Paint sheen

11 years ago

I am headed for divorce over this one. I hate semi gloss paint on wood trim. Any wood trim. My bathroom contractor also fancies himself as my decorator so I have this ongoing battle of what I want and not what he thinks will look good. I want a satin low rich sheen finish. He is going to use Sherwin Williams semi gloss and I am saying satin gloss. It has to be oil based. No doubt he has leftover paint from other jobs. Anyone had this experience? What kind of satin paint do you like?

Featured Answer

Oakley

11 years ago

I had a contractor who tried to get me to do things his way, and I just said NO until he backed off! lol.

I have satin (egg shell) on my walls, and semi gloss on the woodwoork, including beadboard which is under the satin. It's not that shiny at all. The feel of it is smoother though.

This is for a bathroom? Semi gloss is much easier to scrub (not just wash) than satin, and bathrooms collect a lot of dirt and grime. It would be easier to clean with semi gloss.

I love using Magic Eraser on the beadboard and woodwork, but I think it would be too harsh for satin paint.

Hopefully someone else can help you.

Comments (15)

gsciencechick
11 years ago
Maybe look for a low lustre semi-gloss that looks more like a satin?

In our half bath I used satin for the walls and semi-gloss for the trim.
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LuAnn_in_PA
11 years ago
I much prefer semigloss for bathrooms.

And while I dislike painted wood, I prefer semigloss there also.
sheesh
11 years ago
Oil based semi gloss is probably the best bet for a kitchen or bathroom, as long as the color is right.
cloudy_christine
11 years ago
There is no consistency in what "satin" amd "semi-gloss" mean from one manufacturer to another. You have to look at the gloss-level strip for the paint you're using.
Some semi-gloss is much shinier than other semi-gloss.
lindac
11 years ago
And if you use a magic eraser on any painted finish, it will soon become matte....and eventually non existent!
I like semi gloss on all wood work......and to my eye satin and semi gloss are very similar in sheen....egg shell is much more matte.
greenthumbfish
11 years ago
Go with the satin if that's what you want - I'm not a big fan of glossy painted surfaces either.
suzanne_sl
11 years ago
If I'm not mistaken, this is the house *you'll* be living in, not your contractor's house. If he likes semi-gloss, he can use it in his bathroom, and paint your bathroom the way you want it. Good grief.

P.S. He might be right, but that's not the point. Once he told you that he thinks semi is a better choice and you rejected it, that should have been the end of the conversation.
live_wire_oak
11 years ago
Check each line's gloss levels as they are all different. And oil based paint will yellow over time, if you can even find it in your location. It's becoming almost non-existant. A lot of research has gone into make water based paints as durable as oil paints, and they are also more matte than oil based ones. So, I think you're looking in the wrong products for what you want to begin with. Look for a semi gloss in a latex that doesn't have as much sheen. And yes, semi-gloss will be MUCH easier to keep clean in a kitchen or bath, but in some lines the satin will be almost as shiny as the semi gloss and be equally scrubbable.

NEVER use a magic eraser on any painted surface (or any other surface) that you care about. Yes, it will remove some stains, but how it does that is that it's a micro abrasive. It actually is removing the top layer of paint.
Carolyn
11 years ago
I think you should choose what YOU like - it's your home and you live in it - the contractor/painter will no doubt use what's easiest or most lucrative for him/her.

I share your fondness for low sheen paint on trim. And, I love flat paint on walls - I don't like for my walls to "shine." Drives my DH nuts, but that's what I like. And, I find that it wears and cleans up just as well as "shiny" finish paint. Go with what you'll enjoy seeing each and every day in your home!
nanjean68
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for your help. Not a fan of Magic Eraser and I noticed he did buy the paint in low luster (satin) from SW. Now he's trying to talk me into SW egg shell for the walls. No thanks. I have to learn to speak up for myself!
sserra85
11 years ago
I have BM Advance in simply white on all my trim and doors. Everyone tried talking me out of it also, but I love the satin vs semi gloss
EngineerChic
11 years ago
Another vote for Satin on woodwork! And I love matte for walls where I can use it. I often use eggshell, but really prefer matte.
judiegal6
11 years ago
We have tons of white woodwork, including wainscoting, moldings and french doors that are all painted in satin. I prefer it. We also prefer a satin finish on our hardwood floors rather than gloss.
beekeeperswife
11 years ago
I am very attracted to woodwork in really high gloss. But, I have semi-gloss woodwork in my house.

For the walls, BM makes a bathroom paint that is flat. It doesn't run, it is incredible and it is flat. I think it is Aura Bath & Spa. I tried the SW bath paint. It was a glossy finish for the walls. Same with Valspar. ick. Then the BM angel came to me and showed me this product. I love it. When we have to do the bathrooms over in this one-color-SW-pony house, I will use it.

Get the paint you want for the trim. Does he warranty his work and he is worried that using this other paint will give him issues? Probably not. So get what you want. These people make me CRAZY.