09/20/2026
Same color. Same piece. Totally different finish.
The top drawer is Dead Flat Matte.
The bottom is Semi-Gloss.
Both are beautiful. Sheen really is a matter of preference, and for this piece I wanted that soft, velvety matte finish.
But here’s a finishing tip I learned from the pros at Woodcraft of Las Vegas Woodcraft of Las Vegas
If you want the look of matte with a really durable finish underneath, start with semi-gloss.
Turns out General Finishes recommends this technique too. Traditionally, the flattening agents used to create matte finishes could reduce durability, which is why building your finish with semi-gloss and using flat for the final coat has long been a finishing technique.
Here’s what I did:
1. Sprayed two coats of General Finishes High Performance Semi-Gloss.
2. Let each coat fully dry.
3. Lightly sanded with a fine sanding block between coats.
4. Sprayed my final coat in General Finishes High Performance Dead Flat.
5. Let it dry, then gave the piece light use while the finish continued to fully cure.
Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for dry and cure times.
The result? The durability I wanted with that gorgeous, barely-there matte sheen.
Which would you choose? Dead Flat Matte or Semi-Gloss?