What is a matte finish?

• In paint technology, the sheen is the glossiness of a paint finish. Glossy and flat (or matte) are typical extreme levels of glossiness of a finish. Glossy paints are shiny and reflect most light in the specular (mirror-like) direction, while on flat paints most of the light diffuses in a range of angles.

How is gloss measured?

• Paint formulations contain numerical measurements for gloss and/or sheen specified in paint. These measurements are taken with a “gloss meter” whose receptor is sensitive to reflected light.
• Gloss is measured in units from 0 (no gloss) to 100 (mirror-like), with the measurement taken by reflecting light into the receptor at an industry standard of 60-degree angle.
• Sheen is measured the same, except the light is reflected off the surface at an 85-degree angle, or five degrees from the surface plane.

What is the difference in gloss and sheen?

• Gloss describes the reflection of the coating at a 60-degree angle
• Sheen describes the reflection of the coating at an 85-degree angle
• The difference between gloss and sheen is the angle of illumination and reflection