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What are the different types of paint sheens?
One of the most commonly asked questions here at Adler’s is, what sheen paint should I use? There are six options starting with Flat, which has no sheen and is most commonly used on ceilings; there’s no washability with with Flat.
For walls, Matte or Eggshell, both of which have washability, are a good choice. Matte is lower in sheen, Eggshell is higher. The thing to keep in mind is the higher the sheen, the more washability, but also the more you'll see surface imperfections. So if your walls are imperfect, Matte is a great call. If they are in great shape, Eggshell is where I'd go.
Similarly, on trim, Satin and Semi are the two most common. Same rules apply if the walls are imperfect - use a lower sheen like Satin on the trim if you have imperfections. But Semi-gloss is actually the most common. And if you really want to go for it, there's a unique finish called Brilliant. This is as shiny as it gets. You won't know when the paint is dry. In fact, it looks the same whether it’s wet or dry and it’s used commonly on trim doors, but it can be used walls, ceilings. Keep in mind, the higher the sheen, the more you see surface imperfections. So if you're gonna go Brilliant, you'd better have a darn good painter applying that.