Types of Paint and Paint Finishes: A Complete Guide 

You have a lot more to think about than color when planning a painting project. Once you’ve finally picked that perfect hue, you’ll need to decide what type of paint to use. Do you want the smooth, rock-hard shell of an oil-based paint, the ease of application of a latex paint, or the excellent weather resistance of acrylic? And then there’s the finish to think about. Are you after the bold colors of a flat finish, a shiny and durable semi-gloss finish, or something in between? What type and finish paint you choose depends on whether you’re painting a living room or bathroom, the baseboards or walls, or the interior or exterior of your home. 

 Types of Paint

Ahead we elaborate on the differences between the various types of paint. Keep in mind that there’s overlap here: For example, interior and exterior paints come in oil-based, acrylic, and latex varieties, as do primers. 

1. Primer

Primer differs from paint because it has more resin in it, while paint has more pigment. This formula makes primer ideal for several things. It does a great job of hiding colors, making it an essential first coat if your painting project involves changing a room’s dark wall color to a light one. It’s also a great stain blocker, covering furniture marks, handprints, water stains and other imperfections that would show through regular paint. Primer also adheres well to smooth surfaces that most paints won’t stick to, such as metal, plastic, and vinyl. While putting on a coat of primer is an extra step, you’ll need fewer coats of paint to get a good finish. 

Best for: Covering stains, dark colors, or prepping slick surfaces for painting
Our recommendation: Rust-Oleum Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Water-Base Primer at Amazon for $14.83. This primer is low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) and works on a variety of surface types, including wood, metal, plastic, and drywall.

2. Oil-Based Paint

An oil-based paint uses oil, as opposed to water, as its solvent, the liquid that dissolves the pigments in the paint. Oil-based paints have several advantages over their water-based cousins. They dry harder than water-based latex and acrylic paints, making them ideal for baseboards, trim, doors, cabinets, woodwork, floors, and other areas that frequently come into contact with hands, feet, and furniture. Oil-based paints also cover and adhere better than latex or acrylic and produce a smoother glossier finish. On the flip side, oil-based paints take far longer to dry than latex or acrylic paints, produce strong odors and high VOCs, and require a solvent for post-painting clean-up. 

Best for: Painting woodwork, cabinets, trim and other high-traffic areas
Our recommendation: Rust-Oleum Stops Rust Gloss Black Interior/Exterior Oil-based Paint at Lowe’s for $48.48. Rust-Oleum creates a durable weatherproof finish on metal, one of the more difficult surfaces to paint.

3. Latex Paint

Latex is a water-based paint that uses synthetic polymers and pigment. It produces mild odors and low-VOCs, making it ideal for painting interior walls. It also dries much more quickly than oil-based paint and is typically more affordable. And since latex is water-based, you can clean brushes by simply rinsing them under the faucet. Latex paint is also easier to apply than other paint acrylic or oil-based paints, and it’s easier to maintain. 

“Latex is usually affordable and can be bought in larger amounts, making it one of the more popular types of interior house paints,” says Chuck Reger of Five Star Painting, a painting company with franchises around the country. 

Latex does have its drawbacks. It won’t crack or chip like oil-based paint, but it’s not as resistant to scratches or scrapes. Latex also doesn’t adhere as well to rough surfaces, like concrete, and will raise the grain on bare wood, making it a poor choice for furniture. 

Best for: Latex is the paint of choice for interior walls.
Our recommendation: Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint Interior Acrylic Latex at Sherwin-Williams for $82.99. Sherwin-Williams SuperPaint offers excellent coverage, a great finish, and tremendous durability.

4. Acrylic Paint

Though similar in some ways to latex paint, acrylic paint has some key differences. While acrylic paint is water-based like latex paint, it includes silicone oils, defoamers, and plasticizers that most (but not all) latex paints lack. These additives make acrylic paint very flexible and more resistant to damage from debris, mold, UV rays, and water. These attributes make acrylic paint ideal for painting home exteriors, which face exposure to the elements and are constantly expanding and contracting with changes in temperature. Acrylic paint is also more expensive than latex paints and can be more difficult to work with. There are also acrylic latex paints, which is latex paint with a higher concentration of acrylic resin. It offers the durability and flexibility of acrylic with the ease of use of latex. 

Best for: Acrylic’s durability and flexible composition makes it ideal for painting house exteriors.
Our recommendation: Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint at Sherwin-Williams for $108.99. With a self-priming formula and finish that masks imperfections, Sherwin-Williams is an excellent choice for home exteriors.

5. Interior Paint

Latex paint is the most common choice for interior paint. It produces low VOCs and odors and adheres well to most wall materials, including drywall, plaster, and stucco. Latex paint also dries quickly, allowing you to get interior rooms back into service quickly. However, it doesn’t match the toughness or silky smooth look and sheen of an oil-based paint. If you don’t mind the high price tag that comes with it, you can also go for an acrylic-alkyd hybrid, which gives you the durable, smooth finish of oil but without the long dry times or high VOCs. 

