Atlanta Residential Interior Painting Gallery

Which Paint Sheen to Choose?

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As a painting contractor, I am constantly asked by my clients which paint sheen is best. This is one of those questions that doesn’t have a single, correct answer.  Every sheen has pros and cons associated with it.  For this article I am focusing specifically on interior, residential applications.

Before you can decide what the best sheen is, you must understand environment in which the coating is exposed.

Here are the factors that you must consider when choosing a sheen:

1.  How much wear and tear will the coating be exposed to? Are their pets or children that frequently and/or roughly touch the walls?  Is it a high traffic area like an entry way or mud room?  Will the area be exposed to abnormal conditions like steam, smoke , or grease?  If the walls are going to get a lot of wear and tear or will require cleaning, you will need something with a sheen.  Paints with sheen are more durable and washable.  Some manufacturers have “washable flats.”  These coats have outstanding durability with a very slight sheen.  Most of them are as good as advertised.  They are, however, expensive.

2.  In what condition are the walls? Do the walls have bad repair work done?  Are there nail pops?  Is the drywall hung and finished poorly?  If you answered yes to any of these, you should opt for a flatter sheen paint.  The flatter the sheen, the fewer imperfection you will see.  This is because light bounces off of imperfections at odd angles and if you have a sheen, you will see a glare at the imperfection.

How dark is the color? Darker colors tend to be unforgiving when showing lap marks and surface imperfections.  Paints with higher sheen have these same limitations.  That is why I don’t recommend using higher sheen paints for dark colors.  (I am referring to walls with this statement.  In some applications, this is not true).  This isn’t a rule, but my expert recommendation is “the darker the color, the flatter the sheen.”

 

Well that’s about it.  I’m sure we can think of other factors that can influence paint sheen, but the three above cover 95% of all interior, residential projects.

 

To sum up

Flatter sheen paints:

Pros – Better at hiding imperfections, touching up, give walls a softer, smoother look.

Cons – Mar and scuff easily,  not washable, tend to fade faster

Higher sheen paints:

Pros – Durable, washable, holds sheen and color

Cons – Show imperfections, laps marks, and glare

 

By Daniel Macris

Daniel Macris is the president of GreenWave Solutions, Inc. in Atlanta, GA.  GreenWave Solutions is the premier painter in Atlanta.  We are the first “Green” contractor in Atlanta.

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Atlanta Faux Painting & Finishing

Faux Finishes

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Atlanta Faux Painting &amp FinishingFaux finishes in painting allow the person to create textures or effects that resemble surfaces such as stone, suede, crackled paint, etc., that enhance the appearance of the room. There are hundreds of faux finishes that can be selected from, depending on the design style that you want to achieve in your home.

Some of the most popular faux finishes include rag rolling, stippling, and stone finishes. Each of these faux finish techniques can be accomplished with your imagination and just a few materials.

For stone faux finishes start by making sure that the surface you are applying the faux finish technique to is clean, dry and free of any debris. It is a good idea to get a picture of the type of stone, (including colors and patterns) that you want in advance so that you have a reference while you work. Next you will need to apply a base coat in an off white color for the foundation of the faux finish . Once this dries, mix together the primary color of your stones, using a latex paint, with two parts of a latex glaze. This faux finish will now need you to use a rag or paper as an applicator to dab on the mixture to create the texture of your “stone”. Then, using cardboard or heavy paper, create a stencil for your “stones” and trace them onto the surface, taking care with placement of the “stone” so that they seem natural to the eye. Finally, your faux finish will need you to follow the lines of the outside of the stones with a natural color paint, creating the appearance of a mortar on the surface. While this faux finish technique may take some time, depending on the area to be covered, the results will create a beautiful faux stone finish that enhances any decor.

As with any faux finish technique it is advisable to first practice the technique process on a spare board or surface that can be discarded when you are done. Not only will the practice time make sure that you are comfortable with the real application of the faux finish , it will allow you to make any adjustments in color if necessary before you begin the work.