Which paint should I use in a bathroom?
Which paint should I use in a bathroom?
A moisture-resistant acrylic in a satin or eggshell sheen with a mould inhibitor — but ventilation, not paint, is the actual fix.
Mould in a bathroom is a moisture problem with a paint symptom. It grows where warm damp air meets a surface below its dew point, so the durable fixes are an extractor fan that actually runs long enough, a door undercut for makeup air, and insulation on cold external walls — paint only buys time. Where mould is already present it has to be killed rather than covered, because painting over live spores gives them a food source in the binder and the stain reappears within months. Sheen is the second decision: satin and eggshell wipe clean and shed condensation, and the shinier the finish, the more it reveals a poorly prepared wall.
The options, ranked
| Option | Good at | Bad at |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom-specific acrylic | Contains a fungicide and forms a tighter, more wipeable film than standard emulsion. | The fungicide is consumed over time, so it delays mould rather than preventing it forever. |
| Acrylic eggshell or satin | Wipeable, tolerates condensation and light scrubbing, and the low sheen hides less than gloss. | Any sheen shows wall imperfections that matt would hide. |
| Matt emulsion | Hides an imperfect wall and gives a soft modern look. | Absorbs condensation, marks when wiped and grows mould in a poorly ventilated shower room. |
| Anti-condensation or insulating paint | Raises the surface temperature slightly so moisture is less likely to condense on the wall. | A marginal effect compared with fixing the ventilation or the cold spot. |
Technique that changes the outcome
- Treat existing mould with a fungicidal wash and let it work, then rinse and dry
- Fix the ventilation before repainting; a fan with an overrun timer is the single most effective change
- Prime any bare plaster with a thinned mist coat before the topcoats
- Allow the full recoat time — a bathroom repainted in a hurry never hardens properly
What goes wrong
- Painting over live mould
- Matt emulsion in a shower room
- Relying on paint instead of extraction
Compiled practical guidance rather than a published standard. Product formulations vary by brand and market, so read the label — and where the work is structural, electrical or gas, the regulations that apply where you are govern rather than anything here.
Other paint questions
| For | Use |
|---|---|
| Previously painted wood | Clean it, key it and spot-prime bare areas — and find out first whether the existing paint is oil or water based. |
| Bare wood | Knotting solution on the knots, a wood primer, then your topcoat — and prime end grain twice. |
| Plastic | Any paint, provided an adhesion promoter goes on first — and on polypropylene or polyethylene, the promoter is not optional. |
| Kitchens | A scrubbable acrylic eggshell or satin on the walls — and for cabinets, degrease, prime and use a proper cabinet enamel. |
| Metal | Remove the rust, apply a rust-inhibiting primer the same day, then an alkyd or a direct-to-metal acrylic. |
| Ceilings | A flat matt emulsion — and if there is a water stain or nicotine, seal it with a shellac-based stain block first. |
| Tiles | Tile paint over an epoxy or adhesion primer on a thoroughly degreased and abraded glaze — and expect a limited life in a shower. |
| Fences | A penetrating stain or fence treatment rather than a film-forming paint — and let new pressure-treated timber weather first. |
| Floors | Two-pack epoxy on concrete after a moisture test and a proper grind; floor-grade varnish or floor paint on timber. |
| Radiators | A radiator enamel — water-based acrylic ones no longer yellow, which ordinary gloss on a hot surface always will. |
| Exterior masonry | A breathable mineral or masonry paint — and on an old solid wall, breathability matters more than any durability claim. |
| Galvanised metal | A mordant wash, a self-etch primer or a purpose-made acrylic primer for galvanising — ordinary oil-based primer peels off in sheets. |
| UPVC | A uPVC-specific paint or an adhesion promoter with an acrylic topcoat — and avoid dark colours, which can distort the frame. |
Common questions
- Which paint should I use in a bathroom?
- A moisture-resistant acrylic in a satin or eggshell sheen with a mould inhibitor — but ventilation, not paint, is the actual fix.
- What should I avoid?
- Painting over live mould Matt emulsion in a shower room Relying on paint instead of extraction
Related pages
- Which paint goes over previously painted wood? Clean it, key it and spot-prime bare areas — and find out first whether the existing paint is oil or water based.
- Which paint should I use on bare wood? Knotting solution on the knots, a wood primer, then your topcoat — and prime end grain twice.
- Which paint sticks to plastic? Any paint, provided an adhesion promoter goes on first — and on polypropylene or polyethylene, the promoter is not optional.
- Which paint should I use in a kitchen? A scrubbable acrylic eggshell or satin on the walls — and for cabinets, degrease, prime and use a proper cabinet enamel.
- Which paint should I use on metal? Remove the rust, apply a rust-inhibiting primer the same day, then an alkyd or a direct-to-metal acrylic.
- Which paint should I use on a ceiling? A flat matt emulsion — and if there is a water stain or nicotine, seal it with a shellac-based stain block first.
- Which paint can I use on tiles? Tile paint over an epoxy or adhesion primer on a thoroughly degreased and abraded glaze — and expect a limited life in a shower.
- Which paint should I use on a fence? A penetrating stain or fence treatment rather than a film-forming paint — and let new pressure-treated timber weather first.
- Which paint should I use on a floor? Two-pack epoxy on concrete after a moisture test and a proper grind; floor-grade varnish or floor paint on timber.
- Which paint should I use on radiators? A radiator enamel — water-based acrylic ones no longer yellow, which ordinary gloss on a hot surface always will.
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place