In a bathroom, paint has a harder time than in the rest of the house. After every shower there is moisture on the walls and ceiling, and the paint film has to withstand that. That is why Engels Verf has a separate wall paint for damp rooms. Below you can read what this paint can do, how to prepare the surface and what to watch out for when painting.
Engels Bathroom Paint: mould-resistant and eggshell
According to the product data sheet, Engels Bathroom Paint is a mould-resistant wall and ceiling paint for interior use, intended for damp rooms such as bathrooms. The sheen is eggshell and the paint is in scrub class 2. So you paint the walls and the ceiling with the same paint.
It is suitable for brick, sand-lime brick, cement-based plasters, concrete, plasterboard and plasterwork.
Why not just emulsion?
Engels Spray and Roller Emulsion is also an interior wall and ceiling paint in scrub class 2. The difference lies in its purpose: the emulsion is the matt all-rounder for living room, bedroom and hallway, while the bathroom paint is made for damp rooms and is mould-resistant. For the kitchen there is the washable wall paint, which does not turn shiny after wiping. All four of our wall paints are side by side in the wall paint collection.
The surface first
The data sheet is brief about this: the surface must be clean, dry and grease-free. Treat new plaster first with primer-sealer. Fill holes from old hooks, a mirror or a removed cabinet beforehand with wall filler; let it dry, sand it smooth and only then paint.
In a bathroom, dry also means: let everything dry out properly after the last shower. If there is already mould on the wall, cleaning it is the most important job. The product data sheet does not say what to use for that; ask us in the shop before you start.
Watch the humidity
This is where things often go wrong in a bathroom. The data sheet gives the best conditions as a temperature above 11 °C and humidity below 75%. Just after a shower you will usually not get below that 75% in a small bathroom. So paint at a time when nobody has showered for a while, ventilate the room well beforehand and make sure it is not cold while you work.
Application and drying time
Stir the paint well before use. It can be applied with a brush, roller or spray, preferably undiluted. If you do want to thin it, use water.
At 20 °C and 50% humidity the paint is touch-dry after about one hour and recoatable after six hours. Those times therefore apply under those conditions. According to the data sheet, whether one coat is enough or you need more depends on the colour and the surface. Clean brushes and rollers immediately with lukewarm water.
How much do you need?
Allow 6 to 8 m² per litre per coat. A bathroom with 20 m² of wall and ceiling therefore needs about 5 to 7 litres for two coats. The paint comes in 1, 2.5 and 5 litre tins.
Which colours?
The bathroom paint is tinted from a white base and is therefore only available in light colours. In the webshop you choose white, RAL 9010, RAL 9001, RAL 9016 or your own colour code. Unsure about the colour or the condition of the wall? Come and see us in one of our shops in Amsterdam: Centrum, West or Noord.
