The Best Paint for Bathrooms: Our Top 5 Picks

Giving your bathroom a makeover can be a rewarding experience that increases the value of your home while also breathing some new life into a tired room. Nothing can make a bathroom look new like a paint job. There are many options on the market when it comes to paints, so we will give you our top 5 picks for the best paint for bathrooms.

The key differences between paints are coverage, use, and finish. Finish is going to be a matter of opinion, so when looking for the best paint for bathrooms we are looking at coverage, use, and ease of application (which translates to cleanup and adhesion).

Our Top Picks

Best Overall
Prestige Paints Interior

Budget Option
Montage Signature

Best Mold Killing Primer
Rustoleum Mold Killing Primer

Best for Cabinets and Trim
Rustoleum Transformations Basics Cabinet Paint

Best Chalk Paint
Rustoleum Interior Chalked Paint

Best Overall

Prestige Paints Interior Semi-Gloss

If you are looking for a high-quality paint for your walls, Prestige Paints Interior is a great option. This is our overall best paint for bathrooms due to its good coverage, ease of use and cleanup (paint thinner will help cleanup dried paint) and color options.

Prestige Paints goes on smooth and doesn’t take any special prep work. If you are applying a light color over a dark one, you will want to use primer, but otherwise you can apply it directly to your walls in a few coats.

Prestige Paints will cover most standard-sized bathrooms with a single can, meaning it won’t break the bank. For most people, this will be the best paint for bathrooms and you should be able to finish the project in a single day. You will likely need to apply 2-3 coats without primer, or 1-2 with primer. The only downside is this paint is more expensive than some others on our list, and is not great for trim or vanities.

Budget Option

Montage Signature

If you are shopping for the best paint for bathrooms but on a budget, look no further than Montage Signature paint. This is a great option for the DIYer on a tight budget.

With a cheaper paint comes more prep work. This paint won’t hide imperfections as well as others, and using a primer ahead of time defeats the purpose of a budget paint. As an alternative, consider sanding down old paint on your walls, and ensuring they are clean without uneven surfaces or imperfections.

The key to using a cheaper paint like Montage Signature paint when looking for paint for your bathroom is all in the prep work.

It will look just as good as a more expensive option if you put the time into making sure you have ideal surfaces for adhesion and a smooth finish. Also plan on doing 3-4 coats given it has worse coverage than other paints.

Best Mold Killing Primer

Zinsser Mold Killing Primer

If you have a damp bathroom, you may have mold or be susceptible to mold. If you are, you should look into using a mold killing primer. We suggest using Zinsser Mold Killing Primer to help prevent the growth of, and kill any existing, mold. Even if you don’t have mold, Zinsser Mold Killing Primer is our choice for one of the best paints for bathrooms because it is a good quality primer that will give you piece of mind with mold growth.

A primer creates a better adhesion point for paint, as well as covering up old paint and helping to smooth out uneven surfaces. This will give you a much better-finished product. While it’s not always necessary to use primer, it does guarantee a better outcome, and using a mold killing primer such as Zinsser Mold Killing Primer is a great for ensuring no future mold growth.

Using this product is a little more difficult than a standard paint. Primer goes on thicker and can be stickier, which means you want to clean up immediately if you have a spill. It also means that, for bigger bathrooms, you may need more than one can. Even with these downsides, a primer is a great idea to ensure your project turns out the way you want it.

Best for Cabinets and Trim

Rustoleum Transformations Basic Cabinet & Trim Paint

Walls aren’t the only thing in to paint in your bathroom. If you want to cover your vanity or trim, you will want to get a paint designed for those materials, which differ from the drywall used on your walls. Our list of best paints for your bathroom wouldn’t be complete without Rustoleum Transformations Basic Cabinet and Trim Paint.

This paint is formulated specifically for painting a vanity and trim. If your vanity or trim are in good shape and not a very dark color, you can apply this paint without primer and get a great finish. It is a great option for painting your bathroom accent pieces to compliment your newly painted walls.

This paint is expensive compared to some others on the list, so if possible buy a smaller can unless you have a lot of material to cover. Most bathroom vanities and trim will not require more than 2 coats. If you have peeling paint or damage you should sand / fill any dents first before you paint.

Best Chalk Paint

Rustoleum Chalked Acrylic Paint

The last item on our list of the top 5 best paints for bathrooms is Rustoleum Chalked Acrylic Paint. This is a chalk paint which means it has an ultra-matte finish. Chalk paint dries very quickly and can cover an entire bathroom in one coat, meaning the job can take less time. The flip side is that it is more expensive than other paints.

Chalk paint is a great choice for best paints for bathrooms because it works on any surface, so if you want your walls and trim or walls and vanity to match, you only need to buy one paint. It also (generally) does not require a primer, though you may still want to use one if your walls are in bad shape or very dark.

The ultra matte finish offered by Rustoleum Chalked Acrylic Paint is unique to chalk paint and is becoming more popular with homeowners. It is very thick, so when applying it, you want to use a roller and make sure you don’t have spills or drips. The thickness makes it less forgiving than some other paints.