Best Anti Condensation Paint in the UK

Finding and buying the best anti condensation paint can be the difference between a mould and damp free environment or spending thousands of pounds on expensive treatments.

With this in mind, you need to make sure you’re choosing something that’s going to prevent issues such as unsightly black mould spots, rising damp and ultimately the negative impact mould and damp can have on your health (think allergies and asthma).

One bad choice could see you buying a totally useless product that costs you a lot of money and effort. Fortunately, we’ve used our extensive experience in the painting and decorating industry to review some of the best anti condensation paints on the market to help you find the best one for the job.

Best Anti Condensation Paint Overall: Ronseal Anti Condensation Paint

When it comes to overall quality and value for money, anti-condensation paints don’t get much better than Ronseal.

This particular paint is thick, easy to use and most importantly permanently reduces condensation on walls and ceilings. Whilst formulated for use on walls and ceilings, you’ll find that it works just as well on other areas of your home such as doors and windows.

Being incredibly thick, it does a great job of insulating, especially if you’ve applied it liberally. As you might know, condensation builds up on colder surfaces and during tests we could feel the difference in temperature between the treated area of our wall and the untreated section. That should give you an idea as to how well it works!

In terms of aesthetics, this anti condensation paint has a clean, white matt finish which in itself is a look worth keeping. Of course, if you wanted a particular colour scheme you could always paint over it with a different coloured emulsion of your choice. If that’s the case, you don’t need to worry as the anti condensation paint continues to work as promised.

Pros

• Is durable and can be cleaned
• Prevents condensation
• Can save you thousands of pounds by preventing mould and damp
• It’s easy to apply and easy to clean
• Dries fairly quickly allowing you to finish painting during a morning/afternoon

Cons

• None

Runner-up: Coo-Var

If Ronseal isn’t doing it for you then you should definitely take a look at Coo-Var. Coo-Var’s anti condensation paint has been formulated with the inclusion of a fungicide which inhibits the growth of mould.

Coo-Var is more of an all rounder than Ronseal and thus is suitable for almost any surface in your home including wood, plaster, brick and metal (assuming you use a primer first). This means it’s just as effective at preventing condensation in your bathroom as it would be on your front door.

The coverage is slightly higher than Ronseal at 8 – 10m²/L but this is because it’s thinner and thus not as effective at insulating. While it’s not on Ronseal’s level for insulation it still does a better job than most however.

In terms of the finish, it’s got a slight texture to it which we’ve found looks great in certain interiors. If this bothers you, you can go over it with a suitable emulsion to give you a smoother matt finish without compromising the anti condensation properties of the paint.

Pros

• The fungicide works wonders to inhibit mould growth
• Provides a textured finish which looks great in some interiors but can be painted over too
• Highly effective at increasing the surface temperature of walls
• Low VOC makes it safe for interior use
• Has good durability and can be cleaned as and when needed

Cons

• We’d say it’s slightly expensive for its overall quality

Best for Bathroom: Dulux Anti Condensation Paint

Whilst not specifically labeled as anti condensation, Dulux’s Easy Care Bathroom paint works much in the same way as some other paints on this list.

The Easy Care Bathroom is an incredibly tough and durable soft sheen emulsion that has the ability to exceptionally resist moisture and steam. It’s for this reason, when painting bathrooms we always recommend using this particular product.

Dulux use mould resistant technology which should provide you with mould free paint for at least 5 years. Of course, this has the drawback of having to repaint again after it stops working.

Unlike most other paints on our list, Dulux has the advantage of providing a lovely soft sheen finish that doesn’t need to be painted over once set. The cool neutral range of colours means you can choose any colour from White Mist to Slate Grey, leaving your bathroom with a modern chic look.

Pros

• Easy to apply, even for first time painters
• Provides a lasting soft sheen finish
• Mould resistant for around 5 years
• Works well in high steam and moisture areas such as bathrooms

Cons

• Needs to be repainted every 5 years

Good Magnolia Anti Condensation Paint: Dryzone

When it comes to damp proof products, Dryzone are one of the first brands to come to mind for us so any list about anti condensation paint is incomplete without their inclusion. On this occasion, it’s their magnolia paint that comes to mind.

