Choosing the Right Paint Sheen

When it’s time to paint, color is often the first consideration of many homeowners, but selecting the right sheen has important aesthetic and functional ramifications.

What is Sheen?

Sheen refers to the smoothness and the amount of light reflected by a coating. Technically speaking, it is largely influenced by the ratio of paint-resin (binder) to pigment. The more binder a coating contains, the smoother the surface and the more light reflectance. Conversely, less binder leads to a rougher surface and less light reflectance. A high-gloss paint has relatively more binder than a flat paint.

From an aesthetic standpoint, paint sheen can either add or detract from the visual characteristics of the painted item. From a durability standpoint, selecting the right sheen for the job can extend the life of the paint job.

Flat

A flat sheen is more porous and reflects less light. Because it reflects less light it is better at hiding imperfections in drywall. On the other hand, less binder means less durability. It will scuff more easily than a higher gloss paint, though it touches up nicely. It is a popular choice for bedrooms, dining rooms, and living rooms.

Eggshell

Eggshell offers slightly less reflectance than satin, but is more durable than flat. It is an ideal choice for walls in high traffic areas.   

Satin

Satin sheen has a slightly higher reflectance value than eggshell. It provides an elegant appeal with the right light/color combinations and is more durable than flat paint. Typically, it will be used on walls (or trim) in high traffic areas.

Photo: trim is often painted with a higher sheen than the adjacent wall/ceiling surfaces

Semi-Gloss

Semi-gloss offers good stain resistance and is easy to clean. Because of its light reflectance properties, it is popular for millwork and trim. Because of its durability it is often used in bathrooms and kitchens.

Gloss

Gloss is the toughest and most reflective. It is ideal for cabinets, millwork, and trim. However, it tends to draw attention to imperfections.

Mixing Sheens

Most paint products offer three or four levels of sheen which will allow you or your painting contractor to create the perfect look for your room or for the exterior of your house. If a particular manufacturer’s sheen options don’t work perfectly for you, you can always mix two different sheens to get an in-between finish. When touching up a blemish, you can also reduce the sheen by thinning the paint.   

Wood Rot - What Every Homeowner Should Know

Photo: Advanced Structural Rot

There are two words that strike fear into any homeowner - "wood rot." On the Outer Banks it's a problem we deal with every day. Usually, by the time we find wood rot on a house, it has reached a stage where it is completely pervasive. This leads to high unexpected costs for the homeowner.

What Causes Wood Rot?
The main cause of wood rot is water. If water gets into cracks or beneath your siding and doesn't dry out, it creates a perfect environment for certain wood-decaying fungi. Once the rot takes hold, it spreads rapidly. If left alone it will eventually lead to major structural damage.

But that's not all. The dampness becomes an open invitation for termites and carpenter ants to inflict further damage. The bottom line is this: your house has a lot of wood - siding, plywood sheathing, trim, and framing - so there is a lot to protect.

Photo: Rot Discovery at House Trim

How Do I Identify Wood Rot?
Any place where two pieces of wood come together is a potential place for water infiltration. Excessive paint peeling on house trim, window trim, butt joints in siding, fascia, or near roof lines may indicate water infiltration. Stained or peeling siding directly above or below your deck may also be an indicator. Interior drywall staining near windows, doors, or where your ceiling meets an exterior wall may also be a sign of rot.

Take a screwdriver and gently probe the wood. If your screwdriver goes through the wood, you have rot. You'll want to call a rot repair specialist to examine further.

Beach Painting Contractors will typically begin by probing further and removing trim or siding that has rot. We then inspect the plywood sheathing at these locations to determine if the rot has spread. If the rot appears to be widespread, we develop an action plan for the homeowner.

How Do I Prevent Wood Rot?
First of all, homes should be inspected annually for signs of wood rot. This is especially critical in extremely harsh environments like the Outer Banks. A full-service painting and construction contractor can do this for you. As part of a maintenance agreement with Beach Painting Contractors, we offer power washing and inspection of your siding, trim, roof, and caulking. Nearly one third of our annual revenue comes from our construction division (which specializes in rot repair). We know what to look for.

Consider installing seamless gutters on your house. Seamless gutters are not prone to leaking (thereby causing damage to fascia and soffits). You'll want to make sure that your gutters remain clear of debris.

Photo: Advanced Rot and Insect Damage

Roof and deck flashing are critical. If flashing is installed incorrectly (or not installed at all) water will flow directly behind your siding. Typically, flashing can be installed easily with minimum removal of siding and roof shingles.

Look for failed caulking. This is a primary line of defense against water penetration. Cracked or deteriorated caulk should be removed and replaced with a high quality acrylic latex exterior caulk.

Address your peeling paint. If your trim or siding have peeling paint, you'll need to scrape, apply primer, and re-paint the area that is peeling. As mentioned above, you'll want to probe any wood that is peeling.

Maintain and trim your trees and shrubbery. Any limbs touching your house can provide a conduit for water infiltration.

If you suspect you have wood rot, call us today! We'll perform a visual inspection and provide a free consultation.

Painters and Rot Repair Specialists

 

252.441.8224

www.beachpainting.com

info@beachpainting.com