Oil paintings are highly durable, but they can still have issues depending on temperature, moisture, and lighting in the room that you hang them in. If you want to extend the life of your oil painting, you should hang it in a place where it will be safe and away from any harm.
So, can you hang an oil painting in a bathroom? It’s not typically recommended to hang an oil painting near water or humidity. Oil paintings do not do well in areas with high humidity like your bathroom unless they are properly protected. If you do decide to hang a painting in your bathroom, the moisture and steam may ruin your artwork.
If you want to hang a painting in your bathroom, you should pick something that responds better with higher levels of humidity. And some cases, you might be able to add a sealant to your painting in order to hang it in your bathroom. However, you should avoid this and hang the painting somewhere safer if possible.
How to Hang an Oil Painting in a Bathroom
If you decide that you want to hang an oil painting in your bathroom, you will need to hang it on the wall with the right tools. You are going to need a hammer, tape measure, pencil, level, painting hangers, strap hangers, picture wire, and anchors that respond best to the type of wall in your bathroom.
For the best protection of your painting, you might want to look into having a professional add on a protective coating to protect it from humidity and moisture. You can also do this yourself, but a professional has done this multiple times and they will be able to do it efficiently.
Next, you are going to need to prep the wall for your picture. Clean the wall to remove any debris. You will also need to determine what type of wall you have in your bathroom. This will help you pick the right anchors to hang the picture. Good if you have drywall, you can use drywall anchors but if you have block walls you will need a different kind of anchor.
Measure the painting and measure the walls so you can determine the middle point of where you want to hang your painting. Mark on the wall with the pencil so you know where to put the hooks and the anchors. Get the hangers and anchors in place with the hammer and hang the painting on the wall.
Check out the video below that shows you how to properly wire an oil painting. If your painting isn’t already wired, this is a great short video that can enhance your artwork, as well as help you hang it.
How Do You Protect a Canvas Painting In a Bathroom?
Canvas paintings are becoming a popular way to decorate your bathroom. Bathrooms are known for humidity, with the average humidity of a bathroom remaining around 75%. If you are not careful with how you put a canvas in your bathroom, it won’t last you very long. You need to protect your canvas if you want to keep it in your bathroom for a long period of time.
The best way to protect a canvas painting in a bathroom is to spray it with a Mod Podge sealer. You can use a Mod Podge an acrylic or oil paints to protect your painting because it is a waterproof sealer. You can also reach out to a professional to have them add a protective coating on top of your canvas painting.
There are also a few ways you can prepare your bathroom to reduce the moisture and protect your canvas. You want to make sure you always have the vent fan on when you shower and keep it running for at least an hour after you’re finished. If you can, it will also be beneficial to leave a window open to let fresh air in and let humidity out when you are finished showering.
My favorite and top pick is always Arteza Oil Paints. They have so many different colors, and the quality is amazing! I usually use Arteza Paints for all my projects.
Should Oil Paintings Be Framed Under Glass?
You have probably seen more than one recommendation that oil paintings should placed in a frame with glass. Is this necessary or is it just a recommendation? While it will have some benefits, it is not necessary that you place your oil painting in a frame with glass if it’s on a canvas, a board, or a panel.
You might notice oil paintings and a museum are framed behind glass, but this is to provide extra protection against flash photography and vandalism for pieces of art that are extremely valuable. The glass also works to reduce reflection on those pieces of work.
If the painting is on a piece of paper, you will want to frame it behind glass for extra support and protection. The oil paint doesn’t need the extra protection here, but the paper will. If you decide you need to frame an oil painting behind glass, make sure you leave space between the paint and the glass to give the paint room to breathe.
If you frame an oil painting right up against the glass, it won’t have room to breathe and there’s a very high chance the artwork won’t get proper air circulation. It also will allow for condensation which can lead to the growth of mold or mildew on the surface of your painting. The extra space between the art and the glass is very important.
If your painting is on canvas, it doesn’t need to be framed at all. You will want to add a varnish to the painting to protect it from dust and dirt that might collect on the surface. This will extend the life of your painting and protect your canvas.
How High Do You Hang Pictures in a Bathroom?
The height of a picture and your bathroom will depend on where you are planning on hanging it. If you want to hang the painting behind your toilet, you will want to measure 8 inches from the top of your toilet. If you are hanging more than one picture, you should keep them about 2 inches apart for the best results.
If you want to hang a picture over your towel rack, there isn’t a specific height that you need to measure. It will be more beneficial to measure the height between the top of your towel rack and your ceiling. This will help you find the center point above the towel rack, and you can hang the painting in the middle of the wall.
Final Thoughts
There are several reasons why you might want to hang in oil painting in your bathroom. Before you do, it is important to make sure that you know how to properly protect that painting. Oil paintings don’t do well in high humidity locations, so you should avoid putting them in the bathroom if you can.
If you decide that you do want to hang your oil painting in your bathroom, you need to make sure that it is properly protected. You can protect an oil painting with Mod Podge or have a professional add a protective sealant to the canvas. If your painting is on a paper, you can frame it behind a piece of glass and put it in your bathroom.
When you are trying to determine where you want to place your oil painting, you should determine where you want it at on your wall. Depending on where you want to hang your painting, you can either measure for the center of the wall or you can measure a certain height above an object.
Make sure to follow all my tips and recommended products to ensure your oil painted project turns out great! Also, don’t forget to check out my other articles for all your painting Q&A’s. Happy painting!