This particular paint is professional strength (but lower odour) and is one of the most effective paints when it comes to preventing damp and mould even against the most persistent condensation. The fast drying formula leaves an easily washable surface and is thus perfect for use on any interior walls or ceilings that receive moderate traffic.

It’s very easy to apply and once fully set leaves a soft sheen finish in magnolia resulting in a look that is sophistic yet simple.

Pros

• Very easy to apply
• Excellent value for money
• Proven to work well in terms of its mould and damp resistance
• Leaves a simple soft sheen magnolia finish
• Suitable for use on any interior wall/ceiling

Cons

• It’s rather expensive
• It looks lighter than traditional magnoloia

Great Multipurpose Paint: Thermilate InsOpaint Anti Condensation Paint

Thermilate InsOpaint is one of the best paints when it comes to preventing some of the common problems associated with condensation including mould, blistering and discolouration. Suitable for use in bathrooms and kitchens, it also doubles up as an effective energy saver.

The Thermilate InsOpaint also comes in a variety of colours including beige, black and sage green although if using this paint we’d recommend using a matt emulsion on top. This is because the Thermilate InsOpaint leaves a slightly grainy texture once fully set.

What sets this paint apart from the others the most is its suitability for exterior walls and this is where to variety of colours comes in handy. Bear in mind that for it to be effective outdoors it will need at least 3 coats though.

Pros

• Provides long lasting protection
• It can be applied in a variety of different ways
• Prevents common problems associated with condensation
• You’re fine to wallpaper over this paint
• Reduces heat loss and thus saves you money on energy spend

Cons

• Can only buy in 5L containers

Best Anti Condensation Paint for Metal: Specialist Paints

We’ve talked mostly about paints for walls and ceilings so if you’re looking for anti condensation paint for metal, this one’s for you! Specialist Paints’ Anti Condensation Paint is an all-purpose paint that’s is incredibly effective at preventing condensation on all surfaces including metal.

As metal is highly conductive, it’s prone to getting colder than masonry or wood so is especially prone to condensation in areas that are more humid. If you’re experiencing this problem on your metal garage door for instance, this is the paint for you.

It comes in a neutral white colour and the finish can appear to be slightly coarse so if using, we recommend popping on a couple of coats before using a different emulsion paint as a top coat.

Pros

• Works well on metal
• It doesn’t require a primer
• The white colour stays white

Cons

• Doesn’t have the best coverage

How does Anti Condensation Paint Work?

To understand how anti condensation paint works, you must first know what condensation is and how it forms.

How is condensation formed?

As you’re probably aware, condensation is the little drops of water that form most commonly in areas where there’s plenty of moisture. The reason they form is all down to the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of your property and the amount of moisture present in the air inside.

When warm air full of moisture comes into contact with a surface (such as a wall or window) that is colder than it is, it can no longer retain the same amount of moisture and therefore releases some of it on the colder surface. If this happens often, it becomes the perfect condition for mould growth and eventually will lead to damp setting in.

So how does the paint help?

Anti condensation paint is specifically formulated to produce insulation for your surfaces. By insulating your surfaces, it means the paint can raise the surface temperature of them. Of course, with warmer surfaces, the moisture in the air doesn’t condense when it comes into contact with them thus saving you from the effects of condensation.

Some brands even include fungicides within their formula so that if you do get small amounts of condensation, things like mould won’t be able to grow.

What Does It Look Like When Condensation Ruins Your Paint?

If you’re not exactly sure if you’re suffering from condensation problems and are wondering if perhaps the paint is the problem, take a look at the image below which we took during a job a couple of weeks ago.

Defective paint will never come out like this so if your walls look similar, it’s very likely you have a condensation problem.

Summary

Prevention is always the best cure and when it comes to anti condensation paints, this couldn’t be more true. Fixing issues that have resulted from condensation can be a costly process so if you find yourself having problems in rooms where there’s lots of moisture, it’s better to take preventative action while you can.

With that being said, if you do have mould that has been caused by condensation and it’s contained within 1 squared metre, you can always remove it yourself before applying one of the paints above. It’s worth seeing if a £30 tin of paint can fix the issue before potentially forking out thousands in our opinion!

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Want to learn more about different paints? Feel free to take a look at our recent “best water based gloss” article!