Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
laila619

Contractor says NOT to use eggshell finish paint...

laila619
10 years ago

He insists I will not be happy with it. Is this just because it's easier to hide wall imperfections with flat paint and his painter is just lazy, or is he right? Is eggshell finish in a kitchen ugly or a bad idea? Thanks!

Comments (21)

  • kirkhall
    10 years ago

    Personally, eggshell is a little too shiny for me.

    Additionally, should you need to do any touch ups, you can get "flashing" with any paint with a sheen (the more sheen the more potential for "flashing".)

    Generally though, I also don't do entirely flat....

    Did you ask him why, specifically, he doesn't recommend eggshell? (not just 'you won't be happy with it" but "in what way might I not be happy with it"?)

  • Vertise
    10 years ago

    Which contractor is saying this? GC, painter? Old drywall, new drywall?

    Probably due to wall and finish flaws. Flat will hide them better. And they sure don't want you coming back to them to fix something.

    You can do a matte with 2% sheen, it does touch up well. Is eggshell about 7%, I forget.

    This post was edited by snookums2 on Thu, Sep 26, 13 at 15:53

  • herbflavor
    10 years ago

    just used Ace newest paint-Clark and Kensington [ceramic technology]..small bathroom-lots of brushwork with cutting in/edges/etc. Decided to brush the whole thing.....nice long working time-used SATIN and no brush strokes showing at all. Beautiful paint-used just an off white-rich depth and love the sheen-a little-not too much. This paint rivals pratt and lambert as far as I'm concerned. Paint is constantly improving being a chemical and lots of research involved. Get the best you can afford with good brushes/rollers and don't pay attention to old time beliefs-not relevant with changes and new offerings for the consumer all the time.. This satin finish is wonderful .

  • willtv
    10 years ago

    We've had eggshell in our kitchen since the October 2010 reno.
    It looks great and it cleans up well.
    As we haven't had to re-touch any areas I can't speak to the paint finish matching issue.
    In advance of your paint job, why not try painting a small area in eggshell and see what you think.

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    I have one room in eggshell-lovely finish I will never use again. Touch ups stand out- had to repaint entire walL. My SIL warned me.
    Also wall need to be very smooth-if you want to pay for them to make better surface and deal with touch up then not a problem.

  • calumin
    10 years ago

    We used Benjamin Moore Aura eggshell on the walls, flat on the ceiling, and semi-gloss for trim. Looks fantastic.

  • PRO
    BeverlyFLADeziner
    10 years ago

    Flat paint, depending on the brand, is often not cleanable. Once you try to wash a spot, you'll be left with a shiny spot where you washed and have to repaint the entire wall.

    You might consider flat paint if painting walls dark like burgundy or eggplant or black. Otherwise, as a designer I recommend eggshell finish for residential use. However, not all paint companies offer eggshell. Some only offer a satin finish and that is too shiny for many installations..

    Also all paint is not created equal. You'd want to consider Benjamin Moore, Lowes Valspar, Sherwin Williams, Pratt & Lambert, PPG, some Dutch Boy paints just to name a few.

    If a contractor does a bad job on installing drywall, taping & sanding, then eggshell will highlight those imperfections,,,,,,,,,,,,,but then that contractor shouldn't be in business. Eggshell is even okay to use on the textured walls common in the Southwest, Florida & Texas.

  • badgergal
    10 years ago

    When we did our kitchen remodel 2 years ago we had a professional painter to do the painting. We have used him in various houses for many years. He definitely knows paint and he only uses Benjamin Moore products.
    He actually recommended eggshell for the finish. The walls that he painted were both old and new drywall. Coverage was excellant. I have touched up a couple spots recently and the touch ups do not show at all. Ocassional grease or tomato splatters clean up easily. He used BM's Regal Classic paint.
    I think the differing opinions you get from GWers with regard to eggshell finish may be in part due to the actual product used in their homes and not just the finish used. Different brands and different products of the same brand will perform differently.

