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The Best Mold Resistant Paint

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In your fight against mold there are several things you can do to cut it off at the pass. You know, basic mold prevention stuff.

When people think mold prevention they usually aren’t thinking about building materials such as mold resistant paint. But believe it or not, mold resistant paint can play a huge role in your efforts to prevent mold.

A pallet of mold resistant paint

Mold resistant paint is not the same as mold killing paint.

I need to make that very clear. You should never, ever paint over mold and call it good. Mold on walls needs to be properly remediated and that likely means replacing the drywall. There isn’t a single mold killing paint out there that really, truly kills mold. It covers it up but it does not take care of the root problem.

When mold begins to grow on a painted surface it actually feeds on materials like wood and drywall, eating away at the structures in your home. Left unchecked, it can cause serious structural damage not to mention health damage. That’s why painting over mold doesn’t solve the issue.

And please, for the love of your health and your home, DO NOT use bleach to kill mold.

What Is Mold Resistant Paint?

A mold resistant paint won’t solve the moisture problems, but it makes it harder for mold to take hold and spread across your walls, thanks to the way the paint is made.

The way mold resistant paints work is due to the fact that they contain antimicrobial ingredients that help prevent the growth of mold on painted surfaces. Basically the legal levels of fungicides and mildewcides are added to the paint to make it mold resistant.

Where Can I Use Mold Resistant Paint?

Mold resistant paints are meant for rooms with extra moisture in the air or that are exposed to significant levels of moisture. This includes the following areas:

  • Kitchen
  • Bathroom
  • Laundry room
  • Utility room
  • Humid closets
  • Attic
  • Basement
  • Garage
  • Shed
  • Greenhouse
  • Any room in your house that has had mold and moisture-related problems before

How Do I Use Mold Resistant Paint?  

You use mold resistant paint just like you would regular paint. However, there are a some good practices to follow in order to get the most out of your mold resistant paint.

  1. Start with a mold-free wall (sorry – had to mention this again).
  2. Wipe down the wall with a wet cloth to remove any dirt or debris. Allow to dry thoroughly.
  3. Apply a mold resistant primer. Make sure you really get into the corners where the wall meets the ceiling and the floor meets the wall. This is where mold growth typically starts. Allow it to dry at least 24 hours.
  4. Apply the mold resistant paint. Make sure you allow it to dry 24 hours before applying a second coat.
  5. Do NOT use the room you are painting until after the final coat has dried. This includes the mold resistant primer drying time as well.

Anything Else I Should Know About Mold Resistant Paint?

While mold resistant paint resists mold growth, it’s not a guarantee that mold will never grow there, especially if you experience significant water damage or flooding. Practice good mold prevention to avoid this scenario completely.

Do not add any type of mold removal product or mildew cleaning product to your anti-mold paint. According to an article in the newsletter Paint Pro, homeowners sometimes think doing so will increase the ability of the paint to resist mold and mildew, but adding extra ingredients to paint changes its chemistry and can affect the color and performance of the paint. Instead of making it work better, it decreases its effectiveness.

What Brands Of Mold Resistant Paint Do You Recommend and Where Can I Buy Them?

KILZ Tribute

KILZ Tribute Mold Resistant Paint

This is hands down the best mold and mildew resistant paint on the market. Not only is the color selection beautiful but it goes on like a dream.

KILZ Tribute Semi-Gloss is a low VOC, 100% acrylic advanced technology paint and primer in one formulated for superior hide and coverage with exceptional durability and mold and mildew resistance.

This remarkable paint formula can be scrubbed clean safely. Paint and primer in 1 covers light-medium stains and light-dark color changes.

KILZ Tribute Paint comes in four sheens and 100 classic neutrals and on trend colors. Their low-VOC durable and washable long-lasting paints will beautify your home and enhance its livability and value.

  • 1-Gallon can covers up to 400 sq. ft. per gallon on smooth surfaces.
  • Use on properly prepared coated or uncoated wood, drywall, masonry and cured plaster.
  • Lifetime Limited Warranty (see label for details). GREENGUARD Certified.

Check the current price and purchase KILZ Tribute here.

Rust-Oleum Mold and Mildew Proof Interior Paint

Rust-Oleum Mold Resistant Paint

Can be used on any drywall, ceilings, bathrooms and basements.

The high quality Rust-oleum Mold Resistant paint comes in a range of colors and offers a beautiful satin finish.

