You may have heard that bathrooms need to be painted with their own type of paint. Is this true, and is it always necessary? Find out here why bathroom paints are different, and why painters in Langley don’t always recommend using them in your home in Langley, BC.

There are two main differences between bathroom paints and regular paints which Langley painters insist be considered before choosing which type of paint to use. First, paints made for bathrooms have more resin in them, the second is they have added mildew protection compared with regular paints. But there is a trade off for these seemingly beneficial characteristics which you should take into consideration before jumping in. Below we will discuss what these entail and let you know the pros and cons.

Pros and Cons of Using Bathroom Paints

Pros

  1. Washability

The biggest question to ask yourself before deciding to use a bathroom paint is, “how good is the ventilation in the bathroom?” Poor ventilation in a bathroom is an excellent time to opt for using one. Resin gives the paint a “toughness,” making it better able to stand up to repeated washings which Langley painters and homeowners like.

  1. Mold

When moisture is unable to escape from the bathroom due to poor ventilation, Mold can begin to grow. Which can have negative consequences on your health. According to the CDC,

“Exposure to damp and moldy environments may cause a variety of health effects, or none at all. Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can lead to symptoms such as stuffy nose, wheezing, and red or itchy eyes, or skin.”

In such a scenario, painters in Langley usually recommend the use of bathroom paints, because of the added mold protection built into the paint.

Cons

  1. Appearance

The biggest sacrifice, and the main reason why painters in Langley recommend only using a bathroom paint when absolutely necessary, is the appearance. They are shiny. This can be ok, if your bathroom is very large, but for the average bathroom, it can make the room feel small, especially if you are applying it to the ceiling as well.

The added resin in the paint lifts the sheen level causing more light to reflect off it, making the walls and ceiling feel closer.

To understand how shiny they are, consider that most walls in a house are painted with an eggshell sheen level. Most bathroom paints will fall into the satin range. Satin is the sheen between eggshell and semi-gloss.

To achieve the added washability and moisture resistance, the manufacturers add more resin to the paint which makes it shinier. The amount of resin in a can a paint is what dictates whether a paint will be flat, eggshell, satin, or semi-gloss. The shinier it is, the more resin it has. Which is also why shinier paints are more durable.

In Conclusion

If your bathroom is well ventilated with a fan and a window, painters in Langley recommend using a flat or eggshell paint on the ceiling and an eggshell on the walls. With adequate airflow, moisture won’t remain in the bathroom and won’t give space for mold to grow. Eggshell paints will stand up to semi-frequent washings.

If there is poor ventilation, then a bathroom paint is advisable. The added durability to stand up to frequent cleanings, and the added mold and mildew resistance will be of great benefit. You will be happy and feel safe the mold and mildew won’t be growing on the walls and ceiling and causing health concerns.

If you have a very large bathroom, on the other hand, you may want to consider the sheen level of bathroom paints. If you are going for a shinier look on your walls and or ceiling, why not benefit from the added protection from mildew as well.

For a closer look at your bathroom in Langley, BC, from the professional painters in Langley at Blue Chip Painting, give us a call and schedule a free estimate. We will inspect your bathroom and make recommendations on which paint should be used.

-Jeremy