Paint finish help

Good morning lovetocook,

Traditionally people use semi gloss for all trims and doors as well as in the kitchen and bathrooms.

Things have changed so you do have options now. Benjamin Moore came out with AURA paint that they say is easy to clean and they feel that you can now put flat paint on your kitchen and bathroom walls.

Personally, I do not love how semi gloos paint looks. I would still use it on all moldings and doors and the Aura paint in the bathrooms and kitchen

I do not think semi-gloss on walls looks good either. I would use the Benjamin Moore Aura, it is a little more expensive but you end up needed less coats. Personally I tend to like the look of flat paint, but eggshell is also very common and still looks good. For trim, i would still use the semi-gloss, or at least the satin finish.

Couple of questions here. First off, does primer need to be sanded after its applied (relatively new apartment, so walls smooth, but rather dirty)? Second, how many coats of paint should be applied assuming one coat of primer is being applied? Some people are telling me one coat is sufficient, but I'm skeptical as I think the norm is one coat of primer and two coats of paint. Third, what paint is better (look and durability/washability), Benjamin Moore Aura or traditional Benjamin Moore Regal?

High gloss for trim.

Flat for ceilings.

Satin for walls.

I am confused. If using AURA, does it mean I can use any kind of finishes, flat or satin or whatever on any walls/ceilings (including bathroom/kitchen) for minimum maintenance?

I prefer flat on all surfaces, including doors and trim. Even the sort of flat latex that's been around for decades ... it takes light cleaning. To the best of my knowledge, AURA is identical to the offerings of Home Depot and Lowe's: "scrubbable flat", "flat enamel", etc.

Mynycse,

That is what Benjamin Moore says. I have used it and have not had any complaints in complete apts. Including bathrooms and kitchens

Home Depot:
http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#channel=PROJECT_CENTER;view=17;vgnextoid=0eca536658689110VgnVCM1000006f1010acRCRD

Lowes:
http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/find-the-right-product/interior/paint/ultra-premium-flat.html

"I prefer flat on all surfaces, including doors and trim. Even the sort of flat latex that's been around for decades ... it takes light cleaning."

Only if by "light cleaning" you mean gently blowing dust off the surface with purified air.

Even just touching will leave a mark. Light wiping will leave a smudge. And God forbid if you use even a dampened cloth ... it's ruined forever.

NYC Matt has it right. Some companies call their satin eggshell.

No, Matt has it (as nearly always) wrong. A very diluted dish detergent solution works like a charm on flat paint. Matt believes in 1940s old wives tales, fittingly.

Satin isn't the same as eggshell ... it's another part of the sheen spectrum:

http://www.behr.com/Behr/home#channel=PROJECT_CENTER;view=13;vgnextoid=d1a0f11390a59110VgnVCM1000006b0910acRCRD

Eggshell sucks too.

If the walls will at any time come in contact with human hands, do not use any finish flatter than satin.