Painting

Sheen Level Changes How Flat Your Walls Look

The same wall in matt and in eggshell looks like two different surfaces: sheen turns light into a raking inspection lamp.

Raking light across a painted wall with paint tins nearby

A matt film is microscopically rough, so it scatters incoming light in all directions and no single highlight forms. A glossier film is smoother and reflects specularly, meaning any bump produces a visible bright line against its shadow.

This is the real reason ceilings are almost always matt and why old, wavy plaster is best left flat. Where wipe-clean matters — kitchens, bathrooms, hallways — modern washable matts now bridge much of the gap.

Put this into practice

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More facts like this

Primer Is Not Watered-Down PaintPrimer is formulated to stick and seal, not to cover. Using an extra coat of colour instead usually costs more paint than the primer would have.