Its durable, washable, and scrubbable, with a stain resistant finish. It is self-priming and sticks to any surface without sanding. It has a water-base and low odor. Comes with an unbeatable 5 year mold and mildew free guarantee.

Check the current price and purchase Rust-Oleum Mold Resistant Paint here.

If you are looking for a mold resistant primer, I highly recommend Kilz 2 Multi-Surface Primer and Sealer. It has never failed me!

When choosing paint, it is best to remember to go with a semi-gloss for ceilings and high moisture areas. Semi-gloss paint make its just a wee bit tougher for moisture to penetrate.

These mold resistant paints are not zero VOC paints although the KILZ Tribute is low VOC. If you prefer to use a zero VOC paint like I do, then you should consider adding a mold prevention additive like Paint Guard.

Paint Guard Anti-Mold Additive

Add Paint Guard to any water based paint to make it mold resistant. It doesn’t change the color or texture of your current paint or impacts its finish in any way.

Using this product is different than adding a mold removal product or milder cleaning product to your paint like I mentioned above. This product was specifically formulated to be used in regular paint to turn it into an anti-mold paint.

Are You SURE There Isn’t A Mold Killing Paint?

Yep. 1000% sure. You cannot paint over mold and kill it. Won’t happen. Never. Ever. But don’t take my word for it. Paint over some mold and then use a tape lift test kit and see what happens.

Click here to read my articles about Removing Mold and How To Kill Mold. If you are looking for general mold information then my Mold Facts page will be helpful.

A 5 gallon bucket of mold resistant paint ready for the bathroom wall

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6 Comments

  1. L. Goodman says:

    Hi 🙂 MY health deterioration and then an ERMI lab result have indicated an unseen mold problem in our home. I have read your blog – thank you so much!! in order to learn what to ask from the local professionals, as mold remediation is not developed in my country at all – there is VERY little awareness, of mold sickness as well. When I read this post about the paint, it made me wonder: When UV light is shined on our natural lime whitewashed walls (painted over either cement or building blocks), it is possible to see mold. I learned from you that it must be removed and not just painted over – but how is that done in such a wall? sanding? or could the mold also penetrate the blocks / cement? in which case we are doomed, since we cannot tear down walls that are not drywall. Or spraying with the products you recommend / the borax solution you teach how to make? Also, I saw you recommend Perma White and wanted to know whether you are familiar with Kefa products, that a local professional offered to use? They do not contain antimicrobials but rather are supposed to prevent condensation – I am considering them over Perma White because they seem less toxic and more ecological. But I do not have the knowledge base to evaluate the mechanism they work by. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!!

    1. Hi there! Glad you found me although I wish you were not dealing with a mold issue of course! You likely won’t see much with a UV light. UV lights can be used to look for mold on wood in some cases but it is much more difficult to try this on a block wall that has been whitewashed. Having said that – it is not very likely that you have actual mold growth on or in block walls. Spores could be collecting on the surface of course because they get stuck in with dust and whatnot. If your block walls have not been plastered over at all, you can absolutely scrub them with the EC3 product I discuss or the borax solution. If at all possible, I would use a HEPA vacuum and vacuum the walls before scrubbing them. If you have mold issues on any drywall areas, you can remove that drywall and replace. Then you could look into using the KEFA products. Let me know if you would like me to discuss any of this more. Happy to help!

      There are different KEFA products. One is for condensation. They also have others to prevent mold and also to dampen noise. You will want to talk with your local professional about whether the condensation or mold prevention product is the best for your situation. It is hard for me to know without seeing your home in person. But KEFA is high quality.

  2. L. Goodman says:

    Thank you so much for your input! Am doing my best to translate your knoweldge to the local possibilities. The local remediators are not familiar with either EC3 (not available here) or borax. So I am left with the choice of importing one of these on my own and asking that they be used by the professional, but then the remediator will not be held responsible for the results, or agreeing to the material the local company uses, for which they make a guarantee. The disinfectant material they use(before applying permawhite) is Sniper – is it trustworthy?

    1. Thanks for your patience as I researched Sniper. After a couple of calls to the company that manufactures it and a lot of research, I will say that it is a safe product and does stand a very good chance of combating the mold. It is a strong biocide which can handle most every type of mold. I would feel confident using it.

  3. Hi! I should have done better read watch before attacking my mold or mildew problem by myself. But here we are, I used bleach. Why do you not recommend this and should I be concern about something else if I did?
    Thank you for your help!
    Monique