  • jakuvall
    10 years ago

    I used BM- Regal Classic.

    We were warned to paint entire wall at once not letting it dry long between. I cut edges and stepped out for work, my dear (short) wife started rolling and didn't feel like getting out the ladder, painted a wall or two part way up then took a break. I returned to finish. When all was dry there was a line where she stopped painting. It is what my son in law,paints a bit more than I, said would happen.

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    I've had flat paint in my kitchen before and after the redo. It cleans up just fine. It's so easy to touch up. I painted my kitchen the same color as the adjacent dining room and living room which had been painted 3 years earlier. Both paints had to be mixed. You cannot tell where the new paint meets the old.

  • jellytoast
    10 years ago

    I've never had a problem touching up any flat paint, and have never had to repaint an entire wall. I've have not touched up any of my newer painted walls, though, so things may have changed in recent years as far as "ease of touch-up" goes.

  • raee_gw zone 5b-6a Ohio
    10 years ago

    Badgergal makes a good point about the variation amongst brands. I have used eggshell finish in Behr and it is glossier than eggshell in Valspar -- I prefer the Valspar.

    Even just after priming I can see a lot of flaws in the areas that were repaired, some of them rather large and easily noticed. More sanding needed here and there and a few gouges also after the cabinet installation. I was planning on using eggshell again, now not sure.

  • krycek1984
    10 years ago

    We use Satin on all walls. I find that it is a good compromise between all types of paint. Plus I hate the feel of flat and eggshell.

  • lyfia
    10 years ago

    I prefer eggshell at least what I've used - no issues with the sheen and painting and lines and it is cleanable. I also like the light that reflects off of it in comparison to matte. Satin on the other hand has shown those paint lines for me. I think it really depends on the paint line and how much sheen there is in the paint formula.

  • kirkhall
    10 years ago

    (I agree the brand makes a difference, but so does the "reformulation" of everything in VERY recent years. BM paint from my remodel 3 years ago is not the same as BM paint of this last year... just a warning).

    I used satin in the end for almost everywhere except the bathrooms where I was talked into eggshell. The BM paint literally dripped down the wall as I rolled it on. It was awful and I will never use BM eggshell again (plus, it really is too shiny. I wish I hadn't been talked into it by the BM paint store guy).

  • joaniepoanie
    10 years ago

    When my kitchen reno was running behind due to "surprises" I offered to pick up the paint at BM...the contractor told me to get "washable flat".....still not sure what that means, but we've had no problems with it.

  • illinigirl
    10 years ago

    I will never go back to flat paint on walls anywhere in my house. flat paint is just not cleanable period. Touchups aren't great on flat or eggshell IMO. We finally found a paint we love and it is the SW Duration matte. It is something like an eggshell but perhaps a little less shiny than a BM eggshell. and I don't even consider BM eggshell very shiny at all. It has a barely there sheen. I love it.

    The other paint we recently discovered that we LOVE is the Clark and Kensington from Ace. We just did our family room in that (eggshell) and it went on beautifully. I've had the opportunity to need some cleaning up wall marks and it cleaned up very nicely. The C&K paint is rated very well btw.

    good luck.

  • laila619
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks guys. I'm using Benjamin Moore Matte finish. It's supposed to be in between Flat and Eggshell.

  • Dana Mercer
    3 years ago

    I used a satin sheen on our kitchen walls, but I'm seeing roller streams when the sun shines in. I have been painting for years, I haven't done anything wrong. So I had a painter come in and he tells me it's because I used the wrong sheen, I was supposed to use eggshell. I tend not to agree with this, what do you guys think?

  • new-beginning
    3 years ago

    Dana, you probably should start your own thread since this one is 8 years old.


Sponsored
Suzan Meredith Design
Average rating: 5 out of 5 stars19 Reviews
Ashburn's Innovative Interior Designers 2x Best of Houzz Winner