Most brands of paint come in four sheen levels: gloss, semi-gloss, eggshell or satin, and flat. So, let's take a look at the difference, as gloss paints, as the name implies, have the highest light-reflective characteristics, and it goes down from there.

Gloss Paint
Gloss paints, or high-gloss finishes, have a highly reflective appearance. They produce the toughest, most durable, and most stain-resistant finishes. They are easier to clean than less reflective or low-luster paints. Thus, when you are painting areas subject to heavy traffic or use, especially those prone to fingerprints or grime, this is the ideal paint sheen to use.

This is not necessarily what you want in every room though as there is a down side to gloss sheens. Because of their highly selective appearance, gloss paints tend to highlight surface imperfections. As a result, if your walls or woodwork are marred or irregular, you might want to select paint with a lower sheen level.

When it comes to differences in gloss sheens itself, the main difference is latex vs. oil. Latex enamels have several advantages: They dry more quickly, resist yellowing, and have better mildew resistance, making them ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. On the other hand, high-quality oil-based enamels are harder, have greater abrasion resistance and, in some cases, have a slightly higher gloss.

Semigloss Paint
Semigloss paints have a slightly glossy appearance and are less reflective than gloss paints. They offer good stain resistance, are easy to clean, and may be a good choice if you have young children.

Eggshell, Satin, or Low Luster Paint
Regardless of the name, these paints have a sheen level that is lower than semigloss, yet more lustrous than flat paints. Satin and low luster paints have a slightly higher sheen than eggshell finishes. These paints are nicer than flat paints, and resist stains better than flat paints, although not as well as semigloss and high-gloss finishes, so consider where you will be using them carefully.

Flat Paint
Flat paints are non-reflective, so they tend to conceal surface imperfections better than paints with higher sheen levels. This finish is especially good for walls that are dented or rough. Likewise, flat paints are a good choice for ceilings, because of their low reflectivity, and although flat paints are harder to clean, not many people touch the ceiling, so it is not necessary to have a highly cleanable surface.

Flat paints are the best to use when painting over new drywall where an unsanded tape job or porous joint compound has been used. In these cases, flat paints can help make the surfaces look smooth and uniform. For new construction, repair work, or anywhere unpainted drywall or joint compound is involved, an interior primer is recommended to provide a uniform appearance.

A downside to flat paint is that stains are difficult to remove. Unlike paints with higher sheen, their non-reflective surfaces have a porous texture, which can trap dirt and make cleaning difficult. So, it's wise to use flat paints only in areas that do not tend to get a lot of traffic.