# Best primer for bathroom ceiling



## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

Oil based primer is going to bond to the plaster better than latex. Everyone here recommends the Zinsser Cover Stain and I do as well. It bonds well, covers stains and dries quickly. You really only need one good coat of it. Joint compound is fine in high moisture areas. You can paint right over the Cover Stain with latex paint. Being that you have high moisture, get a good bathroom paint over just a plain semi-gloss. It will help with any mold/mildew issues.


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## sirwired (Jun 22, 2007)

Water-base primer (Like SW PrepRite ProBlock) should work just fine. It will certainly bond to joint compound just fine. (A primer that didn't bond to J/C would be worthless.) Make sure you have the entire bathroom well-cleaned with strong detergent (and rinsed) before priming and painting.

For paint, use Sherwin Kitchen&Bath paint (if you like Sherwin stuff well enough.) It has additional mildewcides which are a good idea in a bathroom.

SirWired


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## Matthewt1970 (Sep 16, 2008)

There were just 2 things that made me lean towards Oil Primer. 1) It's old plaster so it may have more Lime in it and 2) he said he had to scrape so there is already and adhesion issue.


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## sirwired (Jun 22, 2007)

Whoops! Brain Fart! Missed the mention of plaster...

SirWired


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## dbldee20 (Dec 31, 2008)

Thanks for the info.


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## wilsonfrench (Dec 26, 2008)

dbldee20 said:


> Thanks for the info.


does the primer need to be moisture resistant?


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## sirwired (Jun 22, 2007)

No, that's the paint's job. Because of this, you definitely don't want to be taking any steamy showers while the primer is uncoated by your paint.

SirWired


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## wilsonfrench (Dec 26, 2008)

*primer and paint in bathroom*



sirwired said:


> No, that's the paint's job. Because of this, you definitely don't want to be taking any steamy showers while the primer is uncoated by your paint.
> 
> SirWired


I used a latex primer (not sure if it was moisture resistant)....I need to paint now...
should I use an "oil" paint or "latex" paint in the bathroom? thanks


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## sirwired (Jun 22, 2007)

You should use a latex paint specifically meant for bathrooms. It has mildewcide integrated into the paint to retard mold formation. 

Most paint stores will carry at least one. Zinsser also makes one, called Perma-White.

SirWired


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## Bubbagump (Apr 10, 2008)

sirwired said:


> For paint, use Sherwin Kitchen&Bath paint (if you like Sherwin stuff well enough.) It has additional mildewcides which are a good idea in a bathroom.
> 
> SirWired


Even for the ceiling? Doesn't that come only in glossy finishes? (Have a bathroom to do myself here soon, so I am curious.)


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## sirwired (Jun 22, 2007)

The SWP bath paint does not come in a dead flat, but it does come in Satin. (The only other available gloss is semi-gloss.) Zinsser Perma-White comes in Eggshell, Satin, and Semi. (However, glosses are not really comparable between companies, so I have no idea how a SWP satin compares with a Zinsser eggshell.

Given that moisture tends to condense on the ceiling, I would think that it would be the most important place to have specialty bath paint. I would imagine that moisture would tend to collect and sit in the pores of a flat paint, which is probably why it does not come in anything but finishes with at least some gloss.

SirWired


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