Paint Sheen: What Is It and Why Is It Important?

One of the first things I learned when I joined DeHaan Painting was that paint color comes with a sheen. I always thought sheen just meant how shiny something was… turns out that’s only a fraction of what sheen actually is. This deep dive into the world of painting will be  two parts, starting with interior sheens and then following with exterior.

What is sheen?

Paint sheen is the degree of light reflecting from a 60° or 85° angle. Different paint sheens can have totally different effects on the completed look of your project, including the longevity of your paint. Higher sheens contain more enamel; creating a harder, easier to clean paint that’s more resistant to scratching and scuffing.

Lower sheens can add an attractive visual appeal to your color without being distracting. Lower sheens also hide wall imperfections better than higher sheens. It’s important to  always consider what’s being painted, the lighting in the room, and if the area will have high or low traffic when deciding on a sheen.

Different Interior Sheens

Different sheens can usually be found in all colors. Depending on the brand/line of paint, you may see a variety of what each sheen is called, differences in their reflectiveness, or limited sheens depending on the line of paint.  You can find a variety of sheens from brands like Sherwin Williams (SW) and Benjamin Moore (BM). The darker the color, the higher the percentage of sheen.

• Flat (0% – 3%) A flat sheen is recommended for some walls. It hides a lot of imperfections and blemishes, however, it’s not very easy to clean.
• Matte (5%-7% in SW) (3% – 10% in BM) Matte sheens have slightly more shine than flat sheens, but still hide surface imperfections well. Matte and flat sheens are ideal for older homes without young kids or pets.
• Eggshell (15% – 22% in SW-limited lines) (12% – 25% in BM ) Eggshell sheen is great for interior walls in areas that get regular traffic. It’s easy to wipe clean without being super shiny.
• Satin (11%-25% in SW) (25% – 35% in BM ) Satin is similar to eggshell—BM offers satin with just a bit more shine than SW. Satin is a great choice for high-traffic areas and cabinets due to its hardness, beautiful shine, and cleanability.
• Semi-Gloss (30%-45% in SW) (35% – 60% in BM ) Semi-gloss has a higher shine that offers even better washability than satin and eggshell. Semi-gloss is mostly recommended for trim paint as it can highlight wall blemishes.
• High-Goss (>60%) High-gloss sheen is best for highlighting featured accents