When it comes to kitchen
cabinet painting in Omaha, NE, most homeowners focus primarily in color when
choosing the paint. Indeed, color is what dresses your cabinets and defines
their beauty when you paint them. However, there is one equally important element
that they often ignore; paint sheen.
The sheen is the shininess that your cabinets give off when they
reflect light. Paint sheen can also slightly alter the paint color by how much
light it absorbs or reflects. Here is a quick look at the main types of kitchen
cabinet paint sheens and how they affect the end results;
Kitchen Cabinet Paint
Sheens
Flat/Matte Paint
If you have something to hide rather than reflect it, a flat
sheen would be your perfect choice. It reflects nearly no light and shows no
shininess on the surface. However, it’s the least durable choice and doesn’t
usually stand up well against scrubbing. While most paints tend to clean up
pretty quickly with water and soap, when it comes to kitchen cabinet painting,
a flat finish is a no-go zone. Flat paints are best reserved for the ceilings
and walls in low-traffic areas.
Satin Paint Sheen
Satin sheen is one step above the flat sheen. It offers the
lowest light reflection and might be the best option if you prefer a soft glow
in your cabinets. The satin sheen is best at hiding surface imperfections and
dirt but might be as durable as the higher sheen options.
Semi-Gloss Paint Sheen
Semi-Gloss Paint Sheen is a step above satin sheen in terms of
light reflection. It’s one of the most popular sheens used on kitchen cabinets
as well as woodwork across different areas. A semi-gloss sheen will provide a
subtle shine to your cabinets, but it won’t be too glaring and overbearing.
Semi-gloss paint tends to be more durable in high traffic areas
compared to both satin and flat sheens. It’s also easy to maintain, and
therefore you will need to do less frequent wiping of your cabinets. This sheen
reflects and shows a little more dirt and surface imperfections compared to
satin, but it’s generally an excellent choice for most kitchen cabinet painting
projects.
Gloss Paint Sheen
Gloss paint provides the highest light reflection when used on
the kitchen cabinets. They are a step above semi-gloss paint and are much
easier to clean and maintain compared to semi-gloss and satin paints. Cabinets
painted in gloss paint will stand against regular cleaning and scrubbing
without easily wearing off.
While this high sheen paint is easy to clean, it also tends to
reflect and show more dirt and surface imperfection. This sheen is, therefore,
best used if there is no surface damage on your cabinets. Gloss sheen might
also be a little too reflective and should be used selectively.
The Bottom Line
The best sheen is really all about what you prefer, but if you
want super easy cleaning, choose gloss sheen. If you want easy to clean paint,
but have surface imperfections choose satin sheen. And if your cabinets are in
good shape and you want a nice sheen that is not too reflective choose
semi-gloss.
Still not sure which sheen is best for your particular project?
Consult a painting contractor. If you any professional assistance updating your
kitchen cabinets in Omaha, NE, our team at Brush & Roll Painting can help.
To get started, book a FREE estimate below or call us
today on 402-932-9764 for
more details.
Bill Carlson
Bill is the owner and operator of Brush & Roll Painting. Bill Carlson is a second-generation painter. He grew up working with his father’s painting and restoration company. After graduating from Bennington High School, he served in the US Navy, traveling with the boxing team. While this was a great opportunity to see the world, it also made him realize how much he loved his little world here in Nebraska. He settled back into the painting industry, working with his brother. It wasn’t long before Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit pushed him to start his own business. Always one for a challenge, he longed to prove to himself that he could be as successful on his own as both his dad and brother were.
