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Bathroom Door Paint Guide (DIY Painting Guide Included)

Painting a bathroom door is a good way to breathe new life into a bathroom, but only if you do it correctly (yes, there is a correct way to paint a bathroom door!). Apart from entry doors into the house, your bathroom door is probably the most susceptible to wear because of the constant opening and closing and exposure to moisture.

Unlike the size of your bathroom door, which is regulated by codes, you have full freedom when it comes to the door’s finish, so you can really make it your own—and do so with ease! However, there are some steps to follow in order to make sure that the paint job is still practically suited to a bathroom. Let’s go over the process of choosing the right paint for a bathroom door and properly executing the painting itself.


The paint that is used on a bathroom door should be water-resistant, durable, and preferably resistant to mold and mildew. A high-quality gloss paint that is designed for the bathroom is best. Choose the color based on your preferences. Be sure to paint the door well to ensure a lasting finish.

Buy a Good Quality Paint

It is vital to use good quality paint for a bathroom door as this door will see a lot of use and is exposed to significant levels of moisture. Don’t be tempted by a cheap interior paint, or a barn paint, which often has a very eye-grabbing low price on the tin.

This means that durability and moisture resistance are particularly important attributes for paint that will be used on a bathroom door. For this reason, gloss paint is a good option.

A great option would be to use a paint that has been specifically designed for use in bathrooms.

If you use a non-bathroom paint, you may be consigning yourself or the future homeowners to extra work when it’s time to redecorate.

The Glossier, the Better

The water resistance and durability of high-quality gloss paint make it ideal for use on a bathroom door, both for the interior and exterior panels.

Choose the glossiest paint that you can find for this project, surfaces that have been coated with high gloss paint are easy to clean and far easier to dry than other paint types.

But remember that gloss paints are more challenging to work with and are likely to show imperfections when applied poorly, so be sure to take care when applying gloss paint to a door that is used as frequently as the bathroom door.

Satin, matte, and flat paint finishes are not recommended for a bathroom door as these paints are easily damaged by moisture. Semi-gloss paint is a potential alternative option to gloss paint, but it is not ideal.

Choose a Matching Color

When choosing which paint to use for a bathroom door, one of the most important considerations to make is the décor, style, and colors that are used in the bathroom.

The bathroom door should match the overall aesthetic of the rest of the bathroom interior and should be a source of added style rather than an eyesore.

When choosing the color of the bathroom door, remember that the door will have the same paint color on the inside as it does on the outside, so the paint should match the exterior of the bathroom as well.

Bathroom lighting is an important consideration as well. If you have a naturally dark bathroom, then you want a paint color that will help to alleviate the darkness.

To ensure that the paint color matches, it is best to paint swatches on the bathroom door using paint samples and carefully consider the look of each color with the décor and lighting in the bathroom before buying an entire tin of paint.

Considerations With Classic White

A popular choice for bathroom door paint color is white, but one should make the choice carefully.

A high-quality white paint must be used for the bathroom to ensure the longevity of the paint, and when it is used well, white paint can be an excellent choice for the bathroom.

However, poor-quality white paint is likely to discolor and turn yellow quickly when used for a bathroom, and it can also promotes the growth of mold and mildew.

Remember that there are multiple shades and hues of white to choose from, and using the correct white for a bathroom door is important. Using a color such as eggshell white is a good option, as true and brilliant whites are likely to be scuffed more easily, which can be an issue for a door that sees so much use.

Mixing It up With Color

Using a pastel paint in lieu of white is a great way to liven up a bathroom without being too wild. These paints are light yet vibrant and offer the benefits of using a light color with a bit more excitement.

If your bathroom happens to be very small, using bright, light colors (including white) are the best option, as it will help the space feel larger and less confined.

If you happen to have a large bathroom, you can experiment with darker colors for the bathroom door, as the natural light in large bathrooms will keep the space feeling large and open.

All things considered, the choice of the bathroom door paint color will ultimately come down to personal preference. Choose the paint color that you like best and that you think best suits your home.

Five Great Bathroom Paint Options

Choosing the right paint for your bathroom and bathroom door can be a challenge, so to help you get a good start, here are five great bathroom paint options to consider:

1. Dulux Bathroom+

Dulux Bathroom+ is a soft-sheen finish paint that is specially formulated for use in bathrooms.

This paint has a short drying time of about 45 minutes, it is mold resistant, washable, and it is friendly for paint rollers, paintbrushes, and airless sprayers.

For the best results, apply three coats of Dulux Bathroom+ to ensure that the paint is long-lasting and durable.

2. Duram Bathroom & Kitchen

Duram Bathroom & Kitchen is ideal for bathrooms, as it keeps painted surfaces looking cleaner and fresher over time than other paints do.

This paint is water-based acrylic that is easy to clean and washable. Duram Bathroom & Kitchen is also odorless and safe to use due to its low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) count.

Duram Bathroom & Kitchen is quick-drying, hard-wearing, and very durable. This is a great option for all bathroom paint needs.

3. Plascon Kitchens & Bathrooms

Plascon Kitchen & Bathrooms is a paint that comes with a 15-year guarantee, which is a testament to the quality of this paint.

This is a water-based enamel paint that is more washable than other paints and has excellent resistance to stains, steam, chips, and scratches.

This paint is ideal for heavily used bathroom doors and is unlikely to be damaged or word down quickly.

4. Chamberlain Bathrooms & Kitchens

Chamberlain Bathrooms & Kitchens is very affordable but still ideal for use in bathrooms.

This paint is water-based and washable. It is resistant to scratches, stains, water, and steam which makes it an excellent paint to use in the bathroom, including the bathroom door.

