Painting Your Bathroom? Steal These Tricks!

Unsure what sheen to paint your bathroom walls or how to get behind the toilet? Read up on everything you need to know when painting your bathroom!

One thing leads to another! What began as a simple tiling project to update the molded plastic shower/tub surround in our main bathroom, ultimately morphed into fresh paint too. Once that shower tile went up, it was all too clear the walls were due for some love. Up until recently, we didn’t have an exhaust fan, so you can imagine the shenanigans these walls have seen over 85 years…yikes!

I was excited about the prospect of painting the bath. Beyond obvious maintenance reasons, I’d been wanting to test out a warmer paint color (Behr, Roman Plaster) to bring contrast to the otherwise white tile and fixtures. To bring you up to speed, above is a mood board of materials, as well as a look at the tub/shower BEFORE and with the new shower tile going in (though very much still in progress).

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Painting a bathroom is unlike any other room in the house due to the amount of moisture they contend with, their often modest size, and the number of built-in fixtures/material transitions there are to paint around. So I’m teaming up with Handy Products to share ten DIY painting tricks I’ve acquired over the years and use every time we paint a bathroom. They are time-saving, sanity-saving, and ultimately lead to a beautiful, hardworking finished painted bath.  Without further ado, let’s dive in!

1 . Thoroughly Wipe Down Your Walls

It’s a good idea whenever you paint, but ESPECIALLY in a bathroom where walls tend to collect more grime, fuzz, hair products, etc. than other areas of the house. Typically, I use an all-purpose cleaner, but for stubborn grime, you may need a stronger cleaner such as TSP. With clean walls, paint will adhere better, and you’ll set your walls up for a smoother finish.

While you’re at it, go ahead and wipe down the outside of your toilet too. In order to paint behind it, you’ll be hugging that bad boy.

2 . Addressing Chipping or Flaking Paint

If you have any areas of peeling or chipping paint, use a putty scraper to remove it prior to painting. If your home was built before 1978, it’s likely there’s lead paint underneath newer layers of paint. Refer to the EPA’s DIY guidelines for safely removing and disposing of lead paint.

3. The Age-Old Debate: Which Comes First, Installing Tile or Painting?

Ask pro painters, and they’ll tell you to tile first; Ask tile setters, and they’ll tell you to paint first. In my experience, I muss the walls a bit while tiling, so I prefer to tile first, paint second. Then come through at the very end with caulk around the tiled areas.

4 . Mildew-Resistant Primer and Paint

Bathroom walls see more than their share of moisture, and though most interior paints have an antimicrobial component these days, it’s still good practice to coat the walls first with a mold and mildew-resistant primer to help with adhesion and completely lock out moisture.

5. What Paint Finish is Best for Bathrooms?

In general, the higher the sheen, the more durable it is (and thus, the easier it scrubs clean). I use satin for bathroom walls, trim and ceiling because it’s a good happy medium between sheen and cleanability–not quite as ‘shiny’ as semi-gloss, yet easier to care for than lower sheen finishes like eggshell or flat.

6. Swap Your Drop Cloth for Recycled Building Paper

In small spaces like bathrooms where there are lots of built-in fixtures, I sub my drop cloth for recycled building paper to protect the floor from splatter. It spares you the trip hazard of a bunched-up drop cloth wrapped around the base of the toilet or vanity. Secure the paper to the floor with painter’s tape.

7. Invest in Time-Saving Paint Tools

If there’s one tool I can recommend for painting the bathroom, it’s the Handy Paint Pail. Between built-in fixtures, tile transitions, and trim, there is a lot to cut-in around in bathrooms—A LOT! The Handy Paint Pail has an adjustable handle that fits comfortably in your palm and easily tags along with you as you stand on the toilet or tub to cut-in around tile and trim. But my favorite feature is the genius magnetic brush holder on the inside edge of the pail that holds your paint brush suspended above the paint when you need a free hand to wipe up a drip, press down a tape line, or pause for a drink of water. The Handy Paint Pail is a game-changer!

In terms of painting the actual walls, I use a roller extension paired with the Handy Paint Tray. In a small bathroom like mine with zero counter space, I set the tray on the ground next to me and pivot in place to roller each of the four walls. The sturdy handles at each end of the tray make it easy to steadily scoot it, as needed, and the convenient magnetic brush holder turns the Handy Paint Tray into a great home-base for knocking out your paint job.

8. Here’s How to Paint Behind the Toilet

1. Remove the tank lid to open up more clearance behind the toilet. Every inch counts!
2. Slide a garbage bag over the tank, knot the bag on the room side of the tank for a snug fit, and wrap painter’s tape around it a few times to keep the bag tight to the tank.
3. Use a mini roller to paint behind the toilet.

9. Keep Paint Fresh Overnight

Even small bathroom paint projects can sometimes span a day or two. Handy Paint Covers close up paint right in their existing containers until the next paint session. No need to wash everything when you plan to pick the project up again the next day. The pack of covers includes multiple sizes for both the Handy Paint Pail and Tray. They’re reusable too—I’ve been using the same set for over a year, and they’re still going strong!

10. Drip Patrol

Throw a pack of wet wipes (biodegradable, please!) in with your painting supplies, and you’ll never look back. They wipe up the occasional drip and correct that oopsie you made while cutting-in at the ceiling, much more conveniently than keeping a bucket of water/rag on hand.

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Whether you’re reading up the night before painting or saving this post for later when the kids are back in school, I hope you’ve discovered a helpful tip or two! And if you’ve got a painting trick you swear by, shout it out. I want to try it!

This post is brought to you by Handy Products. Thank you for supporting brands I personally use and stand by.

On a Painting Kick? Check Out These Reads:

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• Top 5 Ways to Paint More Efficiently