How to Paint a Bathroom

When it comes to decorating a bathroom, there’s a few specific things that need considering. As the room in your home that experiences lots of moisture, its important to think about how differently we need to treat the surfaces compared to the other rooms.  And as with most decorating projects, preparation is key. 

First thing to ask yourself…is the room well ventilated?  If you only have a window for ventilation it may be worth installing an extractor fan.  This will limit condensation in the room therefore helping to prevent mould and mildew from developing on your newly painted walls. 

Job one will be to repair any damage, holes or cracks with a filler and leave to dry.  Walls previously painted in a bathroom paint, silk or with any sheen, need rubbing down with a fine sandpaper first to ensure the new paint has something to adhere to.  

Chances are, the walls need cleaning down too, especially if it’s a high traffic area that gets used multiple times a day. To do this, simply use a sugar soap solution and sponge to remove any dirt. Finally, wipe down the walls again with warm water to remove any traces of soap. 

With each surface, bear in mind how much condensation, steam or water splashes are likely to come into contact.  This will help you to decide what the appropriate choice for wall decoration will be. 

All of the fixtures and fittings need covering up with dust sheets and masking off with tape. A fiddly job but worthwhile. You don’t want to be scraping paint off your tiles and taps for weeks afterwards! 

One coat of Craig & Rose 1829 Undercoat will prepare your walls sufficiently for their topcoat. This stage can seem like an unnecessary step, but it will give your chosen colour the best chance at succeeding and it will last longer, as a result. 

Updating a bathroom with a new colour and accessories is a great way to refresh your space. 

Image credit: @ChorltonHouse Left: before   Right: After a mini makeover using Craig & Rose Ottilie in Eggshell 

If you are painting a toilet room that won’t experience much in the way of water splashes or condensation, our 1829 Chalky Emulsion would be suitable. However, for most bathrooms, we recommend Eggshell paint for walls and Eggshell or Gloss for woodwork. These paints are designed to withstand the atmosphere of a typical bathroom and are more durable. 

Now you are all prepped, the first step of painting is cutting-in. If you are using Eggshell paint, we recommend a high-quality synthetic brush. This will ensure a smooth finish, minimising brush marks that may get picked up by any light refracting off the paint when dry. Make sure not to overload the brush with paint either, this is to avoid any drips that may occur and ensures the paint will level and even out as it dries to a perfect finish. 

Once the cutting in stage is complete, you can use a short pile roller to apply the paint to the rest of the wall. Don’t be tempted to over roll the same area too many times as this may begin to lift paint off again.  At the end of each coat ‘feather’ the roller downwards with very light pressure to smooth the finish and lay pigments in the same direction - this is known as laying off.  You’ll find you have great coverage after the second coat is dry. 

It's ideal to leave the surface to dry for around 7 days before its wiped down. This will give the paint the chance to fully cure and develop the protective, durable finish that you expect. 

If you are looking for ideas on which colours to choose for your bathroom, check out this feature.