Prepare your walls and select the right paint for mould-prone surface areas

ARTICLE Bevan Tutty

Good paint performance depends on good paint adhesion and paint adheres best to surfaces that are clean and sound. Before picking up a brush or roller, it’s important to make sure the surfaces in your bathroom are  ‘inviting’ to the paint.
First off, you need to give the whole bathroom a good clean with an anti mould cleaner to kill and remove the mould. Rinse the area thoroughly and remember to wear rubber gloves and eye protection for safety. An anti mould cleaner is essential as a cleaning product such as sugar soap only cleans the surface, it doesn’t kill the mould, which can carry on growing under the painted surface.
Once you have cleaned and removed the mould you need to check that the surface is sound – scrape off any loose and flaking paint and fill any nail holes, cracks and any other surface imperfections with either a filler compound or a quality acrylic sealant. Ensure that any bare surfaces around your newly installed extractor fan are also sealed. Dulux 1-Step is an acrylic primer, sealer and undercoat, and is ideal for this job.
Once you have applied your prep coat you need to sand the walls with 220 sandpaper; then wipe to remove dust residue. Make sure when choosing your sandpaper that you do not use garnet paper as this will leave sanding marks; for the best finish use aluminium oxide paper. 
Now you are ready for the topcoat of paint. Nowadays, most surfaces are painted with water-based acrylic paints because they are quick drying, clean up easily using water, plus they are less smelly and are harder wearing than oil based paints. To ensure the proper durability and washability of the topcoat paint, it is best to apply two coats. This ensures a film builds that is thick enough and also ensures even colour coverage.
Dulux Wash & Wear Kitchen & Bathroom is recommended for wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundries, gymnasiums, healthcare facilities as well as any other room that requires protection from moisture, mould and bacteria. It comes with a guarantee to prevent mould for a minimum of seven years. It is available in white and colours tinted from white, which covers 80 percent of the fashionable colours used in the bathroom market. Wash & Wear Kitchen & Bathroom can also be used on the ceiling as well.

To apply paint and get the best paint job, it’s best to use quality brushes and rollers. Start at the top and work your way down. Paint the ceiling first followed by the trims and walls. Use a 50–75mm brush for painting the trims and cutting in, and a 9-12mm nape roller on the walls.
Acrylic water based paints dry with air movement so make sure you have good air flow, and don’t shut the room up while the paint dries. Although the film is dry to touch within 30 minutes, you need to allow seven days for the film to fully cure before washing.

This article featured in issue 002 of New Zealand Renovate Magazine - New Zealand's first and only magazine solely dedicated to home renovations. Article by Bevan Tutty, Dulux National Sales Manager.

You might be interested in reading: Removing mould from paint and wallpaper.

Get in touch with Refresh to discuss your home renovation project

If you are having issues with mould and would like to discuss options and ideas for your bathroom renovation project, use the enquiry form alongside to provide us with your contact details. We will get in touch with you at a time that suits you to discuss your project. If you would like to provide us with more information about your bathroom renovation, we have a more comprehensive enquiry form available on our "Get in touch" page too.