Bathroom Painting Tips

Waking up and walking into a tired-looking bathroom [1] is a tough way to start the day, which may explain why painting [2] the bathroom is one of the most popular home improvement projects. For a fraction of the cost of a bathroom remodeling project, painting the bathroom can deliver an exciting new look.

Choosing a Paint Color
The fun part of painting is selecting a color scheme [3]. Most paint retailers have an abundance of color cards to choose from. Your job is to pare down the palette to the ideal color for your bathroom. Consider whether you want your bathroom to feel warm and cozy or look cool and sleek. Reds, oranges, and yellows tend to warm up a room, while blues and greens make it seem cooler.

Alt=Bathroom Remodeling "Your preference may depend upon where you live," says Debbie Zimmer, a spokesperson for the Paint Quality Institute [4]. "Up North, where the winters are longer, you might welcome the warm feeling created by a golden tone, for example; But if you live where the summers are long and hot, you might prefer a 'cooler' color" says Zimmer. Color can also be used to make the bathroom appear larger. According to Zimmer, "Many of us wish that our bathrooms were bigger, but aren't willing to incur the expense of enlarging the room". Interior painting [5] offers an inexpensive alternative: Painting the room in a light color will make your bathroom seem larger.

Selecting Quality Paint for Your Bathroom
While there really is no right or wrong choice when it comes to color for your bathroom, that can’t necessarily be said of the quality of paint you use in your bathroom. If you're on a tight budget, you might be tempted to buy a cheap paint, but even the best paints are still very affordable and there really is no comparison when it comes to performance.

Alt=Bathroom Remodeling Only a small amount of prep work is required before painting a bathroom. First, make sure to clean [6] the walls, ceiling, and woodwork by scrubbing them with a sponge and mild detergent solution. Any mildew should be removed with a bleach solution of one part bleach to three parts water (Note: When using a bleach solution, or working overhead to clean the ceiling, it's wise to wear rubber gloves and safety glasses). After cleaning all of the surfaces, wipe them down with clean water and allow them to dry before applying your paint.