Matt or silk paint finish for bookcase??

[ChilliMochaCoco]

We are having a bookcase made with very good quality mdf. It has been primed and I know the colour I want. The carpenter has asked which finish I want and I have no idea. Its available in matt or silk. Any thoughts ?

Wouldn't you be choosing between gloss, satin, or eggshell for a wooden bookshelf? Matt and silk are for wall paints.

I prefer satin or eggshell personally.

@medievalpenny So you think he could get it made up in a different finish? I know so little about DIY.
What is the difference between eggshell and a matt finish?

Matt will be awful to keep clean. All the dust will stick to it. I would go for eggshell or satin.

Satin is slightly shiny and then eggshell is even shinier and gloss is the shiniest.

Eggshell is a good finish for furniture.

Eggshell

Matt holds dirt and is difficult to get clean.

I think satin is OK.

If he uses matt or silk emulsion on furniture, the paint will wash off if you need to clean it.

Eggshell is the least shiny out of the paints intended for woodwork and you would be able to clean it, although not as easily as satin. Eggshell is also less durable than satin .

Satin has a light sheen without being ostentatious like gloss.

A beautiful finish I have done many times on various pieces including a bookcase, dresser and picture frames is to paint in eggshell, sand lightly and finish off with a good hard wax. The wax leaves the wood with a delicate sheen, adds some protection and feels velvety to touch.

You definitely can get matt wood paint or even extra matt ones called chalky finish. I used a lot of it in my house about 10 years ago when it was really fashionable. I wouldn’t recommend for something you touch a lot as they can get grubby.

That sounds interesting. Can you possibly post a pic?
I have told him to do it in eggshell

Hi @ChilliMochaCoco.
It is really hard to photograph a paint finish.
If Liberon paints and waxes are available where you live you can get an idea of what it looks like in different colors with different colors of wax. The possibilities are endless.

You don't even have to use specialized paints and can use or tint your own wax if you are willing to experiment.

But don't be afraid for your bookcase. A painted and wax finish will be beautiful , long lasting and very easy to care for. For hundreds of years a wax finish ( and a milk or oil based paint finish ) were the only ones used and those patinas are even more beautiful with time.

@ChilliMochaCoco Eggshell for wood work, eg by Farrow and Ball. Definitely not a silk and use a classy paint. Much better very durable finish.

I'm not confident enough to experiment and the carpenter has probably already painted it by now. But could I put a wax on an eggshell finish?

@ChilliMochaCoco Er no. Why on earth would you want to or need to!? Eggshell is a super hard finish. It’s matt and there are a huge number of colours available. It gives a professional finish if you use a quality paint. That’s key. You don’t need any other product. Specify eggshell for interior wood.

yes of course you can put wax on an eggshell finish. I would slightly go over the paint very lightly with a very fine grade sanding pad just to remove any eventual asperities and give it a perfect finish. A coat of transparent or colored wax will give a lovely sheen and/ or patina and protect the paint.