Bathrooms are small spaces that are updated easily with a new look. This small project can be done in a day and will not overwhelm your house or life. All good news. But what type of paint should you use in the bathroom?
Historically, the best type of paint for bathrooms was a semi-gloss, or glossy finish with a mildew resistant additive. These finishes are moisture-resistant and form a hard coat that blocks out water, allowing it to drip to the floor rather than seep through to the drywall or wood. High-gloss enamel paints look, feel and act more like glass or a dry-erase board, while low-sheen paints like eggshell or satin finishes are softer. However times have changed, and so has paint chemistry. The better and best paints made by the top paint manufacturers are much more resistant to water and mildew intrusion. If the customer wants eggshell or satin finish in the bathroom, that’s what they’ll get.
Bathrooms have moisture, of course, which can be damaging to walls, ceiling, and baseboards. Even with the improved paints, it’s not good to allow the surfaces to remain wet. Whenever there is a film of steam on the bathroom mirror, there is steam on your walls and ceilings. It is very important to have adequate ventilation, either by a ventilator fan or an open window. Air movement will cause a drying effect. As the mirror clears up, so will the other surfaces dry up.
What about color in the bathroom? It is in a bathroom where most women get ready each day. Neutral colors are helpful because they won’t conflict with the process of applying makeup. Some colors, like green, can throw off the look you’re trying to achieve. As in any room, neutral colors provide a blank canvas that makes way for bold choices with bathroom linens and decorations. Feel free to ignore this advice and paint your walls whatever color you want!
Good prep work is an essential part of good painting. This is especially true in bathrooms. Soaps and shampoos will mix with the steam from a hot shower. As the steam evaporates off the bathroom surfaces, microscopic traces of soap and shampoo are deposited on the walls and ceiling. If that residue isn’t removed, the new paint won’t bond properly. We like to use Simple Green Surface Prep. It is a degreasing cleaner that is environmentally friendly. It won’t leave a residue of its own, as many cleaning solutions do. It is available exclusively at Sherwin Williams stores.
Perhaps it’s time to freshen the look of your bathroom. This is a good DYI project because it is not too big for most folks to handle. However, if you would prefer not to do it yourself, give us a call. We’re glad to help.
