Painting tile and tub questions

2517 Views 20 Replies 7 Participants Last post by ddawg16, Jan 4, 2013

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · Jan 2, 2013 (Edited)

Hi guys I am planning on painting a tub and tile in an old bathroom and I am wondering what the best system is. I am an auto painter and I painted houses for 2 years so spraying will not be a problem. I will be purchasing a airless sprayer but I think it would be better to use my hvlp is that correct? I also need to know how tile looks after spraying is it good or bad? The house is being spruced up for resale so it needs to look good but not perfect. Thanks for the advice guys

I looked up a bunch of videos on youtube and it looked easy. I also found some before and after pics they look good. I am a good auto painter so I can apply my experience with cars to the tub and tile. Here are some pics what do you all think? I can also do tile work so either way its fine but I would rather not do tile if I have a choice

http://www.miraclemethod.com/photo-gallery.htm#floors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIB33p8G0yQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axCO946pBkU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKsMXEpdefU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMjL0rM0Wrw

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

ddawg16

· #2 · Jan 2, 2013

"Painting" tile? Your kidding, right?

I have NEVER heard of anyone painting a tub.....any type of refinishing product for a tub is porclean based. I can't imagine any paint holding up....even Emron...

joecaption

· #3 · Jan 2, 2013

If I was looking for another house and saw the tile and tub had just been painted I'd do one of two things, offer thousands less or just walk away.
There's just way to many homes on the market to take a chance on a hack paint job.
Painted tile looks like, well painted tile, there's no more grout lines.
I would not have an issure with a pro refinishing job on the tub. By pro I mean a real tub finisher. They come in and acid etch the tub and apply a long lasting finish that would look like new.
Only draw back it could not be used for a few days waiting for it to cure.

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 2, 2013 (Edited)

joecaption said:
If I was looking for another house and saw the tile and tub had just been painted I'd do one of two things, offer thousands less or just walk away.
There's just way to many homes on the market to take a chance on a hack paint job.
Painted tile looks like, well painted tile, there's no more grout lines.
I would not have an issure with a pro refinishing job on the tub. By pro I mean a real tub finisher. They come in and acid etch the tub and apply a long lasting finish that would look like new.
Only draw back it could not be used for a few days waiting for it to cure.

Do you have experience painting tubs or tile? Did you see the videos and pics they looked ok or it just me?

I can surely paint a tub that is not a problem painting a tub is the same process as painting a car only easier. I need to know is it worth it does it look good and what products are the best. I wont use some harry homeowner kit from the Home Depot. As far as doing a crappy paint job I will not I do everything the best I can. if I was not already a good painter I would not even attempt the job. I am not out to screw someone who will be purchasing the house what goes around comes around. If it is not worth it to paint the tub or tile I will not even try I was just trying to save some time.
The house is old and it needs a lot of work. it is an inheritance and we are limited on time and money that's why I was considering paint.

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jan 2, 2013

ddawg16 said:
"Painting" tile? Your kidding, right?

I have NEVER heard of anyone painting a tub.....any type of refinishing product for a tub is porclean based. I can't imagine any paint holding up....even Emron...

Did you see the videos I posted apparently companies specialize in bathroom refinishing and they offer a 5 year warranty. Just wondering if anyone has actual experience refinishing tile and tubs the correct way. I watched the steps and it is exactly the same as painting a car and that's my trade. Not to sound rude I appreciate the reply I just was hoping for someone with experience to chime in

747

· #6 · Jan 2, 2013

I was watching a home improvement show a while back. They refinished the ceramic tiles on the wall. It look good when they were done. It was a professional job. Like a guy who does bathtubs. It was that one women's home. The hometime show with dean Johnson. The first women he worked with on the show. The Jo Jo women. She had it done on her bathroom.

jsheridan

· #7 · Jan 2, 2013

Pfunk, I've been on a couple of restoration jobs where I've seen tubs/tile professionally redone. Some thoughts:

