Paint sheen
Also called: sheen, paint finish, eggshell vs satin, flat vs eggshell, semi-gloss, matte paint, gloss level
How much light a dried paint reflects, on a scale from flat through matte, eggshell, satin and semi-gloss to gloss. Lower sheens hide wall flaws and touch up invisibly but scuff and don't wash; higher sheens wash and resist moisture but show every patch and roller mark. Chosen per surface.
Sheen is the one paint decision that can’t be undone with another coat of the same can, and it’s decided before you buy. Flat reflects almost nothing: it hides drywall seams, patches and roller marks, and it touches up without a visible edge, but it holds fingerprints and scuffs and a wet cloth takes the pigment off. Matte is flat with a little more washability, and it’s what the premium lines sell for living rooms. Eggshell has a faint glow and wipes clean — the default wall finish in most houses. Satin reflects more, wipes better, and starts to show imperfections; hallways, kitchens, kids’ rooms and baths. Semi-gloss is for trim, doors, cabinets and bathroom walls: it takes scrubbing and moisture, and it shows every brush stroke and every bump under it. Gloss is furniture and front doors.
The two rules painters follow: the higher the sheen, the better the prep has to be, and the harder the touch-up. A patched wall in semi-gloss flashes at every patch; the same wall in eggshell doesn’t. Ceilings go flat because a ceiling is lit from the side and any sheen shows the roller path. Trim goes semi-gloss because it gets kicked and wiped.
Brand names don’t line up — one company’s matte is another’s eggshell — so buy all the gallons of one surface in the same brand and line, and write the sheen on the invoice for the touch-up two years out.