Tips on Painting Your Kitchen or Bathroom

Paint can either be water-based (latex) or solvent-based (oil-based, alkyds). Finishes include Semi-gloss, Gloss, Flat, Egg-Shell, and Satin. The rule of thumb on paint finishes is the shinier the paint finish, the better it will stand up to washing and cleaning.

Since your kitchen or bathroom will be exposed to water, splashing, or steam, it is best to use a semi-gloss paint. For those bathrooms used less frequently such as a guest bath or powder room, you could use a lower gloss paint like satin or eggshell. Take extra care with your prep work! A semi-gloss surface will accentuate imperfections.

TIP: Stir your paint rather than shaking it. Shaking creates tiny bubbles in your paint which leaves an awful finish.

For demonstration purposes, we'll say that you've chosen latex paint in a semi-gloss finish.

Baths Plus recommends that you start with a good coat of Kitchen and Bath Primer made by Kilz or Bins. Once you have a good coat of primer on, apply two coats of latex finish color. We recommend Sherwin-Williams paints.

Before you roll the walls out, do a cut-in. (A cut-in is where you paint the corners and around the hard to reach areas like an outline.) Paint should be applied with a good quality brush and roller. I stress good quality here because the cheap brushes will leave little fuzzies all over. They make a mess and it's certainly not worth the five dollars you might save.

If all this sounds like too much trouble, and you live in the Cincinnati area, have Baths Plus paint your kitchen and bathroom for you! All you have to do is pick your colors. We do all the rest.

John Ashton, Founder
Baths Plus Inc.
513-821-7464