The green home · 03

Walls and paint

When bare concrete needs help, what to put on it. Stucco in the bathroom, breathable paint everywhere else, and why a scrubbable finish is worth considering.

Reference material, not advice for your specific build. Last reviewed September 2026.

Naked lime concrete is beautiful, but it is porous, soft and easily marked. In most homes you will want some kind of finish on the walls. The question is which finish adds durability without sealing the building so tightly that moisture cannot escape.

The guiding idea is breathability. A wall assembly that lets water vapour move through it is less likely to trap condensation, mould and trapped odours. That matters in older Dutch buildings and in any bathroom.

When stucco is necessary

In showers and splash zones, where water would otherwise reach the underlying wall.
Behind sinks and in utility areas where occasional wet cleaning is needed.
On exterior-facing walls that need an extra weather-resistant layer.
Where a perfectly smooth, wipeable surface is more important than the look of raw plaster.

What stucco actually does

Stucco — stucwerk in Dutch — is a thin, hard plaster layer that creates a smooth, water-resistant surface. It is not waterproof in the sense of a tanking membrane, but it sheds splashes and can be wiped down. The quality of the substrate and the preparation matter more than the brand of finish.

In wet rooms it is usually combined with a waterproofing layer behind it. Skipping that layer is the most common way a beautiful bathroom becomes a maintenance problem.

A paint worth knowing

We do not take paid placements. The brands below are named because they solve a problem we have actually encountered.

Sigma

Useful for: Scrubbable wall paints that let you clean away scuffs, scratches and even children's drawings with water and a soft cloth — so a painted wall can last years longer before it needs repainting.
Watch for: Sigma is a broad brand with many product lines. Check the specific product's VOC content and environmental label; not every line is equally low-emission.

Choosing a wall paint

Look for low-VOC or VOC-free labels, and for paints that allow the wall to breathe. A very glossy plastic paint will seal the surface, which is fine in a bathroom but less ideal in a bedroom where humidity rises and falls with occupancy.

Colour matters for longevity too. Very pale, forgiving colours hide wear and let you spot-repair more easily. That means fewer full repaints over the life of the home.