How to Choose the Right Sheen

We spend a lot of time picking the right color, but choosing the right sheen is just as important.  Here's a couple of suggestions for choosing the right sheen for your project:

The Most Common Sheens:

Flat

 Recommended for interior level 5 smooth wall and slightly imperfect smooth wall.  Also good for ceilings or inconsistent areas.  Because there is no sheen, the light won’t reflect off of the inconsistencies or patches and so it will hide them much better than any sheen.

Low Sheen 

 Is the most common exterior sheen.  It sits between flat and eggshell and offers a little more protection than flat, but does have a noticeable sheen. 

Eggshell 

Generally used on interiors and available in all interior products.  It works well for bathrooms and kitchens. 

Semi-Gloss 

High sheen, generally used on trim, doors and cabinets and occasionally in kitchens and bathrooms, especially if there is little to no ventilation.

General Tips to keep in mind

• ·       More sheen = more UV protection on exteriors, and the more sheen you use on an interior, the longer it will stay scrubbable.
• ·       Less sheen = better hiding.  Using a flat shows a lot less imperfections over the surface.
• ·       More Sheen = Longer color retention.  Because sheen gives more UV protection, the colors will fade less.
• ·       Make sure to use Semi-Gloss on areas that get handled more (i.e. Doors, baseboards, cabinets, etc…)