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What paint suits bathroom walls and ceilings?

Bathroom wall and ceiling paint is a decorating paint made to cope with steam, not a coating for the bath, and Dulux describes its Easycare Bathroom paint as moisture and steam resistant. The same page says the mould-resistant formulation protects the paint against mould for five years [S1], while the bath surface remains a separate job.

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By the QuoteZila editorial team. Editorial policy.

What paint is for the room, not the bath?

Water-resistant paint, in the way people search for it, usually means paint for bathroom walls and ceilings: a finish that can live with steam and the odd splash. It does not mean a coating for the bath you sit in. That job is painting the bath itself. The board behind tiles is different again: moisture-resistant plasterboard.

Keeping the three apart matters, because a tin can be moisture resistant and still be the wrong tin.

Dulux's page for Easycare Bathroom Soft Sheen describes Dulux Easycare Bathroom paint as a moisture and steam resistant paint. It says the mould-resistant formulation protects the paint against mould for five years [S1]. That five-year line is this maker's statement about this paint. It is not a statement about every bathroom emulsion on a shelf.

Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach are among the first Cheshire towns on QuoteZila. Anyone in the UK can post a decorating job or register. Steam behaves the same in each of them. The tin still has to match the surface.

What does the Dulux page say about applying it?

The application text says to apply two coats with a brush or roller, and to leave six hours between coats [S1]. The drying line says to leave six hours between coats and a minimum of 24 hours for the paint to dry fully before the room is subject to condensation [S1]. It says not to apply the paint in very damp or humid conditions or in extreme temperatures [S1].

Those times are for this product. Another tin can say something else. If a decorator names a different paint, ask them for that tin's recoat time and for how long the shower should stay off afterwards. Do not paste the Dulux times onto a different brand.

The page also gives a coverage figure. This guide does not turn that into a shopping list, because the amount you need depends on how porous the wall is and how strong the colour change is. The same page says that if the colour change is strong, more coats may be required [S1].

What will the paint not fix?

Paint does not dry the air. The Planning Portal says any new bathroom or shower room should be provided with extract ventilation to reduce condensation and remove smells [S2]. If you are refurbishing and a fan is already there, keep it or replace it. If there is no existing system, the Portal says you need not provide one, though you can [S2]. A room with no fan will keep testing the paint. Say whether you have a fan when you ask for a quote.

Paint also does not level a rough wall. If the plaster is blown or the board is the wrong type, decorating hides the problem for a short time. A skim, where the board is suitable for one, is the skim-coat page. Moisture-resistant board is often left unskimmed. Ask the decorator what they will paint onto.

Mould that is already growing needs to be dealt with before a new coat. This Dulux page does not set out a washing method, so this page does not invent one. Ask the decorator what they will do with stained or mouldy areas, and whether that is in the price.

Comparing decorating quotes

Citizens Advice says to get written quotes from at least three traders, that a quote is a fixed price and an estimate is a rough guess, and that after you accept a quote it is a binding agreement, so having it in writing lets you check what was agreed [S3].

Ask each decorator to write:

  • Which rooms, and whether the ceiling is included.
  • The product name, not only "bathroom paint".
  • How many coats, and what happens if the colour change needs another.
  • Whether they will fill, sand or leave the existing surface.
  • Whether the shower stays off, and for how long, using the tin they named.
  • Whether they will move the cabinet or you will.

If a deposit is asked for, Citizens Advice says not to agree to more than 25 per cent, and to get a receipt [S3].

Jobs you might post

These are examples, not taken from real job posts.

  • "Bathroom walls and ceiling, already plastered and sound. Please quote to paint with a moisture and steam resistant paint. Name the product and the number of coats. The bath is not part of the job."
  • "Ceiling above the shower is peeling. Please quote for the ceiling only, and say whether the surface needs more than paint."
  • "Whole bathroom redecoration except the tiles and the bath. Fan already fitted. Please include how long the shower stays off."

Asking a decorator

Photos of the ceiling and of any peeling paint are enough to start. Up to five matched local businesses can send a quote [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].

Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.

Posting a job is not open yet

See our painters and decorators page.

Questions about bathroom paint

Will any emulsion do in a bathroom?

A bathroom produces steam that a hallway does not. Dulux's Easycare Bathroom page describes that paint as moisture and steam resistant, with a mould-resistant formulation that protects the paint against mould for five years. Read the tin you buy. A different maker's kitchen or wall paint is a different product.

How long does this Dulux bathroom paint need?

The product page says to apply two coats and leave six hours between them, and to allow a minimum of 24 hours for the paint to dry fully before the room is subject to condensation. It also says not to apply it in very damp or humid conditions, or in extreme temperatures.

Can I use bathroom wall paint on the bath?

No. This paint is for decorating the room. The inside of a bath is a different surface and a different trade question, covered on the bath page. Do not stretch a wall-paint tin onto enamel or acrylic.

Does paint replace an extractor fan?

No. The Planning Portal says a new bathroom or shower room should have extract ventilation to reduce condensation and remove smells. Paint sits on the wall after the air has been dealt with. A fan and a tin of paint solve different problems.

Does QuoteZila check the decorators?

No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.

This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.

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Sources

  1. QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
  2. QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
  3. S1: Dulux Easycare Bathroom Soft Sheen, Dulux. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.dulux.co.uk/en/products/dulux-easycare-bathroom-soft-sheen
  4. S2: Building regulations: ventilation for kitchens and bathrooms, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/kitchens-and-bathrooms/building-regulations-need-for-additional-ventilation/
  5. S3: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-28. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/