Bathroom paint – use & recommendations
Contents
Bathroom paint: Using wall paint in the bathroom
The bathroom is one of the most important rooms in a home. It’s where we get ready for the day, spend relaxing hours or prepare for a special evening. Many people turn their bathroom into a true wellness and feel-good oasis, while others place great importance on a high level of functionality. Even though tastes differ when it comes to bathroom design, they all have one thing in common: in wet rooms you need to use special bathroom paint, also known as moisture-resistant paint. Why this is so important, which bathroom paints are available and what else you need to consider when buying and using these coatings, you can find out in our overview of bathroom paints below.
Why does it have to be a special wall paint for damp rooms?
So-called damp rooms, such as bathrooms, place particularly high demands on wall paints. These rooms have consistently high humidity – creating a rainforest-like climate. If you use conventional emulsion paint with a low pH value in these rooms, moisture quickly penetrates the coating and provides the ideal breeding ground for mold. In kitchens, the fat content in the water vapor adds to this, creating the best growth conditions for mold. Mold on surfaces is not only unsightly but can also become dangerous to health over time. When mold spores enter the air, they can lead to allergies and chronic respiratory diseases.
Water-repellent paint for bathrooms
To combat mold formation, prevent it and avoid heavy moisture penetration, special bathroom paint has been developed. It reliably repels moisture and dirt, is water-resistant and deprives mold of its breeding ground. Unlike emulsion paint, it offers sufficient protection against moisture and is also scrub-resistant, abrasion-resistant, breathable and washable.
In stores, the mold-inhibiting paint is available under the name BAUFIX Bathroom and Kitchen Paint. Before using the paint and coating the walls of damp rooms, you should decide between damp room paints with chemical or natural ingredients.
Bathroom paint with fungicides and biocides
Fungicides or biocides are two chemical substances in bathroom paints that prevent mold and fungi from forming on the wall paint. They offer reliable protection and are contained in small amounts – just enough to ensure effectiveness. With cheap anti-mold paints, ingredients are added to standard emulsion paints that can quickly pose a health risk. In general, it must be borne in mind that fungicides or biocides are continuously released into the environment, which can cause problems for sensitive people and allergy sufferers. With leading manufacturers such as BAUFIX, bathroom paint for damp rooms is formulated to be particularly mild and well balanced in order to reduce the risk of mold growth.
In stores, the mold-inhibiting paint is available under the name BAUFIX Bathroom and Kitchen Paint. Before using the paint and coating the walls of damp rooms, you should decide between damp room paints with chemical or natural ingredients.
Bathroom paint with natural ingredients
Bathroom paint based on natural ingredients is made from mineral binders and, thanks to its high pH value, usually above 10, offers protection against mould growth. At the same time, its water vapour permeability ensures high breathability, which sustainably improves indoor air quality. The bathroom paint absorbs moisture and releases it again. This healthy, pollutant-free coating is available, for example, as lime paint or silicate paint.
Lime paint
Lime paint is based on hydrated lime and is therefore a mineral paint. It is breathable, has a high pH value and is vapor-permeable. With these bathroom paints, moisture is absorbed and released again. Unlike chemical wall paints, they are environmentally friendly and ensure a healthy indoor climate. Unfortunately, however, they lose their protective effect over time. Lime paints are also more difficult to apply, are not scrub-resistant and are caustic, which is why you should protect your eyes and hands when working with them. Another disadvantage is that the paint is not equally suitable for all substrates and is rarely easy to paint over once applied. Among color experts, the rule of thumb is: lime only adheres well to lime.
Silicate paint
Silicate paints belong to the group of mineral paints and also derive their mold-inhibiting and antibacterial effect from a high pH value. They contain potassium water glass, also known as potassium silicate. Unlike lime paints, silicate paints are scrub-resistant after painting and abrasion-resistant once dry. The downside is that when painting walls and ceilings with silicate paint, you must wear special protective clothing because the high pH value is caustic. At the same time, the paint is only suitable for mineral substrates and, as a wall paint, is only available in specialist stores.
Latex paint
In addition to lime paints and silicate paints, scrub-resistant acrylic latex paints can also be used as bathroom paint. Once dry, latex paints offer high wet abrasion resistance. They are water-repellent and scrub-resistant. Instead of being used as bathroom paint, they are more commonly applied in rooms such as stairwells and children’s rooms, as the surfaces there are usually subject to heavy wear.
What should I look out for when buying bathroom paint?
When buying bathroom paint, you should pay attention to a few important points to achieve the best possible result. When choosing the type of paint, consider the following criteria:
Wet-scrub resistance according to EN 13300
Coverage/yield
Gloss level
Colour shade
Wet abrasion resistance
Wet-scrub resistance is divided into classes according to EN 13300 and indicates how resistant a wall paint is to mechanical abrasion. Moisture-resistant paints in class 1 have the highest durability once applied to the substrate. To benefit from this property on plaster and walls, make sure that the moisture-resistant paint is classified as class 1 or 2.
ingredients
Attention: When buying paint for damp rooms at the DIY store or online, take a close look. High-quality bathroom paint or moisture-resistant paint is labeled as bathroom and kitchen paint. For anti-mold interior paint, normal emulsion paints are often mixed with mold-killing preservatives and sold cheaply as special paints for damp rooms. Very critical toxins are often used for this, which are released into the indoor air once applied.
