DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

painting over tile walls...

1K views 11 replies 9 participants last post by  chrisn 
#1 · (Edited)
I have a bathroom with powder blue tile walls installed in the 1930's. There's no shower in the bathroom. The tile is in great shape but we hate the way it looks so I'd like to paint the tile. Has anyone had any luck doing this? I know it's not as simple as painting plaster & the tiles will need to be sanded 1st etc. The grout is white & I plan on painting over it as well. I will use white finish paint.

I've read up on different products and primers/paints for tile. What would be the best method and product for this job?

Zinsser 1 2 3 bullseye primer, then perma white top coat?
"Gripper" primer? Then paint
Or Rustoleum tile paint kit?

I'm open to other suggestions

-Thanks
 
#2 ·
Can it be done yes, would I ever do it to a property I owned NO!.
It will look like painted tile.
I can not stand skim coating and all the sanding involved so I just remove everything down to the studs and install new drywall.
 
#3 ·
Joe's go to answer.Yes it can be done and yes it can look good but I wouldn't recommend a DIYer painting tile.There are companies that specialize in tile and they know the best coatings and applications.I have painted tile and had it turn out pretty nice with an hvlp and proper prep.Personally if the tile is in really good shape I would learn to live with it.You could paint the top of the wall with a color that makes it work.
 
#4 ·
joecaption;1242132 I can not stand skim coating and all the sanding involved so I just remove everything down to the studs and install new drywall.[/QUOTE said:
I think removing the tile which is probably set in concrete would be a lot more work than painting the tile. Especially if I had to remove a toilet & sink to do so. There are also numerous corners and a window in the bathroom.
Like I stated I know there's some prep work involved but from what I've seen & read online it's not that hard to paint tile if using the correct prepping & products. I've removed a load bearing wall and bulkheads, remodeled my kitchen and refinished a few hardwood floors which all turned out great so I'm not worried about tackling something like painting tile.
I'm looking for feedback from someone who has done it and what products they would recommend.

-Thanks
 
#6 ·
I am a firm believer that ANYTHING can be painted and I have been proving this since I was 3 years old. Its your house. Its your taste. You do what you gotta do. Sometimes the ONLY person that thinks a toupee looks good is the guy that's wearing it. But if it makes him happy then I'm all for it.:thumbsup:

Good luck with your efforts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gymschu
#7 ·
Prety sure it is a ceramic tile, but check and be sure. I have seen plastic "tile" that looks like 4" tiles but are made from plastic and applied the same way ceramics are. The real give-away is the grout line is a butt joint and not a real grout. Anyway, I have seen painted tile that looks fine when done properly.
 
#8 · (Edited)
You can roll it with a smooth whizz roller with good results.I do very little spraying myself but when I paint tile I love my little hvlp.Cleaning is key.Scuff sand and clean again.I use an epoxy or urethane bonding primer followed by 2 coats of a high quality acrylic semi gloss.After it dries and cures for about a week I come back and top it off with a couple coats of a waterbased urethane.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Yes it's ceramic. It was probably installed in 1939 when house was built. I wish it was white tile with black accent like in other bathrooms upstairs. This tile is powder blue with a red accent and doesn't blend in with anything

Sand paper or steel wool to scuff the tile surface?

Thanks for all the good info guys.
 
#11 ·
Vintage tile is very in right now. If you can't bring yourself to love it, it would be a shame to paint something that is in so demand to restorers. Removed, it could bring you a some funds.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top