What Paint Should You Use Inside Your Home?

When we decided to create a FAQs blog for ProEndPainting.com, one of the first questions everyone mentioned was the ever popular, "What kind of paint should I use?"

We get this question a lot. And it's understandable. If you don't work with paint on a regular basis, the variety of paints available can be as overwhelming as the variety of colors!  

However, when it comes to what paint to use inside of your home, we can simplify the issue by talking about paint "sheen."

Typically, when painters talk about "sheen" they are talking about the luster or brightness of paint. However, there's more to it than just how much light your paint reflects. Once paint is applied and dries, it settles into a certain density (the space between the molecules). A higher sheen means a greater density, which means less space between the molecules. And the less space, the less opportunity for water, dirt, or bacteria to penetrate your paint.

So if higher sheen means greater protection, why then use a lower sheen/ low luster paint? The answer is appearance. Again, the lower the sheen, the less light is reflected. And the less light that is reflected, the less visible any defects in your painted surface.

This is why we encourage our customers to use a low sheen paint (like a flat or a matte) on low traffic surfaces, such as walls in a master bedroom or an offices, or on their ceilings. Painting those surfaces with a low sheen paints will hide imperfections while providing a soft, smooth look.  

However, when it comes to your bathroom, your kitchen, or your child's bedroom, we encourage customers to choose a higher sheen paint (like a satin or a semi-gloss). These paints give additional projection from moisture, dirt, and bacteria.

And the same can be said for high traffic areas like doors, trim, or cabinets. But applying a higher-gloss paint means that our painters often have to put in extra prep-time, sanding these surfaces to make sure that they are smooth and ready to be covered with the less-forgiving paint. We do this because we don't want the sheen of the semi-gloss paint showing off every small imperfection in your kitchen cabinets or your wainscoting.

Selecting the right kind of paint is essential. It keeps the paint that you choose accomplishing the purpose for which you chose it. You want it to protect and beautify your home, preserving your surfaces while hiding any small imperfections. That's why, at ProEnd Painting, we work with our customers to make sure we match the perfect paint with each room of their home.  

If you'd like to talk with one of our painting professionals and have them help you select the right paint for your home, click the link below and set up your free estimate today!