Happy holidays!!
I'll plaint a bathroom this weekend and have questions...

1)With so much humidity/steam in the bathroom,do I need to prepare (sand,prime) the walls differently in the bathroom than any other room.
2) How soon can I shower in the bathroom,after the paint is dry?
3) Do I need to add anything to the paint?

Suggestions are welcome and thanks in advance.
D

you have questions, we have answers. well worth the price of admission

(1) because you should have semi-gloss or gloss paint in a bathroom, you will have to break the glaze a little. a good scrubbing with a TSP-equivalent cleaner will do that, and also get rid of all the film that forms from stuff that lives on the wall and feeds on humidity, splashed soap, and dead skin cells.

(2) define "dry" paint. latex paint actually "dries" in two stages. first, the water and VOC evaporate off in 2 to 12 hours, depending on whether the room is ventilated and the humidity level. second, there is a chemical curing, milder than if you were using an oil alkyd paint, which firms the paint coating. if you mean both steps are done, I'd wait 24 hours if you have a vent fan operating, and 48 if you don't.

note that code requires vent fans now, you should fix or install one if you aren't pulling out steamy air.

(3) "anything" would be an additive to kill mildew, I assume. if you use a hard surface gloss or semi-gloss paint and use a fan, not needed. if you don't, a mildewcide would keep the paint from growing stuff -- but they are mercury-bearing fungicides that you really don't want in the house, especially with kids and pets. it could be as bad as cooking with teflon if you have pet birds.

what I would do is get a good semi-gloss paint, top-shelf with ceramic nanoparticles in it for superior scrubbability, wash down the wall with TSP and rinse it, and when dry, paint it up. if you are going over an existing coat of glossy paint, I would also use a good interior/exterior primer first.

The longer you wait before showering in the room, the better. Paint takes a long time to really harden and another day or two is added insurance.
Great advice from swschrad.

Many,many thanks for the excellent replies!!! It's appreciated!! Happy holiday!
D