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[homedecor1]

FYI:

Ive built 2 homes by custom builders and both times they suggested keeping the painters flat paint for 1 year as this house settles and get nail or screw pops (drywall).  I only had a few "nail pops" in the 1st year then I had the house professionally painted.

My niece is building a new home she was given the same info - so I guess builders know best.

My villa is in need of a good painting (bought 4 years ago & not new) and I am now in the process of selecting painter -- ugh popcorn ceilings 18', 1870 sq ft. and I only want it done if ceilings included & main living areas, inc. kitchen area - yikes estimates have ranged from $2500-4100. If it weren't for these high popcorn ceilings (which I doubt have not been done in years villa is 20 yrs old) I'd do it myself!

[ccassaday]

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@homedecor1 wrote:

FYI:

Ive built 2 homes by custom builders and both times they suggested keeping the painters flat paint for 1 year as this house settles and get nail or screw pops (drywall).  I only had a few "nail pops" in the 1st year then I had the house professionally painted.

My niece is building a new home she was given the same info - so I guess builders know best.

My villa is in need of a good painting (bought 4 years ago & not new) and I am now in the process of selecting painter -- ugh popcorn ceilings 18', 1870 sq ft. and I only want it done if ceilings included & main living areas, inc. kitchen area - yikes estimates have ranged from $2500-4100. If it weren't for these high popcorn ceilings (which I doubt have not been done in years villa is 20 yrs old) I'd do it myself!

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Thank you. That makes total sense. I will pass this info onto my parents.

[gardenman]

Flat paint hides imperfections better. A high gloss paint shows every little ding or flaw. The areas that typically need scrubbing are doors and trim where people tend to put their hands. Those are easily upgraded to a semi-gloss or more scrubbing friendly paint down the road, but walls typically look better in flat paint and most walls don't need a lot of scrubbing. A wall that looks absolutely perfect in flat paint may look pretty messed up when painted with a high gloss paint.

Just applying a higher gloss paint can be more challenging also. Brush strokes, roller marks, sprayer overlap all can show up more when using a gloss paint. I've used high gloss paint on a few furniture products in the past and getting a perfect finish is much, much more challenging on even a smaller scale item. Doing all of the interior walls in such a finish would be much more of a pain than using flat paint.

[151949]

I think it is simply a matter of personal taste. Right now washable flat paints are in vogue - personally I prefer a semi gloss and when we do paint this place it will be with semigloss.We already have rough , textured walls anyway. Sort of a tuscan feel. I believe now a days they mostly glue plasterboard up - just minimal nails to hold it in place til the glue sets, which is great because you don't get those nail pops as the house settles.The adhesives today are amazing.

[ID2]

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@ccassaday wrote:
Typically in a new construction a builder wil use the god awful flat paint. Does anyone know is it a ton of extra to upgrade the paint when building.

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We provided the paint when we were having our cottage built. 

[Mominohio]

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@gardenman wrote:

Flat paint hides imperfections better. A high gloss paint shows every little ding or flaw. The areas that typically need scrubbing are doors and trim where people tend to put their hands. Those are easily upgraded to a semi-gloss or more scrubbing friendly paint down the road, but walls typically look better in flat paint and most walls don't need a lot of scrubbing. A wall that looks absolutely perfect in flat paint may look pretty messed up when painted with a high gloss paint.

Just applying a higher gloss paint can be more challenging also. Brush strokes, roller marks, sprayer overlap all can show up more when using a gloss paint. I've used high gloss paint on a few furniture products in the past and getting a perfect finish is much, much more challenging on even a smaller scale item. Doing all of the interior walls in such a finish would be much more of a pain than using flat paint.

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There are so many finishes now availabe that no one has to settle for the impossible to clean flat paint any more.

I have used some semi gloss on certain walls that will require more cleaning (like kitchens) and satins on rooms where the walls don't get much use/abuse. Even the semi gloss dulls out in a short time to look like a satin, but still washes better than a flat ever will. 

[Lipstickdiva]

If you don't want flat paint, you don't have to do a semi-gloss.  There are other paint choices.  Many recommend a semi-gloss in the kitchen or kids room where you will need to clean more. 

I've not had great luck with washable flat paint.  I also didn't like eggshell finish either which is what the builder did my sister's home with.

As we've painted our own house and my sister painted her house to get rid of the builder's eggshell, we've used satin finish.  It's not shiny like semi-gloss is but it is easily washable.  It does have a sheen to it though but not a gloss like semi-gloss or gloss paint.

When we were choosing paint, we were told the glossier the finish the easier it will be to clean and the more matte a finish, the harder it will be to finish.  I don't like a high shine or gloss though on my walls.   Also the higher the gloss the more it will show imperfections.

I need to be able to wipe my walls down though.