When it comes to painting the interior of your home, there are a few different types of paint to choose from. Flat, eggshell, and satin paint are all great options for interior walls, while semi-gloss and glossy paint are best for moldings and carpentry. Of these, satin paint is considered to be the most versatile and best paint for interior walls. It has a soft gloss finish and is highly durable, resisting mildew and fading.
Plus, it's easier to clean than flat and eggshell finishes. However, it may show brush or roller markers and other application defects, and can be difficult to touch up. Satin paint is commonly used in rooms with high traffic, such as playrooms and family rooms, as well as in rooms with high humidity, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Semi-gloss paint is often used on kitchen and bathroom doors, moldings, and cabinets. It's easy to clean and has a nice subtle sheen without being too flashy.
However, you should make sure that the walls are smooth before painting, as poorly prepared surfaces can be noticed when highlighted with semi-gloss paint. High-gloss paints are usually the most expensive due to their increased gloss. This explains why painting with brighter paints often requires several coats, while flatter paints can cover adequately with a single coat. Acrylic paint can be more durable than latex paint (and therefore more expensive) due to its higher polymer content. In fact, many major brands subject their paints to additional independent tests to ensure a reduction in emissions during the drying phase. Eggshell tends to be less smooth than satin when it dries, but both paints have a better finish on plain walls due to their inability to hide imperfections well.
It's much easier to work with than cheap paints, making it ideal for the inexperienced painter. Acrylic or latex paints can be applied over oil-based paint, but oil-based paint should not be applied over water-based paint.
