Vinyl matt, silk or eggshell: which paint finish?
The finish you choose matters as much as the colour. Get it right and your walls look flawless; get it wrong and every bump and roller mark shows. For most rooms the answer is vinyl matt, but here's the full picture, room by room.
The finishes, in plain English
| Finish | Sheen | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Contract matt | Flat, chalky | New plaster, ceilings, budget jobs |
| Vinyl matt | Flat, subtle | Most walls: bedrooms, living rooms |
| Durable / washable matt | Flat, wipeable | Hallways, kitchens, family rooms |
| Vinyl silk | Noticeable sheen | Wipe-clean walls in good condition |
| Eggshell | Low sheen, tough | Woodwork, doors, high-wear areas |
| Satin | Soft sheen | Modern woodwork & trim |
| Gloss | High shine | Traditional woodwork & trim |
Vinyl matt: the everyday workhorse
If you only remember one finish, make it vinyl matt. It's the finish most walls in most homes are painted in, and for good reason. It has a flat, low-sheen look that hides imperfections, plus a small amount of vinyl in the formula that makes it tougher and more hard-wearing than basic contract matt. That vinyl also makes it lightly wipeable: you can gently wipe away the odd scuff or fingerprint without the paint rubbing off.
For bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms and landings, vinyl matt is usually all you need. It gives a smart, contemporary flat finish, covers well, and represents excellent value, so you often don't need to pay extra to upgrade unless the room takes a lot of punishment. Quality trade versions like Johnstone's Vinyl Matt and Dulux Trade Vinyl Matt are what we use as standard on most walls.
Contract matt: for new plaster and ceilings
Contract matt is a flatter, more porous emulsion with little or no vinyl. It's ideal as a mist coat and first coats on fresh plaster, and it's a common budget choice for ceilings. It marks easily and isn't wipeable, so it's not the right pick for walls you'll live with day to day. That's where vinyl matt earns its place.
Durable & washable matt: matt that takes a beating
You don't have to trade the flat matt look for durability. Modern durable and washable matt emulsions give you the same flat, imperfection-hiding appearance as vinyl matt, but with a tougher film that can be scrubbed rather than gently wiped. They're the right answer for hallways, stairs, landings, kitchens, and any home with children, pets or bikes going through it.
They cost more per litre than vinyl matt, and on a big job that adds up, so we only recommend them where the room genuinely earns it. In a spare bedroom, it's money you don't need to spend. In a busy family hallway, it's money that saves you redecorating two years early.
Vinyl silk: sheen that shows everything
Vinyl silk has a noticeable sheen and wipes clean easily, which is why it was traditionally used in kitchens and bathrooms. The catch is that sheen reflects light, and reflected light shows every bump, ripple, filler patch and roller mark on the wall. On anything less than perfect plaster, silk is unforgiving.
Modern durable matt does the wipe-clean job without the glare, which is why silk has fallen out of favour for walls in recent years. We'll happily use it if you want it, but we'll usually suggest a durable matt instead: you get the practicality without advertising every imperfection in the plaster.
Eggshell: the woodwork workhorse
Eggshell has a low, soft sheen and a tough, hard-wearing film. It's the standard modern choice for interior woodwork: doors, frames, skirting, architrave and window boards. It looks contemporary rather than shiny, hides minor imperfections in timber better than gloss, and stands up to knocks and cleaning.
Today's water-based eggshells are also non-yellowing, which matters enormously on white woodwork. Old oil-based paints go creamy-yellow within a few years, especially behind doors and in rooms with less daylight. A quality water-based eggshell stays white.
Satin and gloss: the traditional options
Satin sits between eggshell and gloss: a soft sheen, slightly shinier than eggshell, still durable. It's a matter of taste more than performance.
Gloss is the traditional high-shine woodwork finish. It's hard-wearing and easy to wipe, but the shine highlights every dent and grain-raise in the timber, so it needs excellent preparation to look good. Oil-based gloss also yellows over time. Most of our customers now choose eggshell or satin instead, but gloss remains the right call for period properties where it suits the house.
Which finish hides imperfections best?
If your walls have seen better days (old plaster, patched cracks, a bit of unevenness), the finish you choose does a lot of the heavy lifting:
- Best at hiding: contract matt and vinyl matt, with almost no light reflection.
- Good at hiding: durable / washable matt, flat, with the toughness added.
- Shows imperfections: vinyl silk, where sheen reflects light across the wall.
- Shows everything: gloss, where on woodwork every flaw in the timber is visible.
No finish is a substitute for preparation, though. Filling, caulking and sanding are what make a wall look flat; matt paint simply stops the light from giving away what's left. That's why we never skip prep, whatever finish goes on top.
Which finish for which room?
| Room | Walls | Woodwork |
|---|---|---|
| Bedroom | Vinyl matt | Eggshell |
| Living room | Vinyl matt | Eggshell |
| Hallway, stairs & landing | Durable matt | Eggshell or satin |
| Kitchen / diner | Durable matt | Eggshell |
| Bathroom | Bathroom-grade / durable matt | Eggshell |
| New plaster | Mist coat, then vinyl matt | Primer, then eggshell |
Not sure? You don't have to decide alone. Our colour consultation is free, and the finish is part of that conversation. If you're also weighing up colour, our guide to choosing the right white covers the trickiest decision of all.
Right finish, right room, fixed price
Premium trade paint and full prep included as standard, with advice on what your rooms actually need.
Get my instant quote →Frequently asked questions
What is vinyl matt paint?
Vinyl matt is the most common wall emulsion for interior decorating. It has a flat, low-sheen finish that hides imperfections well, plus a small amount of vinyl that makes it more hard-wearing and lightly wipeable than basic contract matt. It is the everyday workhorse finish for bedrooms, living rooms and most walls, and offers excellent value.
Which paint finish hides wall imperfections best?
Flat matt finishes hide imperfections best. Vinyl matt and durable matt reflect very little light, so bumps, filler and uneven plaster are far less visible. Silk and other sheen finishes reflect light, which highlights any flaws, so they suit walls in good condition.
What is the difference between vinyl matt, silk and eggshell?
Vinyl matt is a flat, lightly wipeable wall finish that hides imperfections and suits most rooms. Vinyl silk has a noticeable sheen and wipes clean but shows flaws. Eggshell is a low-sheen, durable finish usually used on woodwork and in higher-wear areas.
Is vinyl matt wipeable?
Yes, lightly. The vinyl content lets you gently wipe away small marks, though it is less scrubbable than a dedicated durable or washable matt. For busy hallways, kitchens or homes with children and pets, a durable matt is the more hard-wearing choice.