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During my recent home renovation, I discovered that the ideal bathroom paint enhances your bathroom’s design features while protecting it from water damage.
We’ve done the hard work for you and tested the two best bathroom paints in the UK — Dulux’s Easy Care Bathroom Paint and Johnstone’s Bathroom Paint.
After many hours of testing, we rated each product on its colour range, durability, ability to repel moisture and how simple they’re to clean.
Best Bathroom Paint — Dulux vs Johnstones in 2023
When creating our bathroom paint reviews, we compared the following:
- Range of colours
- Range of sizes
- Durability
- Ability to repel moisture
- General application & coverage — how it goes onto the wall/surface and the coverage
- How easy it is to clean
Dulux Easy Care Bathroom Paint
- Moisture resistant
- 5-year guarantee
- Coverage: up to 14 square metres per litre
- It takes six hours to fully dry
- Soft sheen finish
- Available in a wide range of colours
- Requires two coats
Possibly the most crucial feature of any bathroom paint, and what makes Dulux’s Easy Care Bathroom stand out, is its unique MouldTec formula.
This specialist paint protects against mould for up to five years and repels heavy moisture. Whilst other bathroom paints might use their glossy formula to protect against damp and mould, Dulux’s MouldTec formula is unrivalled.
When I’m painting my bathroom, Dulux’s Easy Care Bathroom is what I use.
Pros
- MouldTec formula protects the paint against mould for up to 5 years
- Chromalock technology forms a protective film that protects the colour from daily wear and tear
- It comes in a soft sheen finish, which is about 10x tougher than Dulux’s standard emulsion
- The soft sheen also repels moisture rather than letting it soak into the surface
- Effortlessly goes on with a paintbrush or roller
- Touch dry in 1-2 hours, ready for a second coat after 5-6 hours
- Easy to clean
Cons
- Great coverage, but you might need three or four coats to get a perfect finish
Johnstone's Bathroom Paint
- Resists moisture and grease
- Low odour
- Coverage: 12 square metres per litre
- Two-hour drying time
- Matt finish
- Available in a wide range of colours
Next up is Johnstone’s Bathroom paint, specially created for high-condensation areas.
Thanks to its soft sheen finish, this paint creates a wipeable surface that resists moisture and stains. A smooth, wipeable surface is essential if you frequently clean up after small, sticky hands or muddy paws.
Pros
- Soft sheen finish resists moisture and grease
- Specially formulated for use in damp areas
- Water-based paint, which means it gives off less odour
- Applies smoothly with a paintbrush, paint pad, or roller
- Great choice of 12 colours
- Dries in 1–2 hours, ready for a second coat after about 4 hours
Cons
- We found some slight colour inconsistency between cans. However, if you use more than one can, this is easily fixed by mixing cans.
- It needs 3 or 4 coats to give a solid colour.
Best Bathroom Paint — 2023 Comparison Table
| Paint | Dulux Easy Care Bathroom | Johnstone’s Bathroom |
|---|---|---|
| Sizes Available | 1L and 2.5L | 2.5L |
| Colour Range | 26 colours | 12 colours |
| Price Range | Approx £20-25 for 2.5L | Approx £15-18 for 2.5L |
| Durable | 10x tougher than standard emulsion. Plus, Chromalock technology ensures excellent colour durability against daily wear and tear | Unique wipeable formula resists grease/stains |
| Mould/Moisture Resistant | MouldTec technology prevents mould for up to 5 years | Specially formulated to work in high condensation areas |
| Application and Coverage | Perfect coverage – goes on like a dream using a paintbrush, pad or roller. However, you may need a third coat. | It easily applies with a paintbrush or roller. You can also use paint pads for tricky spots. It spreads well but requires a 3rd/4th coat, depending on the colour. |
| Rating out of 10 | 9.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
Bathroom Paint Buying Guide
In theory, you can use any paint in the bathroom. However, in practice, you need specialist bathroom paint that deals with moisture and is easy to clean. Furthermore, if you have small children or animals that regularly require a bath, you’ll need bathroom paint that can handle some harsh scrubbing!
What Type of Paint Should You Use in the Bathroom?
Generally, we recommend water-based paint for the bathroom. There is a range of differences between water-based and oil-based paints, which you can read in our Complete Guide to Paint.
As a quick overview, water-based paints have fewer Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and produce fewer fumes than oil-based paints, making them more environmentally friendly and less hazardous. Most importantly, they’re durable and easy to clean — two essential features for the bathroom!
You also want paint with some sheen to it. Not only is this easier to clean, but it’ll bounce light around — great if your bathroom is small or lacks natural light.
Choosing a Bathroom Paint that stands up against Moisture and Mould
The best bathroom paints include unique ingredients that protect and seal the surfaces, preventing water from soaking into your walls. Choose a specialist bathroom paint with an anti-mould/mildew formula to ensure your paint has these ingredients.
How to Choose the Perfect Palette
Bathrooms are typically smaller and often lack natural light, meaning many people choose a classic, neutral white colour. Whilst white can make a room feel bigger, especially in a glossy finish, it’s not the only option.
Opt for blue, green, and teal shades if you want to recreate a traditional ocean breeze-style bathroom palette. Complement this palette with neutral tones such as light greys, white and sand for the little details.
Increasingly popular is the Scandi style. To enjoy Scandinavia’s relaxed style, choose light shades such as light blues, greys, and pastel colours. This palette works great in any space, but lighter shades are perfect for smaller spaces and help open up the room.
Alternatively, opt for neutral colours and add some stand-out touches in a bold burgundy with tiles, furniture or even with your towels and linen.
Whatever colour palette you go for, you’ll be pleasantly surprised with the rainbow of colours available. If you want to get a feel for how each colour will look in your bathroom, we love Dulux’s Visualiser app, which uses augmented reality (AR) technology.
To Gloss or Not to Gloss?
The higher the sheen level, the glossier the paint.
Gloss paints are highly reflective, making spaces appear larger, and their reflective surfaces make them easier to clean than matt or textured finishes. Therefore, gloss paints are ideal for high-traffic areas or rooms frequently exposed to grime and dirt. E.g. bathrooms!
Final Thoughts — Best Bathroom Paint
Hands down, we think Dulux’s Easy Care Bathroom paint is the best bathroom paint on the market.
With 26 colours available, you’ll find your perfect colour. Plus, thanks to their Chromalock technology, you can be sure that your chosen colour will stand the test of time.
So, if you’re looking for a bathroom paint that resists moisture and dirt and can protect your bathroom from mould for up to 5 years, choose Dulux’s Easy Care Bathroom paint.
For more information on the different types of paint, how to apply them and the best paint for the job, check out our other paint-related posts.