If you have decided to paint your office space, one of the considerations you will make with your commercial painting service is what types of paint finish to use in which areas. Finishes are graded based on the sheen of the paint; flat or matte finishes have a low sheen and disperse light whereas high-gloss paint reflects light similar to a mirror. In order to pick the correct finish for each area in your office, you'll have to determine how often you expect the interior walls to be stained based on the function of the area and the amount of traffic it receives. The higher the sheen of the paint finish, the easier it will be to clean. However, high-sheen paint finishes will also expose any imperfections in the underlying wall. Here's what you need to know to determine the correct paint finish for each area of your office.

Flat And Matte Finishes Are An Inexpensive Option For Low-Traffic Areas

These two types of finishes are occupy the lowest end of paint sheen; instead of reflecting light back into the room like a mirror, they diffuse the light throughout the room. They're often more true to the original color of the paint since the perceived color of this finish is less affected by lighting that isn't perfectly white. They're also the cheapest finishes, making them a more attractive option for painting large areas. The other area where a flat finish is desirable is on your ceilings, since they will rarely be stained and high-gloss finishes are too reflective to use next to light sources.

The downside is that the finish on flat and matte paints is more porous compared to finishes with a higher gloss. Dirt or stains can become trapped in the paint itself, making it impossible to clean. You'll usually have to touch-up any stained sections with leftover paint instead of washing them, since hard scrubbing will actually remove paint from the wall. This makes them unsuitable for areas with high traffic or in areas that are prone to stains, such as your reception area or your lunch room. Due to the fact that they're difficult to clean, you should also avoid using them in areas where clients frequently visit, such as conference rooms.

High-Gloss Or Semi-Gloss Are Resilient Against Stains, But Show Imperfections In Drywall

Since high-gloss paint isn't porous, stains can be wiped off easily. It also doesn't chip or crack very easily. While it's often only used to paint doors or trim in residential areas, a commercial area that sees high amounts of traffic or a high possibility of staining is a perfect use case for a high-gloss finish. It's great for any daycare or kitchen facilities you provide to your employees as well as for bathrooms.

Unfortunately, high-gloss paint finishes will immediately expose flaws in the interior wall. It's common in commercial construction to leave drywall under-finished and hide any imperfections by painting over them with a flat finish, since this is the cheapest option for building contractors If you've ever seen an interior wall that appeared bubbled or mottled, it's likely that under-finished drywall was painted over with high-gloss paint. Your commercial painting service will take the underlying wall into account and assess the suitability of your interior wall for a high-gloss finish.

Eggshell And Satin Finishes Are Good Compromise Options For Most Office Areas

These two finishes are more reflective than flat or matte finishes but less than semi-gloss or high-gloss paint finishes, providing a good compromise between ease of cleaning and hiding imperfections in the interior wall. This makes them a good choice for areas that are often seen by your clients, such as reception rooms and conference areas. They're slightly more expensive than flat finishes, so they may not be a good choice for painting a large number of private offices or a large shared work area where hiding stains is less of a concern.