Coverage
The coverage of a paint is defined by its opacity class. These indicate how many square meters can be painted opaquely with one liter of paint. There are 4 classes:
- Class 1: highest opacity with at least 99.5%
- Class 2: opacity between 98 and 99.5%
- Class 3: opacity between 95 and 98%
- Class 4: opacity less than 95%
The higher the opacity of the paint for damp rooms, the fewer coats you need – you may even get full coverage with just one coat.
gloss level
The gloss level indicates how strongly bathroom paint reflects external light sources, whether it directs them in one main reflection or scatters them. Professionals know: The less light is scattered, the more matt the wall paint appears. For bathroom and kitchen paints, you can choose between matt and silk gloss as mould-inhibiting finishes.
Colour shade
When it comes to the color of your moisture-resistant bathroom paint, you can simply follow your personal taste. Even mineral bathroom paints now come in a wide range of colors. If you prefer a custom shade, that’s no problem either. Just add alkali-resistant color pigments to your bathroom paint.
Which surfaces can I paint with bathroom paint?
Moisture-resistant paint is particularly suitable for walls such as gypsum or plaster after adequate priming. The downside: painting woodchip wallpaper with bathroom paint unfortunately does not work. Woodchip wallpapers are generally not suitable for damp rooms, as their high cellulose content and condensation can lead to mold. Vinyl wallpapers or other plastic wallpapers that are breathable and can be painted with special wall paint are suitable alternatives. Silicate paint requires mineral substrates such as stone, concrete, lime or lime-cement render. It should not be used on gypsum.
Preparation
It is important that the room is dry and all surfaces are clean before you start painting with bathroom paint. You should always remove mold beforehand. For this we recommend BAUFIX Mold Remover. Cracks or holes must also be filled.
Old wallpaper residues must be removed. A primer before painting can make sense to improve adhesion. Of course, as with any other painting project, you should carefully protect furniture, skirting boards, and sockets with masking tape.
Depending on which type of bathroom paint you choose, you will need different accessories. Moisture-resistant paints with mould-inhibiting agents and silicate paints can easily be applied with a paint roller. Moisture-resistant paints with lime are best applied to the substrate with a ceiling brush.
Removing moisture-resistant paints also varies depending on the type.
- With silicate paint, the substrate must be tapped off. However, bathroom paint of this type is durable and breathable, so removal is usually not necessary. The paint can be painted over with the same type of wall paint.
- Lime paint is usually washable. If not, moisten the bathroom paint first and then remove the coat with a scraper, wire brush or sanding tool.
- Bathroom paint as a special bathroom and kitchen paint can simply be removed with a scraper.
As a general rule: Dark colours usually make rooms appear a little smaller, while light colours make them look larger. In small rooms, therefore, use all shades of white as well as pastels and light colour variants. If your bathroom is very large, you can use rich blues and greens and other dark colours.
The following types of colours are currently particularly on trend:
- Neutral tones: Colours such as beige, grey and white are timeless and create a calming atmosphere.
- Dark colours: Navy blue, anthracite and black give the bathroom an elegant and luxurious feel.
- Natural colours: Earth tones such as sand, taupe and olive bring an organic, natural look to the bathroom.
- Pastel tones: Soft colours such as mint green, light blue and blush pink create a fresh and friendly mood.
- Accent colours: Bold accents in colours such as turquoise, coral or mustard yellow create modern, vibrant highlights.
Yes, bathroom tiles can be painted. This requires thorough cleaning, special tile paint (chalk paint/varnish) and a sealer to achieve long-lasting results.
Painting a wall with a border is one of the simplest and most effective ways to instantly give a room new charm. But for a truly professional result, it’s not just the wall color that matters – clean, precise edges make all the difference! Whether sharp color transitions, perfectly defined contrasts, or flawless lines along doors, windows, and skirting boards – with the right technique and tools, you can achieve this with ease. In this article, we’ll share the best tips and tricks to help you paint a wall with a border.
What you need for painting a wall with a border
1. Wall paint (base color and, if needed, border color)
2. Protective sheeting or painter’s fleece (to protect floors and furniture)
3. Painter’s tape (masking tape) (for sharp paint edges on the border)
4. Primer (if needed to ensure even paint absorption)
5. Paint roller (for large areas)
6. Brushes (for corners, edges, and the border)
7. Paint tray or bucket
8. Stirring stick (for mixing the paint)
9. Water and cloth (for cleaning small mistakes or splatters)
10. Pencil and tape measure or folding rule (for marking out the border)
11. Spirit level or stencil (for straight lines)
- Coverage class II according to DIN EN 13300 at 7 m²/l
- Wet abrasion resistance class III according to DIN EN 13300
- resistant to mold infestation
- for bathroom, kitchen, toilet & basement rooms
- water vapor permeable
- tintable
- washable