Oil vs. Latex to Prime Bathroom Walls
Your bathroom is exposed to more moisture than most rooms in your house. Whether it's steam from a shower or water splashed from a sink, moisture can stain and warp paint and wallpaper. Selecting the appropriate primer will extend the life of your walls and their paint jobs. Oil or latex are your best options, and which to use depends on the purpose of the primer. Does this Spark an idea?
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Oil Primer
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Oil primers dry slowly, and they emit unpleasant fumes during the drying process. However, their extended drying time flattens the paint. If you're using a brush instead of a roller, the brush strokes may appear on the wall surface when using latex paint, because it dries too quickly. That is less likely to happen with oil paint, and, therefore, it results in a smoother finish. Water-based primers are more readily available than oil-based primers, which may be difficult to find.
Latex Primer
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Water-based primers dry faster and have fewer fumes than their oil-based counterparts. This makes them easier and more pleasant to use. You often can apply two latex coats in a single day. Latex is a kind of water-based primer, and it's especially useful in bathrooms because it breathes well. This prevents the paint from trapping moisture, which can result in blisters and peeling. In most situations, it's the superior bathroom paint.
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Wallpaper
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If you're planning to hang wallpaper, oil-based primer typically is the better choice. The oil-primer is flatter, creating a smoother surface for your wallpaper to adhere to. Also, the oil itself acts as a buffer between your wall and your wallpaper's glue. This lengthens the lifespan of your wallpaper and helps prevent peeling.
Same On Same
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Water-based paints adhere better to water-based primers, and oil-based paints adhere better to oil-based primers. If you have your heart set on a particular paint, use a similar primer. As mentioned previously, latex paints breathe better than oil-based paints, making them a better choice for most bathrooms, both as a primer and a finish.
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References
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