Is breathable paint a good idea in a bathroom?

[Gary1111]

Hi, I noticed that my dulux bathroom paint holds moisture and then feels cold to touch.

I'm not sure but assuming this leads to condensation running down walls and heat loss?

I have been looking at mineral based breathable paints that are supposedly naturally mould resistant which sounds good.

However if moosure is escaping into the the bathroom walls and ceiling above, which is also a bathroom, could this promote joist rot?

Any ideas please?

 

[fernicarry]

Dulux bathroom paint seems to work by absorbing and buffering condensation as opposed to ordinary emulsions where it lies on the surface and runs. Not sure how the dulux releases the moisture again but I've been painting my rental flat with it for 30 odd years (depressingly regularly, tenants never see it as their responsibility to prevent mould developing) and the plaster board and joists don't seem to have suffered as a result so I guess it finds its way back out into the room rather than soaking in further. I think clay paint works in a similar way.

For areas that generate high moisture levels like bathrooms and kitchens your best friend is a turbo nutter extractor fan. Preferably one with a constant trickle function that can be kicked into boost mode with a humidistat or off the light switch. Much as we talk about vapour permable materials as a way of managing damp and condensation better to vent it straight out at the time its produced.

 

[Lacan07]

+1 with regard to the extractor fan. What paint you use is of less importance as long as it's hard wearing (in a bathroom). I ended up using clay paint on my external bathroom wall which was lime.

 

[Gary1111]

Dulux bathroom paint seems to work by absorbing and buffering condensation as opposed to ordinary emulsions where it lies on the surface and runs. Not sure how the dulux releases the moisture again but I've been painting my rental flat with it for 30 odd years (depressingly regularly, tenants never see it as their responsibility to prevent mould developing) and the plaster board and joists don't seem to have suffered as a result so I guess it finds its way back out into the room rather than soaking in further. I think clay paint works in a similar way.

For areas that generate high moisture levels like bathrooms and kitchens your best friend is a turbo nutter extractor fan. Preferably one with a constant trickle function that can be kicked into boost mode with a humidistat or off the light switch. Much as we talk about vapour permable materials as a way of managing damp and condensation better to vent it straight out at the time its produced.

Thanks for your answer, it's actually for a rental property that I have also been using dulux bathroom paint for over 10 years..

What prompted me to think about alternatives was that I was doing some repairs and some of the paint stripped off.

I noticed condensation forming on the painted parts and it feeling colder than the bare plaster.

I don't know what original paint was used under the dulux before I bought the property but it seemed very tough.