands, so one brand's eggshell can look closer to another brand's satin. When it matters, compare painted samples side by side.

Shine shows flaws

The more a surface shines, the more it shows what is underneath. Dents, patches and uneven drywall joints catch the light on a satin or semi-gloss wall and disappear on a flat one. That is why ceilings are almost always flat: light from windows and fixtures skims across them and would reveal every seam. In older Toronto homes with plaster walls, a lower sheen often looks smoother and more even.

Durability and cleaning

Higher sheens form a harder, smoother surface, so marks wipe off more easily and the paint holds up to more cleaning. Lower sheens can mark or polish if scrubbed. Modern washable mattes have narrowed the gap, but in rooms that take a lot of wear, a little sheen still helps.

Which sheen to use in each room

• Ceilings: flat.
• Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms: matte or eggshell for a soft look that still cleans.
• Hallways, stairwells and kids' rooms: eggshell or satin, because hands and bags touch the walls.
• Kitchens and bathrooms: satin, or a matte made for humid rooms, so the walls handle moisture and wiping.
• Baseboards, door frames and doors: semi-gloss for a hard, wipeable finish.
• Kitchen cabinets: a durable satin or semi-gloss enamel made for cabinets.

Our guide to bedroom paint colours and finishes goes deeper on bedrooms, and our page on door and window frame painting covers trim.

Mixing sheens in one room

Using a lower sheen on the walls and a higher one on the trim is normal and looks crisp: the trim reads as a frame and stays easy to wipe. Keep the same sheen on every wall in a room, though. Touch-ups and repainted patches in a different sheen show up as dull or shiny spots when the light hits them.

Keep a labelled can of each colour and sheen after the job. A touch-up in the exact same product blends in far better than a close match.

Changing sheen when you repaint

Going from a shiny surface to a flatter one, or painting over old oil-based trim, needs the right prep so the new paint bonds: cleaning, scuff-sanding and sometimes a bonding primer. If you are repainting stained or glossy woodwork, our guide on painting stained trim and doors white explains the steps.

Not sure which sheen suits your rooms? Ask us during your free estimate, or read more about our interior painting service.

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