White Shop Walls - Gloss or Semi-gloss?

Gloss or Semi-gloss?

  • Gloss

    Votes: 5 13.2%
  • Semi-gloss

    Votes: 27 71.1%
  • Other

    Votes: 6 15.8%

  • Total voters
    38
  • Poll closed .

glenn bradley

Member
Messages
11,515
Location
SoCal
Almost time to paint. Going with white. Those of you who have done this, did you go gloss or semi-gloss and do you wish you'd done the other?
 
My personal preference is paneling. White is great for brightening up the place but inevitably looks very dirty and worn due to dust, bumps, and abrasions. I save the white paint for the ceiling. :)
 
Almost time to paint. Going with white. Those of you who have done this, did you go gloss or semi-gloss and do you wish you'd done the other?
I went with the semi - it cleans up as well as the gloss without the shinny, show every defect finish. I would recommend going with a super white if you're looking for reflectivity. It really makes a difference. Many manufacturers will print a reflectivity factor on the can. Get the highest number you can.
 
The interior walls and ceilings of both my shops (one at home, one at our camp) are painted with white gloss in order to get as much reflected light as possible. I have found the walls do not get dirty and that they are easy to maintain.
 
Glenn, gloss paint will sometimes put out a glare from lighting. And glare can affect your vision in adverse ways. Semi would be the way to go.

Nancy (53 days)
 
I have found that semi-gloss paint is somewhat less reflective than gloss. Both tend to allow the sawdust to slide off easily which makes cleaning more likely. I used gloss on the ceiling areas where I have ceiling and semi-gloss everywhere else. Of course very little of my shop has ceiling or interior walls.
 
On the walls ABOVE the work tops of the lower cabinets I'm using semigloss white. From those work tops/benches (or whatever you want to call them) down, the walls on three sides are an exterior paneling and the other wall has drywall. On these lower walls I will use a LIGHT color semigloss, (color not picked yet) as I just wanted Some color in there, and most will be covered with lower cabinets and benches anyhow. The stationary tools are all out in the middle part of the shop. I may never get a REAL ceiling in there, but the roof has fiberglass insulation under the metal, with it's white vinyl moisture barrier showing to the inside of the bldg.
 
I went with Super Bright White semi-gloss, and would do it again. (Well, no...I hope I don't have to paint all those walls again...but you know what I mean...:rolleyes:)

The semi-gloss lets dust slide off, provides plenty of reflectivity, but not the glare that the gloss would have.

Good luck painting...
- Marty -
 
I worked in a clean room building circuit boards that had gloss white on every surface. It was nice for lights, but the glare somtimes made it a pain. They ended up painting it semi-gloss, which made everyone that worked in there happy.
 
I used semigloss for the over head and just came part way down the walls. I used Luan plywood for the rest.

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This way I can make some of those really nice tool holders and secure them directly to the walls. Or better yet use a cleat system.

The result is a VERY bright work space. So bright in fact that my digital camera hates it. :rofl:

The best times of course are the days the sun comes in those big windows and I don't need any lights at all. ;)

DT
 
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What is not covered with cheap paneling (Masonite and washable) Is painted with Almond Enamel...Light colored, yet not Bright as white, Washable and back in my school teaching days they said Creamy colors were perky to the habitants... besides I had a gallon of the stuff left over from another project. I'm still glad I did use the Almond Enamel as it is light and the dust blows off easily.
 
Hmmm...now that is strange, I cannot get anything but the box with a red x in it to come up on the first and second picture in Don's post. The third picture shows fine. I have had this before, but could always right click on the x and then left click on the "show picture", and they would come up, but on this post, Nada....zip....still just two red x's.

Anybody got any ideas?????:huh::dunno:
 
Hm-m-m-m-m I did an edit, wonder why that happened? I did a copy and paste?

Thanks, it should work now.

DT
 
The links were working before ... I was able to view the pics just fine yesterday. Is it possible that PhotoBucket switched links on ya behind-the-scenes? :dunno: (Another reason that I have my own webspace.)
 
Yep, she'sa working good now. All three come up fine.:thumb: Don, what are the two items on the wall in the first pic, just right of the Festool rack, (one is kind of shiney and the other looks like a door bumper about 6" below the shiney one? (just curious)

Still a great looking shop, & seems to get even nicer every time you post new pics.:thumb:
 
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