Flat, Eggshell, Satin, Semi Gloss - Which should I Use?
Isn’t eggshell a color? If I had a nickel for every time I have heard that over the past 20 years, I could retire. There are so many choices in today’s paint world, it can be overwhelming what to choose for your home. Just like the grocery store, paint stores are lined with so many different choices. It is easy to get confused about what to buy, so how do you know what kind of paint you need?One thing that you don’t have to really decide about is Latex vs Oil. With all the changes the EPA has made in the paint industry, you can’t really buy oil base paint in California anymore. And the very limited types you can, only come in quarts, and are very expensive. Why would you buy oil when there are so many excellent choices in the latex lines? You shouldn’t! Latex paint has less odor, is better for the environment, and is easier to use. Now there are still some oil base primers that you may want to use, but the future is already written. In the next 5 years we won’t even be able to get those.
What sheen should I use? Flat, eggshell, stain, semi gloss, or gloss? Here at Brooks Painting we use eggshell more than any other wall finish. The reason is that it gives you the most durability with the least sheen. We use flat for most ceilings, it hides the flaws in the ceilings and doesn’t reflect the light like an eggshell or higher sheen would. We use semi gloss on trim for the most durability, since homeowners touch the trim more often than other surfaces.
What is low voc or zero voc paint? Using a low- or no-VOC paint will decrease the odor we like to call “that fresh paint smell”. While the evaporating solvents in a typical paint have not been shown to be harmful in reasonable amounts, it can be more pleasant to work with the low-VOC varieties. There are also fewer compounds that evaporate into the atmosphere. Most paints today are required to meet the low voc label, and many more are simply making zero voc paint. Sherwin Williams just recently switched their tints to zero voc, so now their zero voc paint will truly be zero voc. It is the future of paint, and they are top quality products.
The next question is what brand of paint should I buy? As a professional painting contractor, Brooks Painting has worked with almost every paint brand over the past 15 years. Our primary brands that we work with are Sherwin Williams and Kelly Moore. There are countless other brands out there, and that can be overwhelming and confusing. One thing I recommend is buy paint from a paint store, not a big box store. Paint stores specialize in paint only, and are the best resource you can find on products. They also stand behind their products if something goes wrong. You wouldn’t buy a car at a grocery store, so don’t buy paint from someone who doesn’t specialize in it.
