Eggshell paint is a type of paint finish that resembles the shell of a birds egg, hence the term “eggshell”. It is a very popular finish in the UK, and has less sheen than satin or silk, but a greater sheen than matt emulsion paint or other finishes such as satinwood.
Traditionally eggshell was made using oil but with modern technology and the need to be environmentally aware, more and more companies are now producing water based eggshell paints that perform equally as good as their traditional oil based counterparts. Harmony Paints decided to launch an eggshell type finish to complement their Ultra Matt Furniture Paint for those that prefer a slight sheen to their paint. Although both finishes are self levelling and do not need a top coat, Harmony Eggshell Finish is more suitable for surfaces like kitchen cupboards where a wipe clean surface is required. It is also moisture resistant so can be used in bathrooms and kitchen walls. It can also be used on any kind of woodwork such as skirting boards, doors etc.
When you visit our online store you will notice the 150ml is shown as “Out of Stock”. As we are now launching in stockists, we decided to only make the 500ml and 1 litre available online, the 150ml will be available for those stockists who prefer the to stock the mid sheen finish.
Painting Furniture – Which should I choose?
From a practical point of view if you are choosing either eggshell or ultra matt furniture paint both are suitable however its worth noting the following:
Ultra Matt Furniture Paint – can be left unfinished with a smooth matt finish or varnished for added protection. It can also be waxed. However if unfinished it may be more likely to mark than eggshell. It does however, blend very well, similar to a chalk paint so its perfect for Ombre blending techniques but with the smooth consistency of a mineral paint. It also comes in smaller 150ml pots.
Harmony Eggshell finish does not need a varnish – it may not blend as well as the Ultra Matt Furniture pPaint. It is available in 500ml and 1 litre quantities. For tough surfaces like kitchen cupboards, Harmony Eggshell has added polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) for extra protection allowing surface to be wiped and cleaned more easily. It is also ideal for kitchens and bathrooms.