Are you ready for house painting in Pleasant Hill? As you plan for your next painting project, you must note that the bathroom differs entirely from the rest of the house. You may apply the same paint to your living, bedroom, and family rooms.

But when it comes to painting the bathroom, the approach is different. While it can be easy to complete as a DIY weekend project, painting the bathroom can also be challenging due to a couple of reasons:

• The bathroom is usually the smallest area in the house. However, it is the room with the most obstacles to work around. Painting around the vanity mirror, under the wash basin, or the wall behind the toilet are some challenges you will encounter.
• The bathroom frequently encounters steam, gets wet, and can become really dirty over time. It is also in contact with harsh chemicals from soaps and cleaning agents, as well as frequent wiping and scrubbing. So, the new paint must be able to deal with all these things.
• The bathroom is the only place where high moisture and humidity levels occur. Unless you’re painting a new and previously unused bathroom, you will likely have some issues regarding the paint’s ability to adhere to the walls. This is why you must make sure that the bathroom is completely dry before applying a new coat of paint.

Considering these factors, preparing your bathroom for painting and choosing the right kind of paint is essential.

Cleaning your bathroom

For the best results, clean the bathroom first before painting. Bathrooms are usually heavily used spaces, so the walls take a lot of abuse and get very dirty over time. Water streaks, stains from soap residue, and the presence of mold and mildew won’t go away by simply painting over them.

There’s no alternative than to clean the bathroom first before painting – it will avoid potential problems.

1. Scrub the walls with regular soap or mild cleaner and water.
2. Don’t ignore mold and mildew. You can get rid of them using a vinegar or bleach solution.
3. Allow everything to dry.
4. Mask off parts of the bathroom – toilet, sink, shower tile, bathtub, wall fixtures, etc. — before painting.
5. Prime the walls before painting. Use a primer with mildewcide additives.

Painting the bathroom

Considering bathrooms are high in moisture and humidity, choose a good quality paint that repels moisture. There are even paints on the market that are formulated to prevent the growth of mold and mildew.

You can choose between oil-based paint and water-based paint:

• Oil-based paint – Oil-based paint is still considered superior in terms of durability. It’s highly resistant to moisture and durability. However, oil-based paint takes long to dry and is more expensive than latex paint. Another, it gives off strong chemical fumes as it dries.
• Water-based paint – The latest formulations have paved the way for improving water-based paints, such as latex and acrylic. They are made to have almost the same properties as oil-based paints, such as resistance to moisture.

Here are the best finishes recommended for painting the bathroom:

• Satin – Paints with a satin finish are popular for high-traffic areas like bathrooms. It gives off a faint gloss that, despite the name, is often described as velvety. Satin paints are durable, resistant to moisture, and easy to clean. However, it reveals application flaws like brush strokes or roller lap marks, making touch-ups tricky.
• Semi-gloss – Paints with a semi-gloss finish are recommended for places whose walls take a lot of abuse. Their durability and resistance to moisture make them an excellent choice for high-humidity areas, such as bathrooms. But like other glossy paints, paints with a semi-gloss finish tend to show surface flaws.
• High-gloss or glossy – High-gloss or glossy paints have a highly reflective appearance similar to plastic or enamel. They can stand up to abuse, cleaning, and scrubbing. However, it is the most suspect in revealing surface flaws, so proper wall prep work is required before using high-gloss paints. Although high-gloss paints are durable, resistant to moisture, and easy to clean, you may want to avoid them for painting bathroom walls. The reason is their high level of sheen that can reflect too much light. It’s better to reserve high-gloss paints for painting doors, trim, shelves, and cabinets.

Your choice of finish is influenced by the way your bathroom is used. If you have little children who love splashing in the tub, use paint with a semi-gloss or glossy finish. A satin finish would work well for guest bathrooms that are not used as often as primary bathrooms. Main bathrooms can be painted with any finish according to your preference.

The size of your bathroom will also influence the choice of your paint color. A lighter paint color will give the bathroom an appearance of length and height. If you have a larger bathroom, you will have more color choices.

If you want a spa-like ambiance in your bathroom, choose cool colors like blues, greens, and purples. A blend of neutrals like browns, beiges, and tans will complement your bathroom’s timeless appeal. They will complement well with the white tiles, baseboards, and trim. But if you want otherwise bright and refreshing colors for your bathroom, a punch of warm, rich, and intense hues should be applied to the walls. When you have your morning shower, these colors will give off an invigorating and energized feeling.

Gray is praised for its versatility and has become a popular color choice for bathroom walls. Choose soft grays to ensure that your decorative pieces steal the show.

Bathroom painting presents unique challenges compared to the rest of the house painting in Pleasant Hill. These tips and suggestions will make a highly functional room, like the bathroom, look more aesthetic and appealing.