It’s no secret that paints and finishes make your interiors and exteriors communicate with the real world. They not only protect your walls, ceilings, floors, and trim, but also add a sense of beauty and vitality to your entire home. However, giving your walls a good look is not just about choosing the right color.
Before you start painting your walls deep turquoise or deep white, there’s a lot more to paints and coatings than colors you need to know. Here’s an idea of the different types of paints and finishes and how they impact your interiors and exteriors.
base layers
A decorative texture finish is rarely applied directly to the wall. Depending on the surface to be painted, a base coat is used before the original topcoat is applied. A quality base coat helps prepare the wall/ceiling for painting and makes the textured finish look good and last a long time.
Primer provides a good base for new, uncoated walls and surfaces, protecting the materials below and serving as a base for other coats of paints. Oil-based paints require a primer base coat, especially on woodworking. Plaster and masonry, on the other hand, use a waterborne primer coat as a base. Other surfaces, such as glass, tiles or melamine, are primed with special primers or for difficult surfaces.
top coats
A texture finish is what we use as a decorative feature on walls and ceilings once the base coat is applied to the surface. Additionally, there are various types of paint finishes that are an excellent solution for covering interior surfaces.
>> Matte
This type of paint finish, also called wall paint or matte finish, is often applied to interior walls, especially those with a matte surface. You can easily cover cracks, bumps or other imperfections on the wall surface.
>> Flat finish
A matte finish is a durable type of paint best used on vanities and hallways and helps surfaces deal with moisture.
>> Eggshell
Eggshell paint has a slight sheen to it and is more durable than flat paint. Additionally, eggshell finishes are easy to clean and are good for interior walls and wood surfaces.
>> Brightness
Gloss paints have a glossy finish and are commonly used on metal and wood surfaces for their high durability. There are also semi-gloss finishes that are used on kitchen and bathroom cabinets and doors, and hold up better with cleaning.
>> satin
Satin paints have a smooth, glossy finish with a velvety appearance. While most often used on windows and doors, a satin finish can rarely be applied to interior walls and ceilings as paint.
Lastly, color is not the only consideration when you are on your painting project. The finish you choose will determine how vibrant the details will appear on the surfaces and how easy they will be to maintain.