Matt paint has low sheen and absorbs light rather than reflecting it – making it a great choice for adding warmth and hiding imperfections on low-traffic surfaces such as bedroom walls and ceilings.

Matt paints contain high levels of pigment, offering great coverage; you can cover surfaces in fewer coats for quicker painting at a lower cost.

Wiping regular matt paint can cause the finish to come off, so they are less suited for bathrooms, kitchens and cabinetry. But don’t worry if you love a matt finish, here at Toolstation, you’ll also find scrubbable matt paints which can withstand more frequent cleaning.

Eggshell finishes have low-to-moderate sheen, making them more durable and easier to wipe clean than matt finishes – perfect for higher traffic spaces such as living rooms and dining areas.

Because of the lower sheen, eggshell paints hide imperfections better than satin and gloss, while still allowing light to bounce around rooms to make them appear bigger and brighter.

The slight shine to eggshell finishes makes it more difficult to add touch ups to small areas without seeing the layers of paint – it’s often easier to simply repaint the whole surface.

Silk finish paints have moderate sheen – shinier than matt, flatter than gloss – and are durable and easy to clean; ideal for bathroom and kitchen walls, as well as kids’ bedrooms.

The moderate sheen reflects more light than matt and eggshell finishes, which bounces off surfaces to make rooms appear brighter and more spacious.

If your walls get lots of sunlight, silk paints can show up more imperfections than matt finishes because they reflect more light. This can be reduced with thorough priming.

Satin finishes, like silk paints, have moderate sheen and are very durable. They’re used on wooden surfaces like trims, doors and around windows because the sheen adds a protective layer.

Light bounces off satin paints, making rooms appear bigger and brighter.

Imperfections show up clearly because satin paint reflects lots of light, meaning thorough cleaning and priming is needed. It’s also more difficult to touch up smaller areas with satin finishes without layers showing.

Gloss finishes have very high sheen and are extremely durable and easy to wipe clean – perfect for trims, doors, cabinets, and surfaces in commercial buildings such as offices and schools.

They add a protective coating both indoors and outdoors, so they can even be used to protect surfaces from the elements.

Gloss finishes show up imperfections more clearly – thorough priming is needed – and it’s hard to touch up small areas without showing the layers of paint.