How to Add a Glossy Texture to Bathroom Walls

Clean the walls in your bathroom using a diluted mixture of liquid dishwashing soap and hot water. Gently scrub the walls with a large, soft sponge. Rinse the walls with clear water to remove any soapy residue.

Repair any holes in your walls with joint compound, following the manufacturer’s instructions for mixing and applying this product. Let the patching material dry, then sand it even with the surface of the surrounding wall. Wipe away any dust particles with a piece of tackcloth.

Tape off the areas next to the walls you intend to paint. Remove switch covers, towel bars and other easily removable wall fixtures.

Apply a coat of primer to your prepared bathroom walls. Start along the edges of the walls, using a small brush that fits into the corners. Spread the primer over the middle sections of large walls with a roller and smooth-nap roller cover. Let the primer dry for the amount of time recommended on the product label.

Pour your gloss enamel into a large bucket for mixing. Add enough drywall joint compound to make a thin paste. Pour a small amount of the textured paint into a paint roller tray. Lay a piece of plastic wrap over the remaining paint in the large bucket and cover the bucket with a lid to help keep it from drying out while you work. Apply the paint in the roller tray to the edges of your walls with the small paintbrush, using a dabbing motion rather than using long strokes. Apply the textured gloss paint to a small section of your wall, about 4 feet high by 4 feet wide, using a roller with a thick nap.

Create dimension and the illusion of movement by cutting into the thick coat of textured paint with a wide-toothed comb or trowel. Use short strokes to create curves or crossed lines that overlap, depending on your desired result. Apply the remaining paint to the wall in the same manner. Let the first coat dry and apply a second coat, if necessary.