High-Gloss vs. Compared to high-gloss finishes, matte paints are the least durable and the hardest to clean. However, in rooms with little traffic and areas such as ceilings, matte finishes offer an elegant, smooth sheen and are more economical than high-gloss paints.
Matt finish paint is great for walls because it makes them look smooth and elegant. The material absorbs light instead of reflecting it so it can be used in high-traffic areas like kitchens and hallways. Matte or Matt paint is ideal for guest bedrooms, living rooms, and dining rooms.
Pros: Matte paint hides the imperfections and flaws of the painting surface, making it great for walls in your bedroom, dining room and living room. It is also great for ceilings and any sort of touch-up or remodeling work. Cons: It takes a lot of work to keep the imperfections hidden.
Matte finishes are just as durable and normal gloss-finished paint jobs, and just as susceptible to scratches and paint chips. However, unlike a gloss clear coat on the car's finish that can be easily polished during paint correction, the matte finish is not as simple to repair.
The downside, according to Stevens, is that matte paint is harder to clean than glossy paint is. So, for example, if you have matte finish walls in your dining room and you accidentally drop a plate of food or spill a glass of wine, it's very important to take care of the mess right away.
The Cons of a Gloss Finish
While gloss kitchens are easier to clean, they also need to be cleaned more often as those dirty marks and fingerprints will show up more easily. Another downside, particularly with acrylic gloss units, is that they're quite easy to scratch.
A glossy finish will come with an ultra-smooth, shiny appearance. It's also very colour rich and vibrant. Whereas matte paper gives off a duller, more subtle finish. Therefore, the content and images on a glossy finish will strike the audience more effectively.
By using a gentle and simple solution of soapy water, you can effectively clean your matte paint walls without causing any damage.
Use gentle strokes with the sponge, working from bottom, up. STEP 4: Wipe the walls lightly because matte finishes have a tendency to wash off easily. It may be a good idea to keep some extra matte finish handy in order to make any touch-ups if need be.
They are excellent for covering vast surfaces in the home because they require less effort to cover due to their higher pigment content. Matte finishes are the most economical way to achieve the ideal appearance in your home for individuals who do not want to pay for a more expensive gloss.
Disadvantages To Matte Finish
As we mentioned before, the matte finish absorbs light which means it won't help to make small spaces feel bigger, unlike glossy finishes that reflect light. Therefore, for kitchens that are very small, a matte finish may not be the best option.
Since a gloss finish reflects light and can accentuate blemishes, avoid using it on areas that are not completely smooth.
You probably already know that glossy clear coats can chip and scratch. The issue with a matte finish is that there are no inexpensive means to repair those damaged spots. You can't cover isolated places with touch-up paint or buff them out. Consequently, you must repaint the entire panel.
While it's true that a matte surface is more likely to collect contaminants because it's uneven, it's not incapable of being washed or protected. Some people believe common contaminants such as bird poop and dead bugs immediately etch through matte clear coat and into the color. Experts say this isn't true.
Even if paint is not actually scraped away or scratched off, the color can be harmed by abrasion, especially on low-sheen finishes such as flat and matte. The problem is that low-sheen finishes contain microscopic hairs which stand on end and absorb light so that the surface does not reflect.
Matte paint finishes are just plain more expensive than glossy ones. For example, how much does it cost to matte a car? On average, it can cost up to $7,000 to re-paint a car with a matte finish. Glossy paint, on the other hand, will generally cost around $1,000.
Use matte paints for low-traffic areas like bedrooms, formal dining rooms, and living rooms. Likewise, matte sheens work great on both ceilings and walls or as an accent paint color. Just remember that matte has a little gloss finish which means scuff and fingerprints will show over time.
Painting over dirty walls, excess moisture, improper prep, and using latex paint on top of oil paint can all affect the paint's adhesion and cause it to eventually begin flaking off. To solve the problem, you'll need to remove the peeling areas and start over with fresh coats of primer and paint.
Caring for matte paint isn't necessarily difficult, though it does require some extra effort . Special cleaners, sealants and polishes are required to maintain the texture and finish, meaning most matte cars are hand-wash only, and that drive-thru car washes are typically off limits.
However, matte paint jobs are structurally rough so doesn't allow light to reflect back which in turn creates a 'dull' appearance. Therefore, if you polish a matte finish, it will become smoother and 'flatter' and reflect more light, making it look glossy.
The solution? Don't use matt paint for darker colours. If you want to use a dark colour then consider getting it mixed into either a soft sheen or acrylic eggshell. This way there's a good chance it won't mark so easily!
“Low-luster sheens are non-reflective and will hide minor surface imperfections,” Barr says, adding matte is an ideal choice for ceilings and bedrooms. “[Since] glossy sheens are very reflective, they will magnify surface imperfections and patched areas that are not completely uniform with the original surface.”
The main difference between a glossy and matté finish is that glossy photos have a shiny finish, and matté photos are muted. An extra layer of gloss is added to the photo paper to reflect light, creating a shiny finish. A matte finish offers a more neutral and natural look.
Glossy finishes are much more stain-resistant than satin and flat. Gloss is also very easy to wipe down and wash, while low-gloss paints take a little more effort to clean. This makes higher-gloss paints very useful in kitchens, bathrooms and some dining rooms.