As a DIYer, perhaps you’ve already painted some of the rooms in your house. If you’re new to painting the walls or ceiling of your bathroom, though, then you might not know what’s different about it.
To begin with, bathrooms are significantly smaller than most other rooms. But more importantly, they are wet! Since bathrooms have lots of water sources within, they must be treated differently when it comes to painting.
In particular, since you’re here to learn how to paint a bathroom ceiling, then you better gear up to do a lot of prepping. The ceiling is the hardest to reach and requires special care.
Worry not, because we’ve gathered all relevant information for you below. Let’s get started!
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How Much Does it Cost to Paint a Bathroom Ceiling?
Understandably, you’re concerned about the monetary cost of undertaking the project of having your bathroom ceiling painted. So how much to paint a bathroom ceiling?
As you can imagine, the figure varies from one situation to another, but the price can be anywhere between $150 and $350. Below we’ve attempted to provide a cost breakdown that can be used as a universal measure. Do keep in mind that this figure can vary.
Cost of Paint
One gallon of paint for your bathroom ceiling will set you back anywhere from $20 to $60. The higher the quality of the paint is, of course, the more expensive it will be.
With one coat of paint, you will be able to cover up to 400 square feet of the ceiling. So, if your ceiling measures 12 by 12 feet, then you’ll need a little less than 1 gallon. However, if you are doing double coats, this figure goes up by 50%.
You’ll also be paying around $20 for one gallon of primer to go beneath the paint.
Cost of Painting Popcorn Ceiling
If your ceiling has a popcorn texture, you’ll be paying a little bit more to paint it. You’re looking at about $1 to $3 per square foot of the ceiling since you’ll need a special kind of paint.
Other Costs
Before you can paint your bathroom ceiling, it’s imperative to clean it to get rid of things like mold. On that note, you’ll be needing one or more of the following cleaning agents:
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Hydrogen peroxide
Keep in mind that you’ll also, of course, be needing paintbrushes and paint rollers (about $10-$20 depending on the quality). And if you don’t have a ladder that will allow you to reach the ceiling, you’ll have to pay around $50 to $100 for a new one–once again, it depends on quality. So, you’ll have to account for the prices of those items as well.
How to Paint a Bathroom Ceiling with Mold?
Before we get into the specifics of how to paint your bathroom ceiling, it’s important to go over the procedure for prepping ceilings that have mold growth on them. If you don’t have mold, congrats! You can skip to the next section.
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How to Clean Mold on Bathroom Ceiling
It’s obvious, but the first order of business is to clean the mold off your bathroom ceiling. Now, the solvent or cleaning agent you use to do this is very important. While many people think bleach is the perfect option, it is, in fact, not very effective in penetrating drywall and killing the roots of the mold.
So what should you use instead? Well, as we mentioned above, vinegar, baking soda, Borax, or hydrogen peroxide are the best options. If you’re using vinegar, don’t dilute it with anything else; it will be stinky, but it’ll make short work of the mold.
Under no circumstances should you ever mix vinegar with bleach, as they produce poisonous gas when combined.
Before you start cleaning, make sure to cover all surfaces in your bathroom–including the vanity–with drop cloths and plastic. Then get to cleaning with your preferred agent. Leave it alone for a few hours, then scrub the ceiling with a stiff brush until all the mold is gone.
Before you start painting, the bathroom must be totally dried out. Turn on the exhaust fan and leave the window open to allow this to happen faster.
How to Paint a Bathroom Ceiling- Step-By-Step Guide
So, once you’ve got everything you need, now it’s time to get painting! We’ve laid out the steps down below.
Step 1: Clear the Bathroom
First off, you need to clear the bathroom of any objects that you don’t want any paint to drip onto. So this not only means your toiletries but also other items such as shoe racks.
You’ll also have to use drop cloth and plastic to cover up the vanity along with the bathroom sink and bathroom faucet, and of course, any bathtubs you have. You don’t want paint dripping there!
Step 2: Clean the Ceiling
Before you can start painting, you must first clean the surface of the ceiling. You can use trisodium phosphate (TSP) to do this; use a scrub brush with it. If your bathroom ceiling has mold, then you’ll have to give it a special cleaning; we’ve outlined the steps above.
Step 3: Time to Prime
Once your bathroom ceiling is clean, it’s time to prime and seal. Priming is absolutely essential because the paint won’t last very long otherwise; moreover, a lack of primer makes it easier for mold to make a return!
Remember, you’ll have to wait a while for the primer to dry before you can go in with paint. The time to wait is usually specified by the paint manufacturer. If, after the drying period, you notice that the mold stains are showing through, then apply a second coat of primer.
Step 4: Paint!
And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the actual painting. Grab your weapon of choice: paint roller or short-handled angled paintbrush. You can also choose to use an edger to make things easier.
If you’ve had to deal with ceiling mold, then do some research and look for the best paint for the bathroom ceiling to prevent mold. You might want to mix some anti-fungicidal additive with paint, but this is not recommended since you’ll need to mix the exact proportions–and that’s easy to garble up.
Once you’re done painting, give it a couple of hours to dry. And that’s it! You’re all set.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you now have a clear idea of how to paint a bathroom ceiling. As you can see, there’s really not much to it; just remember, it’s of utmost importance to properly clear up the mold and to cover up the surfaces before you get painting.
And if it all sounds like too much, you can always hire professionals to do it; but that would set you back another $200-$300… so choose wisely.
Good luck!