Maybe a silly question about paint...

mmmmchocolate

I've just bought a late Victorian red brick terraced house - I've read a lot on here and on the house buying board about how the walls need to breathe on older houses - and I'm wondering if that applies to mine, and if it should influence my choice of paint...


So my immediate concern is the bathroom - needs painting soon - presumably "bathroom paint" is even less breathable than standard emulsion - so is it something to avoid? Is normal emulsion ok, or should I be using lime based paint? Or something else? Should I worry about the paint that's already there?



Sorry if it's a stupid question - FTB made paranoid by the internet

Typhoon2000

Walls don’t need to ‘breathe’ if you have adequate ventilation. This is to prevent mould. Use bathroom paint in bathrooms as it is more resistant to humidity. Make sure you have an extra for fan in the bathroom or keep a window ajar.

Heedtheadvice

Firstly with any old house take care as any very old paint that might be under new layers might contain lead and that is toxic - when disturbed such as sanded. Otherwise it will be fine unless you eat it!!


I hope that previous owners did not use gloss paint as that can be a swine to repaint with modern emulsion paints!
Far the best paint for bathrooms is that emulsion sold for the job. You should be less worried in kitchens and bathrooms about breathing than it being resistant to room borne moisture and cleaning or any cold spots (areas less well insulated and also less well ventilated) that will be more prone to condensation staying damp and supporting mold growth. Proprietary cleaners/inhibitors sold for the purpose. Clean any patches prior to painting as regularly aftefwards when required.

Grenage

I assume that breathable paint would only really apply to single skin walls; do you have a cavity?

mmmmchocolate

Thanks for all your responses - very reassuring apart from:

Grenage wrote: »

I assume that breathable paint would only really apply to single skin walls; do you have a cavity?

The bathroom is single skin (longer term plan to do something about that!) - rest of the house is solid (double skin?) walls.



Main reason I need to paint is down to a minor damp patch - external cause (hopefully!) resolved now so needs cleaning and repainting. The only gloss is on the woodwork where it belongs. I am pretty paranoid about ventilating too!

Grenage

If the walls are solid, then I'd probably be tempted to use a breathable paint - so anything non-vinyl. If there's a cavity then I'd use whatever I fancied.


Don't be fooled by premium-priced bathroom and kitchen paint. Just use regular paint appropriate to the environment. I've used zinnser perma-white in a bathroom and it was good stuff, but certainly not breathable.


However, being a damp room by nature, would it matter that much in a bathroom? Some people get away with things when others wouldn't. I would be tempted to use regular paint if you don't anticipate getting toothpaste and shampoo up the walls, but harder-wearing vinyl paint if not.

diamond_dave

I live in a victorian house with 24" non cavity stone walls. The bathroom was originally painted with standard white emulsion paint which required painting and bleaching every year. Finally used a proper bathroom/kitchen paint and have not had to touch it for many a year! Trouble is, with many old houses double glazing,central heating, and little ventilation is a nightmare.

DorsetLad

Older houses with solid walls do need to "breathe", i.e. there should be at least one surface through which any moisture in the wall can get out. Provided that there is no exterior paint on the red brick walls, any moisture in the wall should be able to get out via the external surface of the walls. So, in my opinion you could you whatever paint you wanted on the inside. We have used washable emulsion in the bathroom, as it's easier to wipe down and it should help to stop moisture getting into the wall from the room.

TamsinC

https://www.heritage-house.org/stuff-about-old-buildings/what-paint-to-use.html