Paint finish trends come and go, however, some hit us harder than others. High-gloss is one of them. The maximum level of sheen in paint products is here to stay. Not only because when applied well, the high-gloss finish provokes that jaw-dropping effect, but the light reflected off it is more than luxurious, it’s a statement.

There are many paint finishes to choose from. If you are not familiar with them, click here to read our free guide with all pros & cons of paint finishes. The paint finish is the amount of sheen in the paint. A high-gloss finish is also known as the “glass-like sheen” because its sheen is the closest to 100% - the higher among other finishes. It’s super durable and different from other glosses, it can be used not just on wood, but also on walls and ceilings. The latest trends involve high-gloss being used on ceilings, walls and front doors, powder rooms or half bathrooms, and dining rooms.

No matter many how pros high-gloss products have in their favor, the cons list can require attention. It’s well known that the higher a sheen level of a product is, the easier is to show all imperfections on the painted surface. Almost impossible to accept touch-ups, high-glosses require extreme precision, attention, training, expertise, and care from any painting professional.

Although high-gloss products can be the key to completely transforming any room, if you are thinking about having a room painted with a high-gloss finish, it’s important to not only invest in highly skilled painting experts but also in the best products currently available in the market. Below is a list of the best brands, selected by the owner of Level Five Painting, LLC. Jorge Auricchi.

• Fine Paints of Europe: one of the most popular high-end brands among painters and interior designers. Fine Paints of Europe has been offering luxurious high-quality & lasting products for over 32 years. With high-glosses coming from Holland, the brand produces a “mirror-effect” high-gloss that’s the closest to 100%.

• Similar to other high-glosses, Fine Paints of Europe products demand a very meticulous preparation. This is not a brand to mix and match. It’s important that if your idea is to have any part of your residence or commercial space painted with Fine Paints of Europe, that all products including the ones in the preparation are from the same brand. On the Fine Paints’ website, it’s recommended the use of Swedish Putty, an oil-based knifing filler skim coat for the perfection of substrates, or Brushing Putty, an oil-based primer.

Visit Fine Paints of Europe’s website here. Our recommended product (Hollandlac Brilliant 98) can be seen here.

• Farrow & Ball: with a high-gloss product that offers 95% sheen, Farrow & Ball’s Full Gloss line is washable/wipeable, and quick drying. Different from Fine Paints of Europe’s high-glosses, Farrow & Ball’s products are not only water-base, but also resistant to water, flaking, peeling, and color fade for up to six years if applied in accordance with their product advice sheets, which can be found on their website.

• Although the drying time of Farrow & Ball is shorter than Fine Paints of Europe: 2 hours and recoat in 4 hours, on the cons side, Farrow & Ball has only pre-determined colors, and is not suitable for use on exterior plastic surfaces or decking.

Visit Farrow & Ball’s website here. The Full Gloss line can be seen here.

• M.L. Campbell and Milesi: although the focus of this article is high-glosses, two other types of products that can achieve even higher sheen levels are the conversion varnishes and lacquers. If your idea is to have as much sheen as possible on the surface, both product types can offer higher sheen than Farrow & Ball and Fine Paints of Europe high-glosses.

• Even though the painting process of conversion varnishes and lacquers is similar to high-glosses when it comes to diligence, the drying time is one of the biggest pros of these products. While a Fine Paints of Europe high-gloss product takes up to 14 hours between coats, conversion varnish coats can be painted in an interval of 45 minutes to 1 hour. Our most recommended brands for both products are M.L. Campbell and Milesi.

• M.L. Campbell’s POLARION™ Interior Clear is a GREENGUARD Certified two-component acrylic polyurethane that offers non-yellowing performance and a full range of sheens. With a formula designed for interior wood surfaces that are exposed to moisture, heat, and household chemicals, it offers a hard durable finish.

• Milesi’s Polyester Coatings features excellent filling power and shrink resistance. Because of their high dry residue, they have extremely low VOC emissions. It’s perfect if your goal is to achieve a total glossy closed-pore surface with exceptional surface hardness.

Visit ML Campbell’s website here. The POLARION™ Interior Clear can be seen here.

Visit Milesi’s website here. Their Polyester Coatings can be seen here.

Need a Painting Contractor?

After analyzing our list, whichever you decide to have a place in your heart, always keep in mind to only trust reliable products. Make sure to ask if your painting contractor has experience with high-glosses, and ask for their portfolio. Level Five Painting, LLC. is not only an expert in applications using this type of finish, but our Instagram is completely full of images from real projects using all brands mentioned above, check it out here. If you are interested in getting a painting estimate from us, fill out this form or reach out by phone or email.

Email us: contact@levelfivepaintingllc.com

Call us: (617) 869-9446