A small room that takes a long time
A bathroom has less wall than a bedroom, but it rarely costs proportionally less to paint. Painters spend most of their time cutting in around tile, tubs, vanities, mirrors, toilets and fixtures rather than rolling open wall. And bathrooms make moisture, which is the main thing that ruins paint there. This guide walks through what drives a bathroom repaint, without quoting prices.
Moisture comes first
EPA advises drying water-damaged areas and items within 24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth, and keeping indoor relative humidity below 60 percent, ideally between 30 and 50 percent. A bathroom after a hot shower goes far above that, which is why fans and ventilation matter so much. Paint failing in a bathroom is often a symptom of that moisture. Signs include:
- Peeling or bubbling on the ceiling above the shower.
- Dark spots along the ceiling edge or in corners.
- Paint that stays soft or tacky.
- Stains around the tub or behind the toilet.
A painter can paint over these, but they'll come back unless the moisture is managed. Ask whether the exhaust fan is working and sized for the room. That isn't painting work, but it affects how long the paint lasts.
Mildew and cleaning
Before painting, any mildew is cleaned with a product made to kill it, then rinsed and allowed to dry. Peeling paint is scraped back to a firm edge. Soap film, hair spray and other residue are cleaned off, because paint won't hold on them.
Repairs
Bathroom walls often have damage from towel bars, old hardware, water and steam. Holes are filled, soft drywall is cut out and replaced, and loose tape at corners is repaired. Water-damaged drywall near a tub may need moisture-resistant board. Our guide to drywall repair and surface preparation covers these steps.
Fixtures and accessories
Removing the mirror, towel bars, light fixture covers, outlet covers and toilet paper holder makes painting cleaner. Some painters will take the toilet tank lid off or pull the toilet for a full repaint behind it; others paint around it. Ask what's included. Rehanging a heavy mirror may need new anchors.
Primer and paint
A stain-blocking primer covers water stains and patches. The finish coat is usually a paint labeled for bathrooms or high-moisture rooms, often with mildewcide, in a satin or semi-gloss sheen that resists moisture and wipes clean. These products cost more than standard wall paint. Ceilings in bathrooms are usually painted in a moisture-resistant product too, not ordinary flat ceiling white. See paint sheens and finishes.
Drying before the first shower
Fresh paint needs time before it faces steam. Ask the painter how long to wait before using the shower, and keep the fan running. A bathroom repainted on a Friday may need to sit unused through the weekend.
Older paint
Under EPA's Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule, anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in homes, childcare facilities and preschools built before 1978 must hold RRP certification, firms included, even sole proprietorships, and their workers must be trained in lead-safe work practices. In a bathroom of a house built before 1978, scraping peeling ceiling paint disturbs old paint in a small, enclosed room. Containment and cleanup are part of the job and the price. You may ask whether the firm holds RRP certification.
Price drivers in a list
- Amount of peeling and mildew.
- Drywall repair.
- Fixtures removed or painted around.
- Primer and bathroom-rated paint.
- Ceiling included.
- Older-paint work practices.
Our interior painting page covers room painting in general, and the pricing guide explains how prices are built.