Choosing paint for your shower or steamy bathroom is one of the easiest home improvement decisions to get wrong.
Do it wrong and you’ll be painting over this DIY project in 1 year. Do it right and your walls will look great for 10+ years.
Here’s the truth:
Humid rooms devour regular paint. Steam, moisture and extreme temperature changes will blister, peel and mildew paint before you can even say “exhaust fan.”
But there is good news…
Choose the correct paint (and a little know-how), and you can create walls that stand up to even the sauciest spaghetti dinner or steamiest shower alike. Plus, you won’t have to deal with endless maintenance, cleaning marks off your walls, or spending your Saturdays repainting areas that should have lasted a decade.
Here’s what’s inside:
- Why Humid Rooms Demand A Different Paint
- The Best Paint Finishes For Moisture
- Room-By-Room Paint Picks
- Common Paint Mistakes To Avoid
Let’s jump in!
Why Humid Rooms Demand A Different Paint
Humid rooms are the toughest job in your house. Why?
Moisture is the #1 enemy of paint. The EPA recommends indoor humidity remain between 30% and 50%. Bathrooms during a hot shower? Easily 80%+ humidity.
That’s a paint nightmare waiting to happen.
When moisture sinks into the wrong type of paint, you’ll get:
- Peeling and flaking: as water breaks the bond between paint and wall
- Mildew and mould: which feeds on the paint and slowly destroys it
- Bubbling: as trapped steam pushes the paint right off the surface
- Ugly staining: that no amount of scrubbing will ever remove
Pretty rough, right?
That’s why you shouldn’t just use any old wall paint in your bathroom. You need paint that can defend itself. That’s why painters sometimes discuss options like premium exterior paint. Premium exterior paint is formulated to handle rain, shine, and vicious moisture all year long. Most professional painters that go the extra mile – like these East Valley painters – look to premium exterior paint formulas as the standard for durability that steamy indoor rooms require.
The good news?
You don’t have to actually roll exterior paint on your shower walls. There are interior paints now formulated with the same moisture-fighting technology. You just need to know what to look for.
The Best Paint Finishes For Moisture
Paint finish matters more than paint colour when it comes to humid rooms.
Why? Because the finish controls how moisture interacts with your wall surface.
Flat and matte finishes? Throw that right out the window. Those absorb moisture quickly and begin deteriorating rapidly. You want one of these three finishes:
Satin Finish
Satin sheets are perfect for rooms that tend to get humid. They have just a touch of shine, are easily wipeable, and won’t peel or mildew from moisture. Satin doesn’t appear overly shiny like glossier finishes. Your laundry room and/or family bathroom typically benefit from satin walls.
Semi-Gloss Finish
Semi-gloss is a step up in moisture protection. It’s:
- Easy to clean
- Stain resistant
- Built to handle steam
It is the standard choice for kitchens and bathrooms. The subtle shine bounces more light around and also makes the room appear larger.
High-Gloss Finish
High-gloss is the hardest finish available. It’s extremely moisture-resistant and easy to wipe clean. The negative side is that it will highlight every flaw on your wall. Reserve this finish for trim, doors and cabinets in bathrooms and kitchens.
Room-By-Room Paint Picks
Humid rooms each have different paint needs. Learn how to choose correctly.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms see the most extreme humidity in your house.
Hot showers can raise humidity to over 80% in minutes. Bathroom walls are prime real estate for mildew to grow. Use a mould and mildew resistant interior paint with a satin or semi-gloss finish. Don’t forget the ceiling as well. Steam rises so it will happen there first, and it always seems to peel first too.
Heads up:
According to research from the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, DIY mistakes account for 40% of bathroom repaints within a year. The solution? Primer up! Always apply a stain-blocking, mildew-resistant primer before your topcoat.
Kitchens
Kitchens deal with a different kind of humidity. You’ve got:
- Steam from cooking
- Grease splatter
- Constant temperature changes
- Heavy daily wear
Go with a semi-gloss paint. This will allow you to easily wipe the walls with a damp cloth and will not degenerate when exposed to grease. Make sure it is scrubbable so the finish doesn’t degrade with everyday cleaning.
Laundry Rooms
Laundry rooms are sneaky. People forget about them.
However, dryers expel steam, washing machines leak occasionally, and humidity can linger long after a load is finished. Go with a satin or semi-gloss finish with built-in mould inhibitors. If your laundry room is in a basement or lacks ventilation, err on the side of semi-gloss for extra defense.
Common Paint Mistakes To Avoid
These mistakes wreck paint jobs in humid rooms over and over again.
Mistake #1: Skipping the primer
If your rooms are humid, always prime them with a moisture-blocking primer. This one step will double the durability of your paint job.
Mistake #2: Painting over mildew
Painting mildew will only cause the mildew to grow underneath the paint. Kill the mildew on the wall first – then paint.
Mistake #3: Bad ventilation
No matter how fabulous your paint job is, if you don’t have a functional exhaust fan in your bathroom your paint will peel. Open a window or run the fan during every shower.
Mistake #4: Buying cheap paint
Paint that won’t cost you much to buy in a damp room is costing you twice. You’ll have to repaint in 18 months.
Mistake #5: Wrong finish for the room
Don’t put flat paint on shower walls. Ever. Period.
Final Thoughts
Picking paint for humid rooms doesn’t have to be hard work.
Just remember these basics:
- Use mildew-resistant paint
- Stick to satin, semi-gloss, or high-gloss finishes
- Always prime first
- Match the paint to the room
- Don’t cut corners on quality
The truth is…
The correct paint can save you thousands in re-painting costs over time. Plus your walls will look fresh much longer than you ever thought possible.
Before you rush out to buy paint, take a few minutes to plan. Choose a good quality paint that is moisture resistant. Properly prepare your walls. And, ventilate the room during and after painting.
Your bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms will thank you for it.