The choice of paint for your bathroom is a significant concern because of the humidity. Painting its walls can add elegance to the entire look of it, but at the same time, a wrong choice can waste all the hard work.
Can You Use Matt Paint in a Bathroom? You should not use matt paint in the bathroom because it is not washable, absorbs moisture, develop mildew, and is difficult to clean. It is better to use satin paints, glossy paints, and latex paints in the bathroom, which are washable and more durable.
Matt paint is called flat paint that looks great on the walls, but many professionals do not recommend it on bathroom walls and ceilings as they are not durable and start peeling off due to the high moisture there.
Why you should not use matt paint in a bathroom?
Matt paints add a very smooth and uniform appearance on the walls and cover the irregularities.
Not washable
They are not washable and strip off the wall when you clean them with water or a damp cloth. Therefore, it is better to use them in low-traffic areas with fewer chances of water drops and stains.
You often need to wipe your walls with a mild detergent or warm water to remove the mildew or dust, but they require extra effort to maintain them without damaging the wall color.
Many companies and manufacturers are now making matt paints with a special formula to make them washable and withstand moisture for a long extent.
Absorbs moisture
The wall and ceilings in the bathroom are more exposed to the humidity and damp environment. The steam and moisture after a hot shower and water splashes from the shower, bath, and sinks cause condensation on the walls and ceiling.
The matt paint cannot deal with the damp condition at this place for a long time and start peeling and dropping from the walls because it is not moisture-resistant.
It absorbs more moisture and water into the plaster wall because of its porous surface texture. Humidity tends to cause cracks in this paint and makes the wall look uneven and rough.
Develop mildew
There are more chances of mildew and mold development on matt paints because of high exposure to humidity in bathrooms.
In addition, the water vapors from the shower and your vanity tend to form condensation and water absorption, which cause the formation of mildew on the walls.
Some flat paints are mildew-resistant, but not all flat colors have this property to resistant mold development in a damp atmosphere.
Moist places are most attractive for them to propagate and penetrate the inner layers of walls, making them less durable.
Difficult to clean
Cleaning is essential in making your bathroom look hygienic and up-to-date, especially when you have kids in your house and they love to color every wall of the house.
Matt paints are challenging to clean because they are not washable, and the color of the walls becomes dim and even fades away when you use any wet cloth or sponge to clean the dust and dirt.
They are more likely to get stains and marks and are tedious to remove without damaging the color of the wall.
In addition, they cannot stand any other cleanser with no harsh chemicals to clean the stains if you accidentally drop any cream or oil on the wall around your vanity.
What type of paints can you use in the bathroom?
Many paints are available in the market, but choosing the right one for your bathroom is a real achievement to make it more durable and save you money.
Satin paints
It has mid-sheen and lies in the middle range of indoor and outdoor paint sheen. It looks like a polished surface with a slightly glossy texture that gives this place a decent and classy look.
It does not produce much reflection in dim light but might look shiny when bright light directly falls on the walls. It is glossier than flat or eggshell paints but less than semi-gloss or gloss colors.
You can easily clean the stains or marks from the walls, and are more durable than matt paints.
This forms a thin layer on its surface when it is dry, which acts as a resistance to moisture and condensation into the wall.
Glossy paint
They have a high percentage of sheen compared to flat and eggshell finishers and reflect more light to look shiny and bright.
In addition, they are much easier to clean and resistant to stains and water.
You can also use semi-gloss paints as they reflect less light and do not highlight imperfections that much.
In addition, they are washable and more durable than other paints in a damp environment.
The percentage of glossy texture is measured by pigment volume concentration (PVC) which is the ratio of pigments in the color to its binder.
It has 0-15% of the PVC range, and semi-gloss has 15-25 % of the PVC range. So the glossier the finisher, the more durable, reflective, and easy to clean it is for you.
Latex paint
Latex paint is also a good choice for your bathroom walls, but make sure to pick one that is washable. They are easy to apply as you can do it yourself, as they dry faster.
They offer a tight molecular formula and structure that prevents water and humidity into the walls. You can clean or scrub the wall if there are any stains and use a wet cloth or sponge.
They do not have toxic volatile organic compounds that make the place difficult to breathe because of the harsh smell, and you can use them without the risk of pungent odor in your whole house.
How can you make bathroom paint more durable?
Not all paints are made for bathroom walls and ceilings, but you can increase their durability using some tips. You can use a high-quality primer on the walls before applying paint.
Primer can make the surface even and smooth and cover the irregularities on the walls. You can apply oil-based or latex primers depending on the surface of its walls.
You can use any good finisher on your walls that is mildew and water-resistant to avoid mold and peeling of paints. It can also add shine and a protective layer that can resist stains and clean easily.
A fine coat of finisher on the walls can also increase the durability as it will prevent condensation into the walls. You can also apply epoxy resins as a sealant to increase the lifetime of paints and make the surface look uniform.
Make sure that the ventilation in your place is good enough to remove the steam and moisture after a shower or bath.
For example, it is better to open all windows and doors of your bathroom after showering to reduce the humidity level.
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