Can it be done, yes. However, the guys that I've met doing it came in from hours away. That means few do it which means a high degree of difficulty, and I guess a high degree of failure.
I can't say what the long term results were, on a pro job, because I was never there after the job was done and lived in.
The tubs look great, if no runs, but the tile, well, it looks like painted tile. Once the grout is the same as the tile, it looks like painted tile.
You have to use products specifically designed for that application, both prep and finish. And I've been told by a number of people, including here, that you can't even buy that stuff unless you're a certified refinisher. Though you might be able to get it through the shop you work in. I would seriously question any product someone from off the street could buy.
You have the masking and the gun technique, but is the workspace the same as that of painting cars. Think about the greater degree of difficulty, the angles, the body positioning, the limited access (think about behind toilet and sink), etc.
From my experience, the house will be unlivable. These are serious chemicals, and the smell dominated the whole house, seriously. I spray little things in peoples homes with rattle cans and it drives them crazy.

Do I think you could do it, yes. If you do your homework, get the right materials, and take your time. Do I think it's worth it? Depends. Is the tile damaged or funky looking from no maintenance, or just an old color scheme but otherwise in good shape? How does its condition, before and after, fit in the shape of the rest of the bathroom/house, and with prospective buyer expectations? Will the bathroom be like a Mecca in the hood? Do you think that a prospective buyer would look at a refinished tub and tile and see a possible future issue they have to deal with? Not everyone has faith in painted porcelain, or you, especially when something is done for resale. I would quiz a couple of realtors as to what refinished tub and tile do to value and what buyers think of it.

I counseled a lady one time who had art deco tile colors, and she was asking me about painting them or tearing it out to replace, neither of which she could afford or wanted to get involved in. I told her to stop fighting it and work with it. It wasn't working because she was decorating it in a contemporary style. She decorated it with art deco decor and turned it from a problem to a converstaion piece. Selling it to a prospective buyer might just be a re-staging issue. There are more questions than whether you can do it and what it would look like, those are things you can already see.

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ddawg16

· #8 · Jan 2, 2013

pfunkmd said:
Did you see the videos I posted apparently companies specialize in bathroom refinishing and they offer a 5 year warranty. Just wondering if anyone has actual experience refinishing tile and tubs the correct way. I watched the steps and it is exactly the same as painting a car and that's my trade. Not to sound rude I appreciate the reply I just was hoping for someone with experience to chime in

How many of those videos show you the result a year later?

Car paint jobs look great when you first roll them out of the booth.....but it's how they look a year later that tells you the quality of the job.

I consider painting tile akin to painting good oak or any other hardwood.....

Look....I can understand why your looking at that as an option....your a painter.....it's a skill you have....you know how good your cars look when your done....whereas tiling is a skill set your not comfortable with....so there is a tendancy to fall back on what you know.....I get it...

But....knowing how tough it is to get stuff to stick to tile....(one of the reasons it's used), painting is just not a good way to go.....

Please understand that some of the guys who commented above have many many years of experience....if there is a mistake to be made, they were most likely the first to do it...

Take for example joecaption....he is retired....and not at an old age....we are lucky that he cares enough about doing jobs right to share his knowledge here.....that is the way most of the guys are. You would be the same way when offering advice on how o paint a car....like how much hardner....which brands of paint to avoid, etc.

At the end of the day, you can do what you want. We are just trying to help avoid the "How do I clean this paint off" posts.

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pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 2, 2013

Ok thanks guys I will just go ahead and replace everything in the bathroom. The tile the tub the toilet and the sink is all awful so I guess I will bite the bullet and redo it. the whole house is awful for that matter. We will be redoing the hardwood floors the kitchen the bed room siding windows the yard ext. just about the whole house. What will a little extra work on the bathrooms be lol. So thanks guys I really appreciate the answers I was not trying to sound rude if I came off that way and thanks for the free advice!

