There are several different sorts of finishes for paint products. The finish is the texture, sheen, or shine level a paint has. Each option has advantages and disadvantages.
| Flat | Flat paints have the least shine, and tend to have a somewhat chalky feel to them. Benjamin Moore has been working to make their flat paint more washable over the years, even though flat paints in general are not known for their washability. Flat paints tend to hide imperfections in the walls easily. |
| Eggshell | Eggshell paints are one step more glossy than the flat, but they are still not overly shiny. They get their name from the texture of the shell of an egg. They are more washable than the flat paints, and are not as chalky feeling. This is a popular option for interior walls, as eggshell paints also help to hide imperfections in the wall. |
| Low Lustre | Low lustre paints, in the Benjamin Moore product lines, tend to be for exterior paints. They are not terribly shiny, though have more glass than eggshell. This is most often used as the paint for siding, with a complementary trim that is shinier (see Semi-gloss). Low luster is shiny enough to shed rainwater well, but dull enough not to reflect much sunlight. |
| Pearl | Pearl is fast becoming a popular choice for those who don't want a shinier wall surface, like you get with semi-gloss, but who don't want the rougher surface they get with eggshell. Pearl has a soft shine, not unlike a pearl, that does not emphasize wall imperfections, but it doesn't mask them as well as the less glossy paints. Its washability is greater than that of eggshell, though still not as washable as a semigloss or gloss enamel. |
| Semigloss | Semi-gloss a relatively shiny gloss. It is most often used for painting trim, either inside or outside, as an accent to a less glossy wall surface. It sheds water fairly well (exterior) and is the most washable of the common interior paints. Imperfections in the wall tend to be emphasized with a semi- gloss, as the reflection of light helps to show any surface irregularities. |
| Gloss | Gloss is not just a term used to describe how shiny a paint is. It is also used to describe the shiniest gloss level in paint. High gloss is usually either an enamel or a house paint. Traditionally, house paints were either flat or high gloss, and oil based. Today, these products are still available, if in a different form. The shiny surface of a gloss paint sheds water very well, and tends to be durable. Gloss paints are still not chosen often, because they are, for many people, "too shiny". |
