Most of painting work at home is a DIY adventure since it is an easy task to do, as long as you have the needed skills. However, painting a bathroom can be a little challenging because the room is usually small and presents a real problem when turning. It also requires a special type of paint because it is usually exposed to lots of water and heavy-duty cleaning works. Another thing that makes painting a bathroom quite tricky is the fact that it has several accessories that need to be isolated while working. This article gives tips on how to paint a bathroom, which should make the whole task simple and fun.
- Remove the Accessories
Bathrooms have several accessories that need to be isolated when doing the painting because should they encounter little droplets of paint, they will lose their aesthetic appeal. Such items that you can remove from the room include grab bars, towel hooks, the bathtub, the bulb, and any other item that can be removed. If you cannot comfortably remove some items like the bathtub, then consider covering them with drape dry cloth. Great caution should be taken when removing some of these items since most of them are delicate.
- Clean the Bathroom Surfaces
Contrary to other rooms in the house where you do not need lots of cleaning before applying paint, the bathroom is very different. The surfaces need thorough cleaning so that you do not paint over soap scums and stains. These take time to clean, so you should try a mixture of vinegar and water or even bathroom cleaning detergents. Most of these cleaning agents have antimicrobial properties so you do not have to worry about mold growing underneath the paint.
- Cover the Areas that Do Not Need Painting
Some features and items cannot be moved without interfering with water and drain systems. Instead of doing that and introducing an extra cost, cover them with a drape dry cloth so that they do not get tainted with paint. Such items include the toilet seat, showerhead, taps, mirrors, vanity as well as the bathtub. Also, do not forget to tape off the ceiling and the backsplash.
- Apply the Coat
Attach the roller to the handle and dip it into the container full of coat paint. Then use the roller to paint on the walls in the ‘W’ method. Repeat this method until the whole wall is covered with the coat. Use a sash brush to cut the places covered with tape and dry cloth. This is because a slash brush has shorter fair bristles that cut the coat, without dripping the paint. Even as you use it, ensure not to dip the brush so deep into the paint, and shake it while removing the brush from the paint container. This is to avoid stuffing the brush with the paint, and this prevents dripping the paint.
- Apply the Finish
After the coating has dried off, Repeat the process you followed when painting the coat to apply the finish coat. When choosing the finish, consider one with more solids since this determines how much water resistance the paint has. The more the solids, the stronger the waterproof. Alternatively, you can go for bathroom paints that have antimicrobial properties and waterproofing glossy sheen layer, to protect your walls against moisture. Afterward, wait for the paint to dry.
- Uncover the Areas You Did Not Paint
After the finish paint has dried off, slowly uncover the areas and items that you did not paint. Great caution should be taken so that you do not damage the paint when removing the cutting tape. Then return the features and items that you previously removed from the room, and take care so that you do not interfere with the fresh paint. You should wait for at least 2 hours before the paint dries off. However, this waiting period may vary depending on the weather conditions of the area in which you reside.
As simple it may now sound, painting a bathroom may prove to be a real headache because of the complexity of the room. If you are not a handy person or you are still not sure how to go about it, then you should call in a contractor to help you out. You will spend some extra money but this is better than doing it wrong, leading to mold growth and structural damage when moisture starts penetrating the walls. Even as you do that, ensure that you hire the best painter in the industry.