Paint

Paint

Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...

 and other finishes come in a variety of finish gloss

Gloss (material appearance)

Gloss is an optical property, which is based on the interaction of light with physical characteristics of a surface. It is actually the ability of a surface to reflect light into the specular direction. The factors that affect gloss are the refractive index of the material, the angle of incident...

 levels, which correspond to different levels of specular reflection

Specular reflection

Specular reflection is the mirror-like reflection of light from a surface, in which light from a single incoming direction is reflected into a single outgoing direction...

.

Some common names for levels of gloss include: flat, matte, eggshell, satin, silk, semi-gloss, high gloss. These terms are not standardized, and not all manufacturers use all these terms.

Gloss level and sheen level are terms that are often used interchangeably. Note that the gloss level of paint can also affect its apparent colour.

Gloss level can be characterized by the angular distribution of light scattered from a surface, measured with goniophotometry

Goniophotometry

Goniophotometry or goniometric optical scatter measurement is the technique of measuring the angular distribution of light, possibly wavelength-dependent, scattered from a surface....

, but there are various ways of measuring this, and different industries have different standards.

One manufacturer measures gloss as percentages (at an unspecified angle) and gives:

• Flat (1-9% gloss)
• Low Sheen (10-25% gloss)
• Eggshell (26-40% gloss)
• Semi Gloss (41-69% gloss)
• Gloss (70-89% gloss)

Painting

As a gloss finish will reveal surface imperfections such as sanding marks, surfaces must generally be prepared more thoroughly for gloss finishes.

Maintenance

Gloss-finish paints are generally more resistant to damage than flat paint, more resistant to staining, and easier to clean.

Flat paint may become glossier through burnishing or staining with grease; glossy paint may lose its gloss and look scratched if abraded.

Unlike gloss paint, flat paint can generally be touched up locally without repainting the entire surface.

Uses

In traditional household interiors, walls are usually painted in flat or eggshell gloss, wooden trim (including doors and window sash) in high gloss, and ceilings almost invariably in flat. Similarly, exterior trim is usually painted with a gloss paint, while the body of the house is painted in a lower gloss.