Most primers need 24 hours to dry properly before painting over with paint.
Several types of primers can work.
Use a primer marked as a bathroom or kitchen primer or a specialty primer marked as wateror mildew-resistant.
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Consider using drywall primer on new drywall panels if this is new construction.
In most cases, the best bathroom paint base is water-based latex paint.
This primer is specially formulated to handle rooms that will have higher moisture.
These primers usually have a mildew killer added.
They are also designed to adhere to high-gloss surfaces since many bathrooms already have a coat of glossy paint.
These formulations have a mildewcide added.
Never Paint Over Mildew
Cleaning and removing mildewis always better than painting over it.
Scrub mildew with a bleach and water solution.
Wear a respirator and gloves, and keep the room well-ventilated.
Seal up and dispose of cleaning materials.
Use a quality mildew-resistant primer before painting.
A drywall primer is an excellent option since it prepares the drywall to accept paint.
Then, when choosing paint for the next layer, choose a sheen or finish you prefer.
Ensure you read the can label; it will indicate whether it’s OK for bathrooms.
Latex Paint
Latex paint is durable, washable, and moisture-resistant.
Clean-up is simple because only water is needed, not harsh solvents.
Most latex paints arelow or no VOC, releasing minimal volatile organic compounds during drying.
It can turn yellow over time.
It releases high levels of VOCs during drying.
Semi-gloss paint is shiny and holds up to cleaning well.
It includes more resins and binders than flat paint.
Semi-gloss paint sheds moisture, so it is less prone to peeling.
But it can highlight imperfections on your walls.
Some homeowners may not like the shine of semi-gloss paint, especially in the confined space of a bathroom.
Gloss paint has limited uses due to its mirror-like appearance.
Use gloss paint for door jambs or cabinets.
Satin finish paint is washable, and it resists moisture.
It’s durable and holds up against moderate impact.
Like other paint with gloss, satin paint is challenging to spot-repaint since overlap marks will show.
Flat paints also don’t take scrubbing wellhard scrubbing can turn them shiny or silvery in sections.
A satin finish is fine for a powder room ceiling because the space has less moisture and humidity.
But a humid bathroom with a steamy shower requires a more durable and moisture-resistant semi-gloss finish.
But, before that, look at what is already on the surface.
Is this a new construction?
Has this space been painted before?
Many previously painted bathrooms have a glossy finish.
A shiny paint will need a bathroom primer that is good for covering high-gloss surfaces.
Determine what you have, then proceed with primer, paint, and color options.
Use larger tiles, bold colors, and luxurious fixtures to make your bathroom stand out.
Look at color swatches provided by the paint manufacturers oronline color pickers.
Colors vary by manufacturer; some paint brands have more colors than others.
There are many styles to choose from, such as vintage, traditional, rustic, or modern.
Choose hardware that looks great with your wall color, but keep the cabinet color and style in mind.
Any high-gloss acrylic-latex paint or oil-based paint is waterproof paint for bathrooms.
The greater the amount of gloss in the paint, the tighter its molecular structure.
This means that it has a better chance of resisting water than flatter paints.
So, even semi-gloss or satin-gloss paints can be considered waterproof paints compared to flat or matte paints.
Paint that prevents mold in the bathroom is water-resistant and contains fungicides.
Mold-resistant bathroom paint contains fungicides that kill mold and mildew spores before they can develop.
Three other sheen grades of paint are more moisture-resistant than eggshell paintsatin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss.
But eggshell paint is still glossy enough to shed an average amount of moisture in a bathroom.
Eggshell paint is better than those sheens in one way: Its lower sheen disguises bumps and imperfections.
Glossier paint tends to highlight imperfections more than flatter gloss paint.
