Painting your home is an exciting way to refresh your space and make it feel welcoming and cozy. However, there’s more to picking out paint than simply choosing a color. It’s just as important to choose the right paint finish for your home, style, and family. High traffic areas like kitchens, hallways, and living rooms need durable, easy-to-clean finishes that can withstand wear and tear in the home. If you’re looking to paint your interior and are curious what the best paint finish for high traffic areas is, we’ve got you covered in this blog post. Read on to learn the most durable paint types for busy households.
In This Post
What is the Difference in Paint Finishes?
Paints all come with different sheens, which is the level of light that is reflected off of the paint finish. The glossier the paint, the more reflective it is, and the higher the sheen. The more matte the paint is, the less reflective it is, and the lower the sheen.
Different sheens don’t just have different looks and reflectivity, but they also have different levels of cleanability and durability, which is important to consider, especially in a busy household.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the different sheens and their characteristics:
- Flat and Matte – little to no sheen, hides surface imperfections well, best touch ups, harder to clean.
- Eggshell – low sheen, easy to clean, ok touch ups, great for moderate traffic areas.
- Satin – medium sheen, durable, easy to clean, ok touch ups, great for high traffic areas.
- Semi-gloss – high sheen, highlights imperfections, hard to touch up, durable and easy to clean, ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.
- High-gloss – very high sheen, highlights imperfections, hard to touch up, extremely durable and easy to clean.
Learn more about the different paint finishes and sheen levels in this blog post.
Glossy vs. Matte Paint for Durability
Glossy paint finishes are higher in sheen and show every little imperfection, such as dents, cracks and touch up’s. However, they are more durable and easier to clean than other lower sheens. They are highly resistant to dirt, stains, mold, and mildew, which makes them great for high traffic areas such as kitchens and hallways.
On the other hand, matte paint finishes are lower in sheen and are excellent at hiding imperfections and getting touched up. While this may sound great for a family with kids and pets who are running toys and other items into the walls (sometimes leaving dents, cracks, and scratches), keep in mind that matte finishes are less durable and harder to clean. Matte paint finishes are better suited for lower traffic areas or walls with a lot of surface flaws. We also like to recommend Flats and Matte paints if you feel you may need to do frequent repairs and touch ups on a regular basis.
What is the Best Paint Finish for High Traffic Areas?
When choosing the best paint finish for high traffic areas in your home, it’s important to note that not all high traffic areas will do best with the same paint finish. Kitchens, hallways, and living rooms are all high traffic areas, but the type of traffic and wear and tear is different in each room. Let’s take a look at each of these high traffic area paint recommendations below.
Best Paint for Kitchens
Kitchens are high traffic areas that are constantly exposed to grease, grime, and moisture. They require frequent cleaning, wiping, and scrubbing, making durability key when choosing a paint finish.
The best paint finishes for kitchens are:
- Eggshell – This offers both durability and a smooth appearance that stands up to grease, grime, and stains.
- Satin – This adds an extra layer of durability and resistance to moisture, stains, and grease.
Check out our favorite kitchen paint products in this blog post.
Painting Kitchen Walls | What is the Best Kitchen Wall Sheen?
Best Paint for Hallways
Hallways are unique because they see constant foot traffic, but they aren’t as highly used or exposed to elements such as in a kitchen or living room. Hallways often see fingerprints, dirt, scuffs, and dents from shoes, coats and bags, pets, kids, or toys passing through.
For hallways, we recommend these paint finishes:
- Eggshell – This finish is fingerprint-resistant and easy to wipe clean.
- Satin – Satin finishes are durable, easy to clean, and still give a polished look to the space.
Best Paint Finish for Living Rooms
If you’re anything like our family, our living room is one of our highest traffic areas. Between family movie nights and play dates, there’s always kids, toys, and excitement happening in our living room. Therefore, when choosing a paint finish, you have to consider both the aesthetics you’re going for and the practicality of the paint finish. If you’re like us, you’ll need to consider kid-friendly paint finishes.
Some of the best paint finishes for living rooms are:
- Eggshell – This is a versatile option that’s both stain-resistant and easy to clean. The sheen is subtle and not dramatic.
- Flat and Matte – These finishes are great for hiding surface imperfections, making them a good choice for families with kids or pets.
Learn more and check out our top paint product recommendation for living rooms in this blog post.
Tips for Choosing Paint Types for Busy Households
When it comes to choosing paint finishes for walls in your home, it really depends on your family and the level of traffic, wear and tear, and surface imperfections. Your individual style is also a factor, as some people prefer a more muted matte look over a shiny gloss look, and vice-versa.
When choosing your paint finish and products, keep these tips in mind:
- Opt for high-quality, washable paint products from trusted brands. This will ensure the best application and longevity of your paint job.
- Consider choosing stain-resistant paint formulas for areas that are prone to spills, stains, and scuffs.
- Test paint samples in your space to see how the finish looks from different angles and in different lighting throughout the day.
- Make sure to properly prepare your walls for paint and follow the directions for best application.
Choosing the right paint finish can make all the difference in transforming your home and bringing your spaces to life. It can also be your ace in the hole when it comes to keeping your paint job looking fresh, clean, and imperfection free (even in those high traffic areas).
If you’re ready to embark on your next painting project, we’d love to help you bring it to the finish line.
Visit our contact page to book an estimate with our team and get our professional guidance, tailored to your needs and vision for your home!
