Paint Sheen

rdb2012 · 22 Aug 2021 at 08:58

Im currently in the process of fully refurbishing my flat. I have a question regarding paint sheen.
I am totally against glossy finish as I think it is old fashion but from what I understand there is Matt, eggshell and others. My question is what sort of sheen should go on each material. For example walls, skirting, doors, ceilings.

Another question I have, UPVC windows, are you able to paint them?

dlockers · 22 Aug 2021 at 10:30

Typically you matt the walls and ceiling and gloss the skirting. Don't paint uPVC unless paying professionals, especially dont paint them that new putrid anthracite corner sofa Gucci belt 7am Sainsbury's delivery grey.

builder22 · 22 Aug 2021 at 11:19

This stuff is great for cleaning upvc….absolutely stinks but works great

https://www.topcleaningsupplies.co.uk/product/wurth-type-32-upvc-solvent-cleaner/

LuckyBenski · 22 Aug 2021 at 11:37

So the main distinction is that walls and ceilings typically get emulsion and woodwork (doors, frames, skirting, some trim) traditionally gets an oil based paint. Oil based paint can come in any sheen from high gloss to satin, eggshell matte etc.

These days there are water based alternatives but the principle is the same - separate finish and colour for the woodwork. Maybe try some virtual tours and galleries online to get a feel for what's usually done?

kaku · 22 Aug 2021 at 14:48

Personally not a fan of the glossy look either so I did matte white emulsion on walls/ceiling and eggshell white on skirting/architrave/etc. (both water-based). Initially tried satin on the woodwork but didn't like it at all.

NoobCannon · 22 Aug 2021 at 16:21

dLockers said:
Typically you matt the walls and ceiling and gloss the skirting. Don't paint uPVC unless paying professionals, especially dont paint them that new putrid anthracite corner sofa Gucci belt 7am Sainsbury's delivery grey.

heh

thenewoc · 22 Aug 2021 at 18:27

You should use something like:

Emulsion:

Dulux Trade Durable Flat Matt for all rooms and hallways except bathrooms and kitchens
Dulux Trade Diamond Matt for bathrooms and kitchens

https://www.thepaintshed.com/dulux-trade-durable-flatt-matt-colours

Woodwork:

Leyland Trade Fast Drying Satin Paint Brilliant White

https://www.screwfix.com/p/leyland-...brilliant-white-750ml/969hf?_requestid=336043

The trade paint is much thicker than the watery consumer stuff you get from the big DIY sheds and is much harder wearing. You can also water the trade emulsion down so it goes on nice and wet to knit together with previous rollered stripes. The 'Flat Matt' is nice and matt so it helps to hide imperfections in the walls where plastering may not be perfectly smooth since the matt finish absorbs the light better. If the woodwork is in reasonable conditions except the colour then lick over the water based Leyland stuff after keying up the wood. What I've found best is counter intuitive to using old oil based paints since it's easier to get the wood work right first and then after a week or two of it curing, then mask up the woodwork with some delicate frog tape, same with the ceiling and then emulsion walls. This is because the emulsion is thinner than the woodwork paint and you get a shaper line with the frog tape.

Currently testing out paint for uPVC among other finishes since I'm using Zinsser All Coat Exterior Satin to revamp the door pillar surrounds which are fibre glass and the composite front door. I wouldn't chance doing window frames though.

Lyla77 · 22 Aug 2021 at 19:26

Matt on walls & ceiling and Satin finish on timber work.

gc123 · 22 Aug 2021 at 19:56

dLockers said:
Typically you matt the walls and ceiling and gloss the skirting. Don't paint uPVC unless paying professionals, especially dont paint them that new putrid anthracite corner sofa Gucci belt 7am Sainsbury's delivery grey.

b***** thats the grey i was doing the woodwork in the hall in grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

a1ex2001 · 22 Aug 2021 at 22:35

kaku said:
Personally not a fan of the glossy look either so I did matte white emulsion on walls/ceiling and eggshell white on skirting/architrave/etc. (both water-based). Initially tried satin on the woodwork but didn't like it at all.

