Selecting The Right Paint Finish for your Walls

When choosing paint finishes, it is usually important to consider the durability and the amount of shine you desire. You may want to go for a paint finish that does not reflect light (matte), one that is glossy or anything in between. The type of finish that you pick is obviously a matter of personal preference but there are some factors that should influence your final decision.

·         Whether the paint finish is for exterior or interior surfaces

Paint finishes for external surfaces should be of high quality since the surfaces are exposed to extreme climatic conditions and there’s a high chance of peeling or bubbling. Since external surfaces give visitors the first impression, it is obviously important to ensure that they have just the right amount of shine. Finishes for interior surfaces depend a lot on what the room will be used for. You may use matte finishes for rooms that need to be calm and glossy finishes to brighten up rooms like living rooms.

·         Desired lustre

Glossy paint is usually easy on the eye and it is washable unlike flat/matte paint. Flat paint on the other hand can hide imperfections on your surface that could otherwise be seen if you used glossy paint. It is important to asses each case to know how much shine you need your walls to have.

·         Ease of cleaning is another guiding factor when it comes to selecting paint finishes.

If a room is frequented by small children for instance, there’s always a chance that they will use crayons on the walls. This means that paint finishes in such rooms should be washable to ensure that the children get to enjoy playtime without permanently affecting the paint. Some paint finishes cannot withstand scrubbing but they can be easily cleaned using a damp cloth and it is important to distinguish what exactly you want. You may want to scrub off the dust on your external walls once in a while and you should be able to do that without worrying about the paint.