Eggshell, satinwood or gloss: choosing a woodwork finish

The three differ in one measurable way — how much light they bounce — and that changes everything else about how they look and wear.

Eggshell has a low sheen, around 20%. It is the default for interior woodwork in period houses because it is forgiving: low sheen hides the small imperfections in hundred-year-old skirting that a glossier finish would spotlight.

Satinwood sits in the middle, around 40%. Slightly tougher, slightly easier to wipe down. Sensible on a kitchen door or a bannister that gets handled.

Gloss is 80% and up. It is durable and it looks superb on genuinely flat, well prepared joinery — and merciless on anything else. Every dent, every old fill, every wave in the timber comes back at you.

Water-based has largely won

Oil-based paint used to be tougher, and for a while that justified the trade-off. Modern water-based formulations have closed the gap, and they have one decisive advantage: they do not yellow. Oil-based white on a north-facing skirting board will be visibly cream within two years and the colour of weak tea within five.

They also dry in hours rather than overnight, which is how a room gets two coats of woodwork in a day instead of two.

The one catch

Water-based will not key properly onto old oil gloss without preparation. It has to be sanded back, and on a house with a lot of original joinery that is real time. This is why a quote that includes changing your woodwork over is higher than one that just puts more gloss on top — and why it is still the right call.

What we use, mostly

Water-based eggshell on skirting, architrave and doors. Satinwood where something gets touched constantly. Gloss only on exterior joinery, or where a customer specifically wants it and the timber is good enough to deserve it.