Painting Garage

[bornbadbob]

I am going to do a bit of a garage renovation. I want to paint the walls white just to keep it bright. It’s just a standard 2 car, 24x20, 9ft ceiling, with 8 4’ led fixtures providing plenty of light. The walls are currently light grey. I mostly do automotive stuff on the dailies and I have a project car that I am working on. I am wondering what the better finish is gloss or eggshell? I doubt matte would be appropriate.
Anyone have experience with either of these finishes? All opinions and suggestions are appreciated.

 

[Codyboy]

Eggshell.
Semi gloss, eh maybe. Depends on the wall finish. It will show every dimple and imperfections.

 

[Colin Len]

It's all a trade off. Glossier will clean up easier. Flatter will look better.

You don't have to pick between Eggshell and Semi-Gloss - you can split the difference with Satin.

Personally, I prefer a little more gloss for ease of cleaning. I don't care at all about imperfections showing, especially since the walls will have lots of stuff on them anyway. I'll be using Semi-Glass, or maybe Satin, when I paint my garage later this year. Maybe a combo - satin on the ceiling, semi on the walls perhaps.

 

[CraigStu]

I like flat because it is easier to do a spot coverup or repair.

 

[TriumphFan]

I painted mine in gloss white. Easy to clean, very bright, mold doesn't grow and spiders hate it.

 

[Prospecter]

Generally the progression is MATTE - EGGSHELL - SATIN - SEMI-GLOSS - GLOSS. As others noted, it's a trade off between hiding defects (matte) and washability (gloss). The gloss reflects a little more light.

Whites are not all white. Often they lean toward a color such as a blueish tinge or a yellowish tinge, etc. You might consider just a little more color than just a tinge, only because they tend to look cleaner longer.

When I empty a can of paint, I often brush out the residue on the inside of the lid, and write the color formula on the outside, along with its application, such as "garage walls," then punch a hole in the edge and hang it on a nail in the shop for reference. Saves me when my memories don't last quite as long as the paint.

 

[Shiftless]

When I empty a can of paint, I often brush out the residue on the inside of the lid, and write the color formula on the outside, along with its application, such as "garage walls," then punch a hole in the edge and hang it on a nail in the shop for reference. Saves me when my memories don't last quite as long as the paint.

That’s a great idea.
I might suggest that along with the paint code, add the year of your painting project. In our house, that we have owned for over 40 years, there is not one room that is now the same color as when it was first painted. It sure would be easier to paint the whole interior the same color. Does anybody besides my brother in law do that? Living room, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, all the ceilings, everything the same off white?

 

[Stelzer]

Use the highest sheen you're comfortable with. Higher sheens dry harder than lower sheens. They're also more resistant to moisture, more washable, more easily maintainable. The only trade off is higher sheens show imperfections more than lower sheens, but this isn't a beauty salon, it's a garage. Incidentally, where exactly eggshell ranks on the scale of sheens varies between paint manufacturers. Benjamin Moore has an eggshell sheen which is lower in sheen than their satin, while Sherwin Williams eggshell is higher than their satin but lower than semi-gloss. When in doubt, check data sheets. .

Incidentally, "gloss" and "sheen" are often used interchangeably, but sheens are measured at an 85° while gloss is measured at a 60° angle.

 

[Prospecter]

That’s a great idea.
I might suggest that along with the paint code, add the year of your painting project. In our house, that we have owned for over 40 years, there is not one room that is now the same color as when it was first painted. It sure would be easier to paint the whole interior the same color. Does anybody besides my brother in law do that? Living room, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, all the ceilings, everything the same off white?

Some flippers do that.

 

[BobnCO]

Semi-gloss in the garage for wipe down ability over doing little touch ups with flat. Suppose depends what kind of shop you have, how you use it.

 

[Shiftless]

Some flippers do that.

