Selecting the right type of paint and finish for your interior painting project is as important as choosing the correct colors. Interior paint and finish is the meat and potatoes of todays post.
There are many different paint manufacturers and each one offers a range of products and finishes. Many homeowners rely on their painting contractor or the paint store salesperson to help them with a product and finish selection. Although there is nothing wrong with that, having a better understanding of different products and sheen will help you in making a more informed decision. As paint contractors based in Westchester County NY, the first thing we recommend is not to focus on saving a few dollars when deciding what paint to purchase.
Manufacturers of less expensive products use lower quality ingredients. Bargain paints are less likely to have good hiding and coverage capabilities. They often do not flow well, don’t cover as much SQ/ft per gallon, and can have poor color retention, meaning they will fade quickly. A paint that might be a few dollars cheaper may end up costing you more in the end.
“Finish” and “sheen” refer to how shiny the paint is and how reflective the painted surface will be. Usually, lower sheen paints are better at disguising minor flaws on your walls and ceiling, while higher sheen paints help accentuate architectural details in trim and woodwork, and are easier to clean.
You could be overwhelmed by the range of products and finishes available for interior painting of your home! Following are a few recommendations to help you choose the right paint and finish with confidence.
Benjamin Moore paints offers the following range of Interior products for your interior paint and finish:
PAINT
Ben: A good paint for the price that offers a wide range of colors.
Regal Select: Benjamin Moore is slowly replacing its “Regal” line of paints with “Regal Select”. It is premium quality paint with great performance. Regal/Regal Select is the most commonly used product in the Benjamin Moore product line.
Satin Impervo Alkyd: Enamel paint with great flow and leveling capabilities that air dries to a hard finish. Because of its hard finish film, there is a good chance of cracks appearing with changes in temperature. It is most commonly used on interior architectural trim painting in custom-built houses. However, we recommend it for coating interior metal surfaces as well as solid built-in cabinetry or woodwork.
Waterborne Satin Impervo is a 100% acrylic paint that provides great flow and leveling capabilities without the odor of oil based paint. It is a hard finish that stands up to scrubbing and washing.
Natura: Eco-Friendly Premium Paint with Zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) that offers great quality and is safe for the health and well-being of your family as well as the environment.
Aura: Top of the line quality paint with low VOC. Aura offers high hiding and color retention with very little odor. There is also an Aura Bath and Spa specifically made for areas with high moisture present.
FINISH
Flat: Has low sheen and provides good hiding of surface imperfections. It is the least reflective of light and mostly used on ceiling and walls. The flat is the easiest finish for touch up.
Matte: Similar to flat but with slightly more sheen and the added benefit of being washable.
Eggshell: Provides a soft sheen and is ideal for high traffic surfaces. It is easy to clean but difficult to touch up damaged areas. It also requires better prepping of the surface to ensure that any flaws don’t show.
Satin: Offers a low luster sheen that is great for trim or walls (high traffic areas) without being as reflective as other high sheen paints. Levels well with few brush marks and that make it very popular for trim and millwork.
Semi-Gloss: provides a highly reflective sheen that is mostly used on trim. You may also choose semi-gloss for areas where washing the surface is required.
Gloss: The least used finish. It has the highest sheen and is washable, so is most often used for trim. If used on larger flat surfaces like walls or ceilings, extra preparatory work is required as the high sheen will highlight and magnify even tiny imperfections.
Please call or email us to set up an estimate or consultation at 914.762.7874 or info@painttrack.com.
Check out our Facebook and Instagram or website for more pictures and stories about our past work.