A paint’s finish is how much it shines. The more sheen it has, the tougher and more wipeable it usually is, but the more it shows dents, filler and brush marks.
As a starting point: matt for most walls and ceilings, a mid-sheen eggshell or satin for woodwork and hard-wearing areas, and gloss for the most traditional, shiniest woodwork finish. The rest of this guide explains each finish, compares the ones people most often mix up, and covers when oil-based paint still makes sense. It’s one of our painting and decorating guides, and it’s the plain-English version of what we talk through with customers before a job.
Paint Finishes at a Glance
| Finish | Sheen | Best for | Wipeable? | Shows imperfections? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flat matt | Lowest | Ceilings, period walls | Poorly | Hides the most |
| Matt (including vinyl matt) | Low | Most walls | Moderately | Hides a lot |
| Durable or scrubbable matt | Low | Hallways, stairs, family rooms | Well | Hides a lot |
| Soft sheen | Low to mid | Kitchens, bathrooms | Well | Some |
| Silk | Mid | Walls where wiping matters most | Very well | Shows a lot |
| Eggshell | Mid | Woodwork, hard-wearing walls | Very well | Some |
| Satin | Mid to high | Woodwork, doors, skirting | Very well | Quite a lot |
| Gloss | High | Traditional woodwork, front doors | Excellent | Shows the most |
Sheen levels aren’t standard across the industry, so one maker’s satin can look like another’s eggshell. Always check a sample or a painted swatch before buying enough for a whole room.
Finishes for Walls and Ceilings
Walls and ceilings are mostly about hiding flaws and standing up to wear.
Matt vs Silk: Which Is Better for Walls?
Matt is the default for most walls today. It absorbs light instead of reflecting it, so it hides uneven plaster, filled cracks and touch-ups, and gives a soft, modern look. The downside of a standard matt is that it can mark and scuff, and wiping too hard can leave shiny patches.
Silk reflects much more light. That makes it easier to wipe clean, but it also picks out roller marks, filler, dents and every lump in the plaster, and it can glare under ceiling lights. It’s less fashionable than it was, partly for that reason.
Durable matts now give you much of silk’s wipeability without the shine, which is why they’ve become the usual choice for busy family rooms, hallways and stairs.
It also helps to know the difference between vinyl and non-vinyl matts. Vinyl matt has added binders that make it a little tougher and easier to clean, and it’s what most people buy for everyday walls. Non-vinyl or contract matt is more breathable and soaks into the surface, which is why it’s the paint used for a mist coat on new plaster. Contract matt is a good, economical finish for new-build walls and ceilings, but it marks more easily than vinyl, so it’s less suited to busy rooms.
Flat Matt for Ceilings
Ceilings catch light from windows at a very low angle, which shows up joints, patches and dips more than on any wall. The flattest finish you can get hides those best. Our page on how we paint ceilings explains the rest of the method.
Kitchens, Bathrooms and Hallways
Hallways and stairs take knocks from bags, buggies and bikes, so a durable or scrubbable matt is a good choice. Kitchens and bathrooms need a paint that copes with moisture and grease - a soft sheen or a dedicated kitchen and bathroom paint. Our guide to the best paint for a bathroom covers damp rooms in detail.
Finishes for Woodwork: Eggshell, Satin or Gloss
The right woodwork finish depends as much on the condition of the wood as on taste. Old, dented skirting and doors with layers of paint look better in a lower sheen; new, smooth joinery can carry gloss.
Eggshell vs Satin
Both are mid-sheen woodwork finishes, and both look more modern than gloss. Eggshell has the lower, softer sheen of the two - close to the gentle shine of an eggshell, as the name suggests. Satin is a step shinier, a little more reflective and very hard-wearing.
Because eggshell reflects less light, it hides more of the small dents and brush marks you get on older woodwork. Satin has slightly more presence and stands up well to knocks on skirting and door frames. Eggshell is also used on walls where you want extra durability, such as kitchens and hallways.
The catch is that sheen levels for “satin” and “eggshell” vary between brands. One manufacturer’s satin can be close to another’s eggshell, so compare samples before committing.
A useful test is to paint a spare offcut of timber or a piece of card with each sample, let them dry fully and hold them up next to your skirting in the room’s own light. Sheen looks different in a north-facing hallway than it does in the shop.
Satin vs Gloss
Gloss gives the traditional high-shine finish and a hard, wipeable surface that suits front doors, period homes and anyone who likes woodwork to stand out. But it shows every dent, sanding scratch and brush mark, so it needs the best preparation of any finish to look right.
Satin is more forgiving. It still has a clear sheen and wears well, but it looks more contemporary and doesn’t highlight flaws to the same degree. On woodwork that’s seen decades of knocks, satin often gives a better-looking result than gloss.
Outside Woodwork: Windows, Doors and Fascias
Exterior timber needs exterior-grade paint systems, usually in gloss or satin. Many are microporous, which means they let moisture vapour escape from the wood instead of trapping it and blistering. Bare timber needs the right primer and undercoat first, and any knots sealing. We handle timber window and door painting across Birmingham, from sash windows to fascias.
