Hi -- I just finished the basement in drywall and need to figure out the sheen level for walls and ceilings.

Several issues to contend with:

A) The basement is humid: will the paint matter (cleanability, peeling, etc.)?

B) Low ceilings -- 6' 8"

C) Little natural light


Thanks

I would use eggshell

Use flat on the ceiling for sure. Walls are best painted in flat, but eggshell can work if the drywall finishing has no flaws.

Jaz

Most folks use ceiling paint on the ceiling not just flat paint. Look at the store and you will see paint marked as ceiling paint. Flat on the walls will show the least amount of imperfections. The shinier you get the more your drywall ,perfections will show. Most everyone will stop before semi-gloss and you should too. I would also recommend taking steps to drop that humidity. Either add a dehumidifier or at least switch your furnace fan to ON rather than AUTO. This will circulate your house air and help dry it. The 24/7 running of the fan will only very slightly increase your power consumption, which surprises most folks. I hope you added bot supply and return ducts for the basement, did you?

Flat paints on the walls especially if kids are around makes it VERY hard to clean off dirt finger prints. That's the reason that flat pint is not normally used in kitchens by sinks and counter tops.

Satin/eggshell is my preference.

So, it seems there are no "basement-specific" concerns with the choice of paint?

JazMan: why flat on the ceiling?



Most folks use ceiling paint on the ceiling not just flat paint. Look at the store and you will see paint marked as ceiling paint. Flat on the walls will show the least amount of imperfections. The shinier you get the more your drywall ,perfections will show. Most everyone will stop before semi-gloss and you should too. I would also recommend taking steps to drop that humidity. Either add a dehumidifier or at least switch your furnace fan to ON rather than AUTO. This will circulate your house air and help dry it. The 24/7 running of the fan will only very slightly increase your power consumption, which surprises most folks. I hope you added bot supply and return ducts for the basement, did you??

I have been using a dehumidifier, but I wanted to play it safe with the paint. No heating ducts, though, unfortunately: hydronic heating.

Hi, antipode12!

If there is expected to continue to be a humidity problem, then I would suggestion using a semi-gloss on the walls and a satin on the ceiling. My main concern would be the possibility of mold developing because of the humidity. The glossier the sheen of paint, then the harder it is for mold to develop. Additionally, the higher the sheen, the easier it is to clean.

Also, I would make sure that I purchased a paint that is mold resistant and if not, maybe there is an additive that could be added to the paint so that it will be resistant to mold.

Thanks!

I think most of us who paint for $ will buy ordinary ceiling paint, which is actually flat in its appearance. Mold probably will be a problm, probably no matter what luster you pick so definitely take steps to lower humidity. We never discussed why this room is humid and I guess its possible it was never constructed properly with a vapor barrior. Can you tell us more about the room if you did the construction.

The best paint for the basement would be an eggshell enamel which is not a flat paint and is not as shiny as a semi-gloss it is easy to clean it will not let moisture soak in like a flat paint does I recommend it on all my drywall jobs

As others have clarified, ceiling paint is flat, it's a cheaper version of flat wall paint. Use whatever finish gloss level that is appropriate for the room and its use.

Flat and eggshell are the most luxurious looking I believe. That is why they're used in living rooms, bedrooms and rec-rooms etc. Shinny paints seem out of place in some rooms. There is no reason to think that a semi-gloss latex will wash much better that a flat paint. If you use a high quality flat paint, it should be scrub able.

Jaz

Everyone -- thanks for the input -- I'll go with eggshell.

Clough, I will look into a mold additive, though I don't have much hope.

Ballenger, it's an older home, so just plain old cinder block exterior walls. The dehumidifier is doing the trick, though.