Unsure about painting around the shower? Don’t fret! With the right paint for bathrooms, you can wash your worries down the drain.
Q: My master bath needs a quick refresh, but I’m concerned about paint peeling. What’s the best paint for bathrooms? I could use some advice on color and finish.
Any Bathroom Inc.: While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution for bathroom paint, there are a few key choices that can help guide homeowners to the right decision. Keep reading for advice on color selection, finishes, and the painting process.
Consider the Effect of Wall Color on Your Reflection
White, cream, gray, and pastel shades are popular in bathrooms for a reason—they’re soothing, easy on the eyes, and flattering to your reflection. These neutral tones don’t cast light in a way that alters your complexion in the mirror. However, brighter hues like blue or green may reflect unnatural light, potentially highlighting blemishes or dark circles. If you or anyone else in your household uses the bathroom for grooming or getting ready, a subtle neutral color is often the best choice.
Choose Mold-Resistant Paint
Bathrooms are high-moisture areas, and if your space lacks proper ventilation, mold and mildew can easily develop. To combat this, it’s essential to choose paint with anti-microbial additives that help prevent mold growth. Popular choices include Benjamin Moore’s Aura Bath and Spa Matte Finish and Zinsser’s Perma-White, both of which not only kill existing mold but also prevent future growth. These paints are designed specifically for bathrooms and will give you peace of mind in high-moisture areas.
If you’re not a fan of glossy finishes, consider opting for satin. It offers a subtle sheen that’s easier to clean than flat finishes but not as reflective as gloss.
Use a Moisture-Resistant Primer to Prevent Peeling
Peeling paint often occurs when moisture seeps between the paint and the surface, a common issue in showers where steam becomes trapped. To avoid this, apply a moisture-resistant primer to walls and ceilings before adding your mildew-resistant topcoat. This extra step will help prevent paint from lifting or peeling, saving you from frequent touch-ups down the road.
Go for a Semi-Gloss or High-Gloss Finish
If you prefer a more durable, easy-to-clean surface, consider a semi-gloss or high-gloss finish. While glossy paints don’t specifically prevent mold, they make it much easier to wipe off stains and soap scum. In the event that mold does develop, these finishes allow for easier cleaning and removal compared to flat or eggshell finishes.
By choosing the right color, finish, and primer, you can ensure your bathroom walls stay fresh, clean, and mold-free. With a little planning, you can enjoy a beautiful bathroom that looks great and stands up to moisture.
Q: My master bath is in need of a quick refresh, but I’m worried about paint peeling. What’s the best paint for bathrooms? I’m looking for some guidance on both color and finish.
Anybathroom: While there are no hard rules about the best paint for bathrooms, a few key choices can steer homeowners in the right direction and give a satisfactory result. Read on for some guidelines on color choices, finishes, and the painting process.
Wall color can affect mirror reflections.
Whites, creams, grays, and pastels are popular bathroom color choices for good reason: they’re calming, easy on the eyes, and flattering to your reflection. These neutral shades don’t recast light in a way that alters complexion in the mirror. A vibrant blue or green, on the other hand, may cast an unnatural sheen onto your skin after interacting with the bathroom’s natural or artificial light, exaggerating dark circles and blemishes. If anyone in the household uses the bathroom for primping and priming, a subtle neutral wall color might be the wisest (and most flattering) choice.
Bathroom paint should offer mold and mildew resistance.
Since bathrooms are splash-prone areas that retain moisture for long periods of time, they are prone to mold and mildew–especially if the bathroom doesn’t have proper ventilation. To prevent these health hazards, homeowners should opt for paint with anti-microbial additives that resist mold. Many options for this type of paint exist on the market today, such as Benjamin Moore’s Aura Bath And Spa Matte Finish and Zinsser’s Perma-White. Once on the wall, these paints will kill existing mold and prevent new mold from growing.
Homeowners who don’t like the sheen of glossy paints can opt for satin instead; it’s slightly less reflective, yet still not difficult to clean.
Use a moisture-resistant primer to prevent peeling.
Peeling paint occurs as a result of moisture seeping between the paint and its surface–a common occurrence in unventilated areas like showers, where steam rises and gets trapped. To prevent peeling, apply a coat of moisture-resistant primer to the ceiling or walls before you add your mildew-resistant paint color. An ounce (or rather, a pint or gallon) of prevention can save you quite a bit of hassle in the long run since you won’t have to touch up the paint job nearly as often.
Or, select a semigloss or high-gloss paint.
As an alternative to mold-resistant paint, homeowners can coat their bathroom walls in a paint with a semigloss or high-gloss finish. Glossy paints don’t prevent mold, but they’re easier to clean and maintain than paint with flat and eggshell finishes. If mold ever pops up in the bathroom, removal won’t be overly difficult.
