House painting in Raleigh
Interior and exterior repaints, prepped properly and quoted in writing.
Guide
Eggshell vs Satin Paint: Which Sheen Goes in Which Room
Eggshell has a low, soft sheen that hides patched drywall. Satin is a step shinier and takes scrubbing better. Neither one is better; they suit different rooms, and the names mean less than the numbers behind them.
The short version
Which one to use
If you only read this block, you can choose.
Eggshell for living rooms, bedrooms and dining rooms. It is the lowest sheen that still wipes clean, so it hides roller marks and patched drywall while handling the odd handprint.
Satin for kitchens, hallways, kids' rooms and most bathrooms. The extra sheen makes the surface tougher to scuff and easier to scrub, at the cost of showing more of the wall underneath.
Compare the numbers, not the names. Sheen names are not standardized. One maker's satin can be flatter than another's eggshell, because the two ranges overlap.
Sheen chart
Every paint finish, by gloss level
The Master Painters Institute scale, measured in gloss units at a 60 degree angle. Higher is shinier.
| Finish | MPI level | Gloss at 60 degrees | Where it goes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat or matte | Level 1 | 5 or less | Ceilings and walls with patches or uneven drywall. The hardest to scrub. |
| Velvet | Level 2 | 10 or less | A flat with a slight sheen at a low angle. Living rooms and bedrooms. |
| Eggshell | Level 3 | 10 to 25 | Most walls in most rooms. Hides flaws and wipes clean of light marks. |
| Satin | Level 4 | 20 to 35 | Kitchens, hallways, kids' rooms and bathrooms. Stands up to scrubbing. |
| Semi-gloss | Level 5 | 35 to 70 | Interior trim, doors and bathrooms that steam up every day. |
| Gloss | Level 6 | 70 to 85 | Doors, railings and trim where you want the shine to show. |
| High gloss | Level 7 | Over 85 | Furniture-style finishes. Shows every brush mark and every dent. |
Figures from Rodda Paint's guide to MPI gloss levels.
The overlap is the useful part. Eggshell tops out at 25 and satin starts at 20. Two cans labeled eggshell and satin from different brands can be almost the same finish, which is why a sample board on the actual wall beats the label every time.
Eggshell
Where eggshell wins
Rooms that are looked at more than they are touched.
Low sheen scatters light instead of reflecting it, so a wall with old nail holes, patched drywall or a slight wave reads as flat and even. That makes eggshell the forgiving choice for big walls in living rooms and bedrooms, and for older houses where the drywall has seen a few repairs.
It also touches up better than satin. A small repair painted months later blends in more easily on a low sheen, which matters in rooms where furniture gets moved.
Where it falls short is anywhere that gets scrubbed rather than wiped. Repeated scrubbing can polish a low sheen into a shiny patch.
Satin
Where satin wins
Rooms that get touched, splashed and cleaned.
Satin's tighter surface stands up to cleaning. Kitchens get grease, hallways get bags and shoulders, kids' rooms get everything, and a satin wall takes a damp sponge without changing.
The cost is that it shows the wall. Patches, nail pops and roller laps all catch the light, so satin wants a smooth, well-prepped surface. That prep is most of the work in any repaint, and it is covered in our interior painting cost guide.
The other questions
Satin vs semi-gloss, eggshell vs flat, and bathrooms
The three comparisons people make right after this one.
Satin vs semi-gloss. Semi-gloss is the next level up, 35 to 70 gloss units, and it is the usual finish for interior trim and doors. Use it where durability matters more than how the surface looks. For outside trim, our trim paint guide answers the sheen question for exterior wood.
Eggshell vs flat. Flat, at 5 gloss units or less, hides the most and cleans the worst. It is the standard for ceilings and a good choice for walls that are uneven and rarely touched, such as a formal dining room.
Bathrooms. A powder room or a bathroom with a working exhaust fan can take eggshell. A full bath that steams up every day wants satin or semi-gloss, because the higher sheen sheds moisture faster and stands up to cleaning when mildew starts.
Questions
Paint sheen questions
Taken from what Google already shows for this search.
What is the difference between satin and eggshell paint?
Sheen. Eggshell reflects 10 to 25 gloss units at a 60 degree angle and satin 20 to 35, on the Master Painters Institute scale as published by Rodda Paint. In a room that means eggshell reads as soft and almost flat, and satin has a visible glow. Satin scrubs better; eggshell hides more.
What is the best paint finish for walls?
Eggshell, for most rooms. It is the lowest sheen that still wipes clean, so it hides patched drywall and roller marks without going chalky the first time someone wipes a handprint. Move up to satin where walls get scrubbed often, and down to flat where they are uneven and rarely touched.
Is eggshell paint good for bathrooms?
In a powder room or a bathroom with a working exhaust fan, yes. In a full bath that steams up every day, go to satin or semi-gloss. The higher sheen sheds moisture faster and takes the scrubbing a bathroom wall gets when mildew starts.
Which paint sheen is easiest to clean?
The shinier the finish, the easier it cleans: gloss, then semi-gloss, then satin, then eggshell, with flat the hardest. The trade is that each step up also shows more of the wall underneath it.
What are the disadvantages of satin paint?
It shows flaws. Patches, nail pops and roller laps all catch the light, and a touch-up done months later can show as a dull or shiny spot because fresh paint does not match a cured wall exactly. On a smooth, well-prepped wall none of that matters.
Is satin paint good for trim?
Inside, it works if you want a softer look than semi-gloss, which is the usual choice for interior trim and doors. Outside, the answer is different, and our trim paint guide covers exterior trim sheen on its own.
Can you paint satin over eggshell?
Yes. Clean the wall so the new coat bonds, and the change in sheen is not a problem in either direction. Going from a glossy finish down to a flat one is the case that needs a light scuff sand first.
Keep reading
Related guides and calculators
Sheen is one decision in a paint job. These cover the others.
Interior painting cost
What a room and a whole house cost to paint here, and what moves the price.
Paint calculator
Wall area to gallons, with coats and doors counted.
The best trim paint
Four exterior picks, and the sheen question for trim answered in a word.
Exterior paint colors
Six color families that work here, with named picks.
Exterior painting cost
Raleigh prices by paintable area and siding type.
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