When it comes to renovating your bathroom and refreshing its walls, you must consider a variety of factors for your home’s interior paint job. Your home’s bathroom encounters high levels of humidity and moisture every day, which puts your bathroom walls at risk for discoloration and damage. A quality job calls for attention to detail, proper preparation, and, most importantly, the best materials.
In this guide, we’ll take a look at the various aspects of a bathroom’s paints and, ultimately, how to choose the best paint for a high-humidity bathroom.
Base Type
The best renovation projects begin with a quality base. Your paint base determines your paint’s application and durability, and although this step can be easily overlooked, starting your project the right way makes all the difference.
Oil-Based Paints
Oil-based paints are great options for those searching for a water-resistant and abrasion-resistant base. Its advantages include a smooth application that covers the surface with one coat and minimal shrinkage. Oil-based paints take a long time to dry, which can pose advantages and disadvantages. You’ll have more working time as the paint dries, but finishing your project can take time. It’s also important to note that these paints contain high levels of toxic organic compounds, and without proper preparation, they can be dangerous to work with.
Acrylic Paints
Acrylic paint, also known as latex paint, is a water-based material that is easy to clean and can be considered more environmentally friendly in comparison to oil-based paints. The latex paint is water-resistant and usually creates strong, opaque finishes.
Moisture Resistance
Bathrooms are subject to heavy condensation and high humidity, and because these walls and ceilings have been damp for so long, discoloration and damage can happen if you don’t choose the right paint. Moisture-resistant paints can help homeowners maintain their walls because the surface is less likely to take hold of any dirt.
Antimicrobial Properties
Mold and mildew thrive best in warm, damp environments, which makes the bathroom an ideal spot for these microorganisms to develop. While it can be easy to manage small patches of fungi, mold or mildew can still spread rapidly, and it is crucial to take precautionary steps to protect your bathroom from mold and mildew growth.
Quality primers will have antimicrobial properties that prevent mold and mildew. These primers contain fungicides, which can be painted over existing fungi outbreaks to kill bacteria. Most antimicrobial paints will contain silver ions and can be effective against bacteria, such as E. coli and S. aureus.
Paint Efficiency
An important aspect you must consider when choosing the best paints for your bathroom would be the paint’s drying time and how it covers your surface. Be sure to consider how many coats you’ll need for your project. If your project calls for painting a pastel color over an existing dark color, you may need a second, regardless of the paint’s claims of being a one-coat product.
In addition to how many coats are needed to paint your bathroom, the paint’s drying time is another factor you should consider. Most paints may take several hours to dry completely, especially before a recoating. Adding a second coat prematurely to your first coat may cause the second coat to lift the first, so it’s important to not only choose the best paint but be familiar with its approximate drying time.
Finish
Your bathroom’s finish is a crucial part of your project and can be considered as equally important as the color you’ve chosen. That’s why it’s important to understand the different finish properties available to you.
Gloss Paints
Gloss finishes provide a durable and easy-to-clean surface for those searching for a practical finish. These types of paints reflect light, which can bring attention to imperfections in the structure. They are also especially water-resistant.
Matte and Eggshell
These paint finishes are the best options for concealing any flaws, but the absence of reflection can add to the overall tone of your home’s bathroom. Oftentimes, a matte or eggshell finish can make your bathroom feel utilitarian, which can be an important factor to consider for your home. Additionally, matte finishes are known to absorb moisture and can be an unideal material for your bathroom.
Semi-Gloss Paints
Semi-gloss paints offer similar advantages as gloss paints, but the appearance is less reflective, which can be an ideal alternative for a homeowner’s bathroom. This finish is a big recommendation for high-humidity bathrooms because it is moisture-resistant and considered a middle-ground between gloss and matte paint finishes.
Satin Paint
Satin paints are one of the most recommended paint finishes for a bathroom because they are easy to clean and moisture-resistant. Like semi-gloss paint, satin paint is an excellent middle-ground between gloss paints and matte paints.
Painting with the Pros
Ultimately, choosing the best paints for a high-humidity bathroom can be a real challenge. Many factors go into renovating your bathroom, and this guide only touches the surface of doing a quality project. Luckily, the Pros have the experience and expertise to help you out. Pro Painters provides a free estimate and a team for your renovation projects.
Pro Painters has provided high-quality residential and commercial painting services for the last 27 years in the Greater Houston area and offers reliable experience in home renovations. We take pride in our quality workmanship, and our professional painters are ready to transform your space. Contact the Pros today for a free consultation at (832) 838-4984.