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 2, 2013

ddawg16 said:
How many of those videos show you the result a year later?

Car paint jobs look great when you first roll them out of the booth.....but it's how they look a year later that tells you the quality of the job.

I consider painting tile akin to painting good oak or any other hardwood.....

Look....I can understand why your looking at that as an option....your a painter.....it's a skill you have....you know how good your cars look when your done....whereas tiling is a skill set your not comfortable with....so there is a tendancy to fall back on what you know.....I get it...

But....knowing how tough it is to get stuff to stick to tile....(one of the reasons it's used), painting is just not a good way to go.....

Please understand that some of the guys who commented above have many many years of experience....if there is a mistake to be made, they were most likely the first to do it...

Take for example joecaption....he is retired....and not at an old age....we are lucky that he cares enough about doing jobs right to share his knowledge here.....that is the way most of the guys are. You would be the same way when offering advice on how o paint a car....like how much hardner....which brands of paint to avoid, etc.

At the end of the day, you can do what you want. We are just trying to help avoid the "How do I clean this paint off" posts.

LOL thanks bro I really don't want to chance wasting the money on the bathroom when it could go bad.

Canarywood1

· #11 · Jan 3, 2013

pfunkmd said:
Ok thanks guys I will just go ahead and replace everything in the bathroom. The tile the tub the toilet and the sink is all awful so I guess I will bite the bullet and redo it. the whole house is awful for that matter. We will be redoing the hardwood floors the kitchen the bed room siding windows the yard ext. just about the whole house. What will a little extra work on the bathrooms be lol. So thanks guys I really appreciate the answers I was not trying to sound rude if I came off that way and thanks for the free advice!

Rather than have it refinished a bathtub liner might work.

ddawg16

· #12 · Jan 3, 2013

Canarywood1 said:
Rather than have it refinished a bathtub liner might work.

They....those are pretty neat........looks just like a new bath tub....

Until it starts to leak right around the drain.....then you start getting water trapped between the liner and the actual tub. When you stand up in it to take a shower, it's like having a water coushion for your feet.

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 3, 2013

ddawg16 said:
They....those are pretty neat........looks just like a new bath tub....

Until it starts to leak right around the drain.....then you start getting water trapped between the liner and the actual tub. When you stand up in it to take a shower, it's like having a water coushion for your feet.

Yeah I saw a video of a tub liner on youtube that had got water under it and the guy said the smell was awful. I would rather do a good job tubs are only a few hundred dollars and we have to gut both bathrooms anyway. It is a shame because the lot the house sits on is worth 250,000 dollars and its a small lot. We are going to go ahead and just replace it with a new one.

ddawg16

· #14 · Jan 3, 2013

pfunkmd said:
Yeah I saw a video of a tub liner on youtube that had got water under it and the guy said the smell was awful. I would rather do a good job tubs are only a few hundred dollars and we have to gut both bathrooms anyway. It is a shame because the lot the house sits on is worth 250,000 dollars and its a small lot. We are going to go ahead and just replace it with a new one.

Are you in CA?

And it helps to put your location in your profile.....

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 3, 2013

ddawg16 said:
Are you in CA?

And it helps to put your location in your profile.....

No I am in Maryland

chrisn

· #16 · Jan 3, 2013

pfunkmd said:
No I am in Maryland

As they say here " Where at?"

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 3, 2013

chrisn said:
As they say here " Where at?"

Annapolis Md

ddawg16

· #18 · Jan 3, 2013

pfunkmd said:
Annapolis Md

I like that area....spent some time at the Naval Academy (work related)

pfunkmd

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jan 3, 2013

ddawg16 said:
I like that area....spent some time at the Naval Academy (work related)

Yeah it is a great city lots of money and almost recession free because it is so close to DC.

chrisn

· #20 · Jan 4, 2013

pfunkmd said:
Yeah it is a great city lots of money and almost recession free because it is so close to DC.

close to the crabs too:thumbup:

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