I can see why. It’s certainly easier and therefore cheaper. And it gives a cohesive look that seems to enlarge a space that is minimally furnished (which further amplifies a sense of spaciousness)

 

[Codyboy]

That’s a great idea.
I might suggest that along with the paint code, add the year of your painting project. In our house, that we have owned for over 40 years, there is not one room that is now the same color as when it was first painted. It sure would be easier to paint the whole interior the same color. Does anybody besides my brother in law do that? Living room, kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, all the ceilings, everything the same off white?

Yes the "code" not just the color name.
We tried to match (got really close) some 20 yo paint we used from SW. The name was still visible on the can (horsehair) . Well guess what, SW doesn't use that name anymore.
They did get almost exact with a sample though.

And yes on the whites. We have ultra bright white (SW) on the ceilings.
Needed to do some touch up.
Well HDs ultra bright white almost looked gray / blueish on the touch ups. Did finally get some from SW and it matched ok

 

[no704]

Write the code on the inside of a switch cover.

 

[bornbadbob]

I painted mine in gloss white. Easy to clean, very bright, mold doesn't grow and spiders hate it.

I have been leaning towards Gloss but considering someone here mentioned semi gloss now I am somewhat torn. Still thinking gloss maybe the best bet though. How big is your garage?

 

[pcmeiners]

As to gloss, the higher the gloss the less adhesion between top coats. Eggshell finish is quite washable, shows less imperfections, no need for high gloss . Matte is what eggshell used to be years back.

 

[BobnCO]

I said "semi-gloss" as that is the highest sheen most of the Latex Paint I like to use comes in (Sherwin Williams Super Paint or Promar 200). I think thats true for most "common" latex paints one would use at home. Gloss is traditionally oil based, but can be had in latex, but is ussually an indu$trial product. Just my 2 cents. I have used ALOT of SW Superpaint in and out and have been pleased for many years... even strayed a few times, and came back.

 

[TriumphFan]

I have been leaning towards Gloss but considering someone here mentioned semi gloss now I am somewhat torn. Still thinking gloss maybe the best bet though. How big is your garage?

1,100 sq ft. The ceiling is painted as well.

 

[CraigStu]

Once you decide on sheen think about color. The last garage I painted was 16x22. I got a real light grey just because I was worried about a pure white being too bright. I rented a sprayer and shot ceiling and walls all the same color. The neat thing was that the paint dried fast enough that I shot the ceiling first, picked a corner to start on the walls and went around. By the time I got back to the 1st corner it was time to shoot the ceiling again and then the walls. Yeah cleaning the sprayer was a pain but, if you haven't sprayed before, it will be a real eye opener. The garage had paint in under 2 hours.

 

[4xdog]

When I empty a can of paint, I often brush out the residue on the inside of the lid, and write the color formula on the outside, along with its application, such as "garage walls," then punch a hole in the edge and hang it on a nail in the shop for reference. Saves me when my memories don't last quite as long as the paint.

I do something similar by making my own color swatch cards like those on the racks at the paint store.

I have a stash of neutral-colored generic cards (mainly the pennant-shaped ones from Lowe’s) that get painted with the actual paint used anywhere around the house.

These go in a three ring binder with all appropriate information on the back side regarding maker, shade, finish, date, and where used.

Most of the time I ask the paint shop to print three or four extra labels like that put on the paint can, and those are affixed to the back side of my swatches.

It’s a compact and long term archive of paints I’ve used for decades. Having a sample of the actual paint used can be useful when color matching is needed for the same color in a different paint.

 

[4xdog]

I am wondering what the better finish is gloss or eggshell?

My garages are getting painted as we speak. I’m using the same bright white eggshell paint I used in the shop.

For me, a gloss finish paint on a smooth wall gives too
Much distracting glare. And a completely dull flat finish marks too easily and is hard to clean.

An eggshell finish is the Goldilocks solution for me. Low enough gloss to recede into the background. Cleanable enough (if a good quality paint is used) to be able to remove light soiling before touching up.

The shop in white eggshell:


The garages in process. White eggshell in the coming week.