Can Kitchen Walls Be Painted With a Flat Paint?

Flat Paint Pros

• Flat paint works well on most interior walls. Not only is it simple to touch up flat paint, but this kind of paint finish also allows you to hide most imperfections on your walls. Therefore, flat interior paint is a good choice if you have uneven walls in your kitchen.

Flat Paint Cons

• Flat interior paint is porous and absorbs stains, and it can't be washed. Because flat paint can't be cleaned, it works best in low-traffic areas. A flat paint finish shows scratches and scuff marks, so it's important to keep extra paint in the color of your choice for touch-ups.

Flat Paint Dos

• Although flat paint can be used on your kitchen walls, it is best for ceilings. Use flat paint in the kitchen on walls that won't get dirty frequently. Or you can use two different kinds of finishes on your kitchen walls: Use flat paint on walls that are far away from the cooking and prep area, and use eggshell, gloss or semigloss finishes on the rest of the walls. Eggshell, gloss and semigloss finishes are best used on surfaces that require frequent cleaning, such as kitchen cabinets.

Flat Paint Don'ts

• If your kitchen is a high-traffic area, do not use a flat paint finish on your walls. Refrain from using flat paint on your kitchen walls close to where most of the cooking and prep work is done. For example, don't use flat paint on the walls by the stove, where food that's cooking may spatter on the walls. Avoid using flat paint on kitchen cabinets, as you often need to wipe them clean.