Chamberlain Bathrooms & Kitchens has a subtle sheen finish, which will help keep the paint looking bright and fresh for longer.

5. Dulux Perlglo

Dulux Perlglo is among the best bathroom paints, especially if you are looking for some color. This paint is well-suited for use in bathrooms due to the fact that it is tough, stain-resistant, quick-drying, and water-based.

While being perfect for use in a bathroom, Dulux Perlglo also comes in a variety of colors, which allows you to fully customize your bathroom.

This enamel paint has a one hour drying time but only requires two coats for ideal effectiveness and has a mild sheen finish.

Roller, Paintbrush, or Sprayer?

There are various application methods for painting a bathroom door, and each one has its own set of advantages and drawbacks.

The three most common painting methods for painting doors are using a paint sprayer, a paint roller, or the standard paintbrush. Each of these paint application methods is useful for effectively painting a bathroom door, but which method is best?

The truth is, it is best to use a combination of paint application methods for properly painting a bathroom door.

Paint rollers are ideal for covering large, flat areas of the door, but they are not ideal for painting on ridges or in crevices. Paintbrushes are great for getting paint into tight spaces, but using a paintbrush for a large area is very slow.

Paint sprayers are excellent for coving a large area very quickly, and they can get into tight spaces as well, but they are very difficult to use cleanly, and they are likely to make a mess, regardless of what you are painting.

That being said, the best way to paint a bathroom door is to either a combination of all three application methods or to at least use a roller and a brush.

This will allow you to achieve the most coverage in the least time while also allowing you to accurately paint ridges and panels and will help to keep the mess down.

Use a paint sprayer or roller to cover large areas of the door, especially when applying basecoats, and then use a paintbrush once the majority of the door has been painted to fill in fine details neatly without making a mess.

There are various sizes of paint rollers on the market that are available and affordable, and there are many various paint sprayers that are available for purchase or for rent.

This means that the perfect tools for the job are within reach, and a combination of all three is ideal for painting a bathroom door.

DIY Guide to Painting Bathroom Door

Now that we have established the best paint to use and the best tools for the job, let’s go over some DIY steps to follow when painting a bathroom door.

It is important to have a plan, and being adequately prepared for the task will ensure high-quality work and a lasting finish. This is what the requirements are for properly painting a bathroom door:

Before You Get Started

Before you begin the project, it is vital to prepare all the tools and materials that are required to do the job well; preparation is key to success, especially when you are working with paint.

You will need:

ItemAmazon link
  • Paint
  • Primer
  • View
  • Paintbrush
  • Included in the kit
  • Paint roller
  • View Kit
  • Roller tray
  • Included in the kit
  • Paint sprayer (optional)
  • View
  • Sandpaper
  • View
  • Painters’ tape
  • View
  • Newspapers to catch paint drips
  • Ventilate the Room

    Before you begin painting, also be sure that the area where you are painting is very well-ventilated. Without proper ventilation, painting can be extremely hazardous to your health.

    To be sure that your workspace is well ventilated and that the air in your workspace is safe to breathe, consider the ventilation methods in this article.

    Remove the Door if Possible

    When painting any door, it is beneficial to remove the door first, if possible. This is particularly the best approach if you plan to use a paint sprayer, which can get messy in your house!

    Removing the door allows you to reach all of the edges of the door cleanly, but it also allows you to place the door on a flat surface to prevent drips and streaks when painting.

    Remember to remove the door handle as well, to ensure that the entire door can be painted well.

    Removing the door and rehanging it can be a challenge, but it is still the recommended method for painting a bathroom door.

    Sand the Door

    Once you are prepped and ready, the next step is to sand the door. Using sandpaper or an electric sander to remove the glossy finish of the current paint is important because this gloss will prevent the new paint from adhering to the door.

    Sanding also helps to smooth the surface of the door for painting if it has been damaged from use.

    Mask Surfaces and Hardware

    Using painters’ tape, mask any surfaces and hardware such as door handles and hinges that should not get paint on them. This is especially important if you do not remove the door before painting.

    This step will make touch-ups and final finishes far easier once the bulk of the painting is completed.

    Clean Before Painting

    This is the last step in the pre-painting prep work, but it is vital.

    Use a damp cloth to thoroughly clean off any dust or sawdust from the door that may have built up during the sanding and preparation phases of the project. This will ensure a clean and smooth finish so that the final look of the door is as perfect as it possibly can be.

    Paint

    The final step in the process is to paint the door. Before applying the actual paint, it is important to apply one or two coats of paint primer to ensure that the paint does not soak into the wood of the door and cause problems with the finish.

    For a smooth finish, be sure to apply even, steady coats of paint (in the same direction) to the primed door and try to avoid any drips or streaks as much as possible.

    Each type and brand of paint has a different drying time, so be sure to check the paint tin to see the approximate drying time of the paint that you use and allow for that amount of time in between coats of paint.

    Apply two or three coats of paint as needed to ensure a high-quality and long lasting finish.

    Sources

    https://www.chamberlains.co.za/chamberlain-bathrooms-kitchens-white-2-5l-1079206

    https://plascon.com/#section_item_location_interior

    https://www.duram.co.za/product/bathroom-kitchen/

    https://www.dulux.co.za/en/products/dulux-pearlglo-waterbased-tinted

    https://www.dulux.co.za/en/products/dulux-bathroom

    https://www.thespruce.com/best-paint-for-bathrooms-4686977

    https://www.realhomes.com/buying-guides/the-best-paint-for-bathrooms

    https://www.southernliving.com/home/colors/citrus-paint-color-trend

    https://www.mybuilder.com/questions/v/32177/white-paint-for-bathroom-door-and-woodwork

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