Paint finishes are chosen based on your own personal taste.
Paint is divided into several categories when it comes to finish. Flat, satin and gloss paint are used for different rooms throughout the house to impart a specific feel to a room or to make cleaning in certain areas of the home more manageable. Clear top coat is used primarily in furniture coating to protect wood finishes and impart a deep, rich luster to the furniture that is easy to clean.
Flat Paint
Flat paint has characteristics that are both drawbacks and advantages. Because the paint has no luster and has a slightly bumpy surface texture, it is best suited to use in bedrooms, living rooms and hallways, where soft lighting without glare is desirable. One drawback to flat paint is that in many cases, flat is difficult to clean, making it a poor choice for kid's rooms, kitchens or bathrooms.
Satin Paint
Satin, or semi-gloss, paint is a widely used paint throughout the home, as it blends the cleanability of gloss paint with the muted glare of flat paint. Semi-gloss paint is ideal for use in a wide variety of rooms, including family rooms, kid's rooms, other bedrooms and bathrooms. Satin paint also helps to hide surface imperfections in wall boards better than gloss paint can.
Gloss Paint
Gloss paint is not widely used on interior surfaces of the home, but is a good choice for areas of the home subject to the most cleaning. These areas might include the kitchen and bathrooms. Gloss paint has little surface texture, so it shows many flaws in the base wall board, necessitating thorough preparation of the surface prior to painting. Gloss paint is also used outdoors on trim, again because of the ease with which gloss paint is cleaned.
Clear Top Coat
Clear is used to protect base paint coats from damage such as exposure to UV radiation or liquid spills. Furniture that is protected with a clear top coat is less likely to suffer mars or scratches in the wood finish, and requires less frequent refinishing. Clear is not used on walls, but is available in semi-gloss, gloss and flat finish for woodworking.
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