What’s the difference between matte and eggshell?
You might know what color you want, but have you thought about what kind of finish you need for your residential painting project? Finishes come in a range of options, but today we’ll talk about two common types: matte and eggshell.
Matte: A matte finish will generally be a more dull finish. It’s low luster and smoothness is desirable in certain areas of the home because it is durable, easy to touch up with additional paint, hides minor surface imperfections and doesn’t reflect as much light.
A matte finish works really well in areas like bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, hallways, ceilings and interior walls.
When painting with a matte finish you’ll find that it holds dirt more than other finishes. A matte finish is also more difficult to clean because cleaning can remove the finish, so don’t use a matte finish in the bathroom, kitchen, laundry or mudroom.
Eggshell: An eggshell finish will be more radiant than the matte. It’s soft, velvety appearance is great because it reflects more light, making a room brighter, and it offers better resistance to moisture and grime than matte.
An eggshell finish works really well when painting kitchens and bathrooms.
Painting with an eggshell finish, you’ll find that they show more imperfections than matte, so you need to make sure to sand and smooth your wall surface before painting.
Extra Tip: Before meeting with a professional painter, gather information on every room so you can make an educated choice between matte and eggshell. Information to gather includes the room use (note if it is a dual use room), traffic and required cleanability.
Good luck out there and contact us if you need a professional painting partner!