HOW TO PAINT BATHROOM WALLS

Painting your bathroom walls is an easy way to refresh your space with an updated clean look. From your master bath to your hallway powder room, a fresh coat of paint can breathe new life into any bathroom.

A modern farmhouse style bathroom with off-white walls, white window trim, and soft yellow painted cabinets with silver handles. A modern farmhouse style bathroom with off-white walls, white window trim, and soft yellow painted cabinets with silver handles.


Ready to Learn How to Paint Your Bathroom Walls?

Painting bathroom walls starts with prepping and thoroughly cleaning your space. After your prep work, use Aura® Bath & Spa, a high-quality paint with a beautiful matte finish available in 3,500+ colors. Formulated specifically to stand up to heat and humidity, Aura Bath & Spa is a game-changing bathroom paint that provides exceptional durability, color retention and mildew resistance.

Step #1: Choose Your Paint Products and Sheen

Selecting the best paint product is vital to the success of your project.

A high-quality, mildew-resistant paint like Aura® Bath & Spa is truly best-in-class for painting your bathroom walls. Aura Bath & Spa is the first paint to offer a water-resistant formula in a modern matte finish. In the past, DIYers had little choice but to use a semi-gloss or higher sheen to avoid the appearance of water stains. When you use Aura Bath & Spa, you can say goodbye to the traditionally shiny bathroom, and hello to the clean, elegant look of matte walls.


Helpful Tip

If you prefer a higher sheen than matte for your bathroom walls, Benjamin Moore’s Kitchen & Bath paint is an excellent option. It comes in a satin finish and is available in all Benjamin Moore colors.

Step #2: Clean Your Bathroom Walls

Cleaning is one of the most important steps when it comes to how to paint a bathroom. Removing mildew from your bathroom walls before you paint them is critical to a successful outcome.

Thoroughly wash your walls with a mixture of household bleach and water—three parts water to one part bleach—or with a household cleanser designed to kill mildew.

Once your bathroom walls are clean, wipe them down with a rag and allow them to dry completely before you begin painting.

Step #3: Prep Your Space

Wondering how to prepare your bathroom walls for painting? Start by taping off your project borders, including the ceiling, door and your bathroom vanity cabinet. Cover anything you don’t want to paint, including the toilet, with plastic sheeting, and spread a drop cloth on the floor.


Helpful Tip

One of the trickiest parts of painting bathroom walls is painting behind the toilet. You can:
  1. Take a thin roller and carefully paint the space behind the toilet
  2. If the toilet tank is flush against the wall, remove it. Be sure to turn off the water supply to the toilet before removing it.
    3.

Step #4: Paint Your Bathroom Walls

Painting bathroom walls is similar to painting other interior walls. Start by using a paintbrush to cut in the borders of your project. Switch to a roller and paint tray to cover the larger areas of your bathroom walls. Because Benjamin Moore’s paints are self-priming, you do not need to use primer if you are working on previously painted bathroom walls.


Helpful Tips

If you need to use a primer—when painting over dark walls or the walls are unfinished, for example—prime with Fresh Start® High-Hiding All Purpose Primer.

Need to know how to paint laminate walls in a bathroom? Use STIX® Waterborne Bonding Primer ahead of your first coat of paint. Be sure to let your primer dry completely before you begin the painting process.

Step #5: Let Dry and Repeat

Allow your first coat of paint to dry before applying a second coat. Let your freshly painted bathroom walls dry completely after your final coat. We recommend waiting 24 hours before returning your bathroom to everyday use.



Ready for More Bathroom DIY?

Check out how to paint your bathroom vanity cabinets to complete your bathroom transformation.

As always, visit your local Benjamin Moore retailer for help with all your painting needs. And check out the Benjamin Moore Color Portfolio® app for more color ideas.