Why Matte Paint Touches Up Better Than Other Types of Paint

Different paint sheens offer different properties that affect the way they look and perform. Higher sheen paints like satin, eggshell, semi-gloss, and gloss tend to be easier to clean, where matte/flat paint tends to provide more even coverage and does a better job of covering imperfections in the painting surface.

For these properties and more, choosing the right paint sheen for the interior of your home depends on what room you’re painting and, of course, personal preference. There is, however, a major difference worth considering when it comes to touch up. Simply put, lower sheen paint like matte finish is MUCH easier to successfully touch up, and we’re here today to explain why.

The main problem to understand is “flashing” – that is, when touched up spots on the wall catch light from certain angles and make the touch-ups an obvious eyesore. This can happen partly because of changes in painting technique. Brushing on touch-ups when the wall was sprayed or rolled may cause differences in texture, and those inconsistencies can catch light differently. This issue with flashing is compounded in higher sheen paints, making them much more difficult to touch up effectively. This happens for two main reasons.

First, any paint sheen dulls a bit over time. Exposure to light and air breaks down some of the materials in the paint and causes it to gradually and subtly lose its sheen. Cleaning the walls can also dull the sheen, depending on what cleaning products you use. This might not be obvious when looking at an entire wall, but becomes obvious after some touch-ups. Even if you match the color and sheen exactly, the touch-ups will appear glossier against the gently faded original paint.

Similarly, the sheen in paints like satin, eggshell, semi-gloss, and gloss are created by the ratio of pigment to binder. Pigments provide the color, and various binders – acrylic, enamel, and many others, depending on the paint – create sheen. This ratio is known in the painting industry as pigment volume concentration (PVC).

The lower the ratio, the glossier the paint sheen. For example, most flat/matte paints have a PVC of about 40%, where high gloss paint has a PVC of around 15%.

Binders are more reflective than pigments, so the sheen of your paint is actually the amount of light it reflects. Because of that, adding more of that reflective material makes the paint even shinier – which means that touched up spots will almost automatically cause flashing in higher sheen paints.

Matte paint, however, has less of this reflective material and that makes it much easier to touch up without dealing with flashing issues. You still need to be careful doing touch-ups with matte/flat finishes, and do your best to use as little paint as possible (and blend the edges of your touch-up with the existing paint). This will make the repainted areas less noticeable.

The issues with touching up higher sheen paints come down to inconsistent reflections and the eyesores that may show up at certain angles or in photographs. The sheen you choose is still a personal preference, and there are plenty of uses for higher sheens, but if you foresee the need to touch up scuffs or mild damage, you may want to lean toward matte paint.

For tips on how to keep your paint looking great, more advice on touch-ups, or to get your free, no-obligation estimate on your next painting project, contact CertaPro today!