For a front door, gloss gives the classic look on panelled doors in period houses, while satin suits a more modern door and is slightly more forgiving of minor flaws. Our guide on how to paint a front door goes through the job step by step.
Oil-Based vs Water-Based Paint
| Factor | Water-based | Oil-based (solvent) |
|---|---|---|
| Drying and recoat time | Faster; often recoatable the same day | Slower; usually recoated the next day |
| Smell and ventilation | Milder smell | Stronger smell; needs good ventilation |
| Brush cleaning | Water | White spirit |
| Flow and finish | Good, modern finish; can show more brush marks | Flows out smoothly to a very level finish |
| How whites age | Stay white | Tend to yellow over time, especially out of direct light |
| Typical use today | Most interior walls and woodwork | Some exterior woodwork and specialist primers |
The cleaning difference matters more than people expect: water-based brushes rinse out in the sink, while oil-based ones need white spirit and careful disposal. Our guide on how to clean paint brushes covers both.
Most decorators now use water-based paint for interior woodwork because it dries quickly and stays white. Oil-based paint still has its uses, including some exterior systems and specialist primers.
Changing Finish: Satin over Gloss, Water-Based over Oil
You can change from one finish to another as long as you prepare properly. For woodwork:
- Clean and degrease the surface with sugar soap, then rinse and let it dry.
- Sand to a dull, even key so the new paint has something to grip.
- Fill dents, sand smooth and caulk gaps.
- Apply a suitable primer or undercoat before the new topcoat.
Going from old oil-based gloss to water-based paint needs particular care. Without a proper key and an adhesion primer, water-based paint can peel off a shiny oil-based surface in strips.
On walls, going from silk to matt is simpler: wash, lightly sand to take the shine off, then paint.
One safety point: in homes built before the 1960s, old woodwork may have lead paint under later coats. Don’t dry-sand or burn it off - test it first and use wet abrasives if it does contain lead. Our guide to painting skirting boards, woodwork and radiators covers preparation in more detail.
Higher Sheen Means More Preparation
The shinier the finish, the more every dent, brush mark and speck of dust shows. A matt wall forgives a lot. A gloss door forgives nothing.
That’s why a gloss or satin finish on panelled doors, spindles and long runs of skirting takes the most time to get right: filling, sanding between coats, dust-free conditions and careful brush work.
If you’re doing it yourself, a few habits make a big difference. Vacuum the room and wipe the woodwork with a damp cloth before each coat, so dust doesn’t settle in the wet paint. Apply thin coats and lay off each section with long, light strokes in the direction of the grain. Lightly sand between coats with a fine abrasive, and paint panelled doors in a set order - panels first, then the rails and stiles - so wet edges don’t dry into lines. It’s also where our interior painting and decorating in Birmingham service pays off, because preparation is most of the job on high-sheen woodwork.
Related Guides
- Paint drying times and coats - how long each finish takes to dry and how many coats you need.
- Painting skirting boards, woodwork and radiators - preparing and painting interior woodwork.
- How to clean paint brushes - looking after brushes for water-based and oil-based paint.
Browse all painting and decorating guides for more advice.
Paint Finish Questions
Is eggshell or satin better for skirting boards?
Both work well. Eggshell has a softer, lower sheen that hides small dents and brush marks a little better; satin is slightly shinier and very hard-wearing, which helps on skirting that gets knocked by hoovers and feet. Sheen levels vary between manufacturers, so compare samples of the actual paints before you choose.
Is silk or matt better for walls?
Matt for most rooms, because it hides uneven plaster, filler and touch-ups and gives a softer, more modern look. Silk is easier to wipe but shows every flaw and can glare under lights. Durable matt paints now close much of the gap, giving a wipeable wall without the shine, which makes them a good middle ground.
Can you paint satin over gloss?
Yes, with the right preparation. Clean and degrease the gloss, sand it to a dull, even key, fill and caulk, then apply a suitable undercoat or primer before the satin. That's especially important when going from oil-based gloss to a water-based satin, which can peel off a shiny surface that hasn't been keyed and primed.
Does white gloss go yellow?
Oil-based whites tend to yellow over time, especially in areas out of direct daylight, such as behind doors, in hallways and on skirting in darker rooms. Water-based woodwork paints stay whiter for longer, which is one reason many decorators now use them indoors.
What finish should I use on a ceiling?
A flat matt in most rooms. Ceilings catch light from windows at a low angle, which shows every joint and bump, and the flattest finish hides them best. In bathrooms and kitchens, use a bathroom or anti-mould paint instead - our guide to the best paint for a bathroom explains why.
Can you use eggshell on walls?
Yes. Eggshell gives walls a tough, slightly sheened finish that wipes clean well, which suits kitchens, hallways and children's rooms. The trade-off is that it shows more imperfections than matt, so the walls need to be well prepared, with cracks filled and sanded flush before painting.
What is the most hard-wearing paint finish?
Generally the higher-sheen finishes, gloss and satin, along with durable or scrubbable matts made specifically for walls. Within each finish, durability varies a lot from product to product, so check the manufacturer's information on washability and scrub resistance for the paint you're considering.