ᐅ Ceiling above the shower – recessed LED spotlights

Hello,

our bathroom is nearly finished. Next week, the tiling will be done, and then the plumbing company will install the sink, toilet, and heating.

The shower we are talking about is walk-in, with the floor already installed.
The ceiling above the shower (76x86 cm (30x34 inches)) had to be lowered because we wanted to install empty conduit pipes in the wall next to it. In the end, it wasn’t possible without lowering the ceiling by 8 cm (3 inches).

In this lowered ceiling, I would like to install LED spotlights—3 or 4 units. The wiring and electrical setup are already prepared.

The lowered ceiling above the shower currently consists of a simple green drywall (gypsum board).
Now I am wondering how best to finish this ceiling. I believe the current trend is to smooth the boards very finely with joint compound and then simply paint them.

However, since this is directly above the shower (so a “wet room” in the strict sense), I’m unsure if that is advisable here. The distance from floor to ceiling is about 240 cm (94 inches).

Of course, I have already searched the internet. The most suitable paint seems to be a silicate dispersion paint. It is vapor-permeable, allowing water vapor to pass into the drywall and then evaporate again (important for indoor air quality). But the paint is quite tricky, if I understand correctly (alkaline, etc.), and not easy to find. Also, I don’t need a 5-liter (1.3 gallon) bucket for such a small area.

However, this might be irrelevant if I apply a primer first so that the drywall does not absorb the paint unevenly.

A pure dispersion paint is said not to be completely impermeable, so it could also work. But again, with a primer, that concern might be addressed.

What experiences can you share about painted ceilings in wet rooms?
What is the best way to prime? What is the best way to paint?
Are there any suitable alternatives to painting that also allow for mounting the LED spotlights?

Thank you in advance.
Best regards, xola

I have had good experience with wood-chip wallpaper and standard interior emulsion paint from the hardware store (it has lasted for about 15 years). Today, I would probably use a (smooth) painting fleece, applied and then painted over.

I wouldn’t worry about the indoor climate in the shower area.

I will paint the bathroom ceiling and walls with latex paint. This type of paint has traditionally been used for wet areas. Fiberglass mesh will be applied to the walls above the tiles, followed by the latex paint.

I would also choose a smooth paintable fleece as suggested by Bieber0815. I wouldn’t aim for vapor permeability. On the contrary, I would rather apply a primer under the fleece to achieve as much vapor tightness as possible. The vapor pressure above the shower would simply be too high for me to allow it into the drywall.

In our apartment, we had the ceilings finished by a painter, using smooth painting fleece and emulsion paint. To me, it's like fireworks. Much more important for the indoor climate is good ventilation... whether with a ventilation system or windows.

Thank you for your answers. They already help me a lot.

Do I need to prepare the substrate (in this case the drywall) before applying the fleece?
How important is an exactly smooth substrate when using fleece?

@souly75 and @Bieber0815: Have you noticed any drawbacks with dispersion paint so far? For example, excessive condensation or dripping of water vapor? Drying time too long? Anything else?
I just want to avoid mistakes that would force me to tear down this "masterpiece" again.