How to paint a bath- a step by step guide

Is your bathroom a little lacklustre? Does it need a little bit of love? Do you want to know how to paint a bath? Then get ready to become your very own DIY designer, as we talk you through how to transform your bath in just an afternoons work.

Our bathrooms have a hard task to fulfil, they need to be practical, they need to be comfortable but they need to be attractive too. We use them everyday without fail, and as we’re spending more time at home than ever, they are understandably feeling the pressure to stay looking fresh.

One way to show your bathroom some love, it a complete colour refresh and there are plenty of bathroom colour ideas you could choose from. But if your walls don’t need the attention and it’s that lump of metal in your bathroom that does, then painting your bath could be the ideal solution.

“Colour blocking is a simple, contemporary way to introduce colour to a small space, without it being overwhelming. Pair contrasting shades for an interesting combination and a striking finish that really frames the features of a space. The bath itself is a wonderful place to add a burst of colour,” says Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene.

How to paint a bath

Image credit: Future Plc/Colin Poole

Now we promise it’s easy to transform your tub, but don’t go grabbing that paint brush just yet, before you’ve read through our guide of what you’ll need first. Bathrooms get hot and steamy so you want to make sure you’re using the right materials to cope with the moisture and humidity in the room.

Whether you have a classic freestanding, cast iron bath, or a fitted, plastic one, both can be painted and both can benefit from a lovely lick of paint. Ideally you would paint your bath before being fitted and plumbed into your bathroom, but they can also be painted retrospectively too.

What you’ll need

• Newspaper or plastic sheets to protect your floors
• A multi-surface primer
• A fine sand paper
• A good quality paint brush
• Your chosen paint colour in an eggshell emulsion

1. Prep your surface

Before you start, put down your newspaper or plastic sheeting to protect your floors. Next check the surface of your bath for any dirt, dust or scuffs. It might just need a quick clean with a damp cloth, or if it’s been previously painted, a quick sand with a fine paper.

Patrick O’Donnell, Brand Ambassador for Farrow & Ball advises, “If you have a cast iron claw foot bath, you can give it an easy makeover but don’t skimp on the preparation! Firstly, sand back the original paint colour and then wash clean with warm, soapy water.”

2. Apply your primer

Using a good quality paint brush, apply a thin layer of primer all over the outside surfaces of the bath you want to paint. With roll top baths, just paint up to the ‘lip’ but not over it and for baths without a lip, just paint the outside to the edges, being careful not to paint inside.

Image credit: Farrow & Ball

3. Apply your paint

Once your primer has dried for at least 4 hours, you can apply your chosen paint colour. Patrick advises, ‘”Apply one coat of top colour in your chosen colour and finish – we would recommend Modern Eggshell for the task. Allow to dry as per manufacturer’s instructions and give the bath another light sand with fine grade paper. Apply a second coat and leave to dry.”

It’s personal preference whether you paint your feet in the same colour, or paint them white to match the inside of your tub, or even another shade entirely! This is your chance to get creative, and as you’ve seen from our simple guide above, it’s so easy to paint your bath, that you can change the colour whenever it takes your fancy.

Image credit: Little Greene

What kind of paint do you use on a bathtub?

Depending of what sort of finish you want, we’d recommend an eggshell paint. This will give you a soft, low sheen, thats not too shiny. If you prefer the more glossy look, then opt for a paint with a mid to high sheen, like a satin or gloss paint.

Ruth Mottershead, Creative Director at Little Greene, offers this advice, “There are two bath types which we are often asked about decorating the exterior surface of – cast iron & fibreglass. Application of paint is the same for both, but priming and preparation are understandably subtly different. If in doubt, use a small magnet to check if your bath is plastic or cast iron (the magnet will stick to cast iron). Prime and undercoat to form a tenacious bond with exposed metal and compatible existing coatings, then finish with two coats of our Intelligent Eggshell or Intelligent Gloss paint.”

Can I paint my bathtub myself?

Yes, absolutely! It’s super easy to paint your bath, even if it’s already plumbed into your bathroom. Just make sure to remember it’s all in the preparation and also its worth investing in a really good quality paint brush to give you the best finish possible.

If your bath isn’t freestanding, but is fitted instead, you can still have fun painting the front panel. Whether it’s a smooth plastic front, a wooden panelled front, or even a tiled surface, all of these can be painted to give your bathroom a new look and feel.

“Fibreglass bath panels are typically produced with a gel coat finish. To ensure adequate adhesion a specialist primer should be used before finishing with your colour choice. Make sure bathroom door is left open during all painting and drying stages to provide ventilation and correct drying conditions, ” says Ruth.

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