Best for: Painting interior walls, ceilings, trim, and furniture.
Our recommendation: Sherwin-Williams Emerald Designer Edition Interior Latex Paint at Sherwin-William for $120.49. It doesn’t come cheap, but the coverage, finish quality, and durability this paint offers is unparalleled.

6. Exterior Paint

Oil-based paint, latex, or acrylic paints all come in exterior varieties. Acrylic is perhaps the best all-around outdoor paint. It expands and contracts better than latex or oil-based paint and resists mold and mildew, scratches from leaves, tree branches and debris. It also happens to be pricey. There are some quality latex exterior paints that are a good budget priced exterior option if you don’t want to spring for acrylic. While oil-based paint’s lack of flexibility makes it a poor choice for home exteriors, it does have its place in exterior paints. Its hardness, smooth texture, and excellent adherence makes it an ideal paint type for doors, trim, patio and porch floors, and metal surfaces. 

Best for: Siding, outdoor furniture, decks, and patio floors.
Our recommendation: Sherwin-Williams Emerald Exterior Acrylic Latex Paint at Sherwin-Williams for $108.99. You get the best of both worlds with this latex/acrylic hybrid. It creates a durable finish and is easier to work with than 100 percent acrylic paints.

Types of Paint Finishes

When it comes to paint finishes, also called paint sheens, there’s a sliding scale ranging from a high shine to a completely non-reflective, almost paper-like texture. Expect to add about a dollar per gallon for each notch up the glossiness scale, with flat being the cheapest and high gloss being up to $5 more per gallon. Why the price difference? Higher gloss finishes have more binders in them, increasing the price while also making the paint heavier. A gallon of satin weighs more than a gallon of flat paint. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Flat  

Flat or matte paint has a low-luster finish and high color saturation, giving it a sophisticated, rich look that makes it popular interior wall paint for rooms throughout the house. Its non-reflective quality makes it ideal for hiding wall imperfections. “The nature of flat paint hides these imperfections because of the way that light reflects off of a flat paint surface,” says Brandon Walker of Arizona-based ASAP Restoration LLC. A matte finish paint is also the least durable of the paint finishes because of its low sheen, which is why it’s often limited to low traffic areas or ceilings, though recent advancements in paint technology have made it more practical for use throughout the home. It will stain and mark more easily than glossier finishes. These qualities make flat paint best for non-work areas, such as living rooms and bedrooms. 

2.  Eggshell

Eggshell has slightly more sheen than matte paint. This quality gives it a nice mix of durability and good color saturation. Eggshell is more durable than matte while still being capable of concealing imperfections. While eggshell paint finish isn’t durable enough to face the humidity found in bathrooms, it’s popular for just about anywhere else in the house, including kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms and hallways. 

3. Satin

One notch up on the sheen scale from eggshell, satin paint finish falls smack dab in the middle of glossy paints and flat paints, making it one of the more versatile finishes. The finish is soft enough for bedrooms and living rooms yet durable enough to take on high-traffic areas, including kitchens and staircases. Satin is also regarded as the best paint finish for bathrooms. “Satin and eggshell finishes are ideal for walls due to their smooth, slightly reflective surface that’s easy to clean,” Reger says. You can even use this finish on trim, doors, and windows. Keep in mind that since satin is shinier than eggshell or flat, it will accentuate surface imperfections on the wall, so make sure to make repairs prior to painting. 

4. Semi-Gloss

The lower pigment concentration in semi-gloss paint makes it very resistant to water, impacts, and stains, and hence ideal for places that see a lot of traffic. “Semi-gloss and gloss finishes are perfect for trim, doors, and high-traffic areas due to their durability and high reflectivity,” Reger says. Since semi-gloss has a low concentration of pigment, it’s best for colors that demand less saturation, such as white. Semi-gloss will show imperfections more easily than flatter finishes, so be diligent about surface preparation before applying it. “Semi-gloss and gloss paints are best for high traffic areas because they are durable, and they are easy to clean and wipe down if they get dirty,” Walker says. 

5. Gloss 

Gloss finishes are the most reflective paint finish you can buy. While gloss is not as common as the other paint finishes on this list, it is sometimes used for interior molding and trim due to its tremendous durability. High-gloss paint’s smooth and shiny finish also makes it the easiest paint finish to clean. Gloss paint can be difficult to work with and its low pigment concentration doesn’t produce richer colors as well as flatter paints. As with semi-gloss paint, prepping the surface for paint is critical when using a gloss finish, as it will highlight imperfections. 

The Best Paint Types for Different Projects

Final Thoughts

While the number of options may make choosing a paint feel a bit overwhelming, by following the above guidelines, you can match the right type and finish to whatever it is you happen to be painting, be it a piece of solid wood furniture, a living room, or exterior siding. And once you’ve nailed down the right paint for the job, you can proceed with choosing the perfect color in one of the best exterior paints or interior paints.