Dentist?

Our house is Matt on the walls (none of the hard wearing washable stuff as it all has a higher sheen so isn’t really Matt if you ask me.) and eggshell on the woodwork ie door frames, skirtings, windows, picture rails etc. Gloss is dead for me even our exterior wood work is now eggshell.

tom_nieto · 23 Aug 2021 at 07:41

Eggshell on the skirting/woodwork is the winner.

jellybeard999 · 24 Aug 2021 at 14:09

thenewoc said:
Woodwork:

Leyland Trade Fast Drying Satin Paint Brilliant White

https://www.screwfix.com/p/leyland-...brilliant-white-750ml/969hf?_requestid=336043

The trade paint is much thicker than the watery consumer stuff you get from the big DIY sheds and is much harder wearing. You can also water the trade emulsion down so it goes on nice and wet to knit together with previous rollered stripes. The 'Flat Matt' is nice and matt so it helps to hide imperfections in the walls where plastering may not be perfectly smooth since the matt finish absorbs the light better. If the woodwork is in reasonable conditions except the colour then lick over the water based Leyland stuff after keying up the wood. What I've found best is counter intuitive to using old oil based paints since it's easier to get the wood work right first and then after a week or two of it curing, then mask up the woodwork with some delicate frog tape, same with the ceiling and then emulsion walls. This is because the emulsion is thinner than the woodwork paint and you get a shaper line with the frog tape.

This paint is watery as hell too!

I used up what I had bought, but got Johnstones Aqua afterwards, which was much better.

https://www.decoratingcentreonline.co.uk/johnstone-s-trade-aqua-satin-brilliant-white-1.html

thenewoc · 24 Aug 2021 at 14:30

jellybeard999 said:
This paint is watery as hell too!

I used up what I had bought, but got Johnstones Aqua afterwards, which was much better.

https://www.decoratingcentreonline.co.uk/johnstone-s-trade-aqua-satin-brilliant-white-1.html

I'm using the Leyland stuff at the moment and mine isn't watery at all. In fact I dip my brush in water first to help lay the paint off, otherwise the brush becomes clogged.

jellybeard999 · 24 Aug 2021 at 21:07

thenewoc said:
I'm using the Leyland stuff at the moment and mine isn't watery at all. In fact I dip my brush in water first to help lay the paint off, otherwise the brush becomes clogged.

Maybe I got a bad tin, but I wasn't impressed at all. Took loads of coats too

thenewoc · 24 Aug 2021 at 21:41

jellybeard999 said:
Maybe I got a bad tin, but I wasn't impressed at all. Took loads of coats too

None of the water based stuff is all that good for opaqueness and you definitely need to use an undercoat on bare wood or mdf so that less top coats are needed. I much preferred the old oil based stuff before the EU ruined it and made it all yellow after a short while.

Nikumba · 25 Aug 2021 at 07:16

When we redid current place we did matt on walls and ceiling then eggshelll on the wood work

PardonTheWait · 25 Aug 2021 at 10:51

I moved from eggshell to satinwood as it marks a bit less easily having slightly more of a sheen. They are quite similar though.

Not a fan of gloss.

sovietspybob · 27 Aug 2021 at 11:35

Yeah i find gloss a bit old fashioned, we've got matt on all the walls and satin on the skirtings and door frames. The doors are all just oak, same with stairs etc so there's not much painted wood in our house but what there is i didn't want to be shiny!

Blackjack Davy · 27 Aug 2021 at 16:53

Gloss is regarded as old fashioned and you'll be lucky to find any of the spirit based stuff anyway its all water based paint now -

eggshell or satin seems to be the preferred choice

something daft already!! · 27 Aug 2021 at 17:03

I thought this was going to be a thread about painting a picture of Barry Sheene