How to Paint Old Bathroom Tile
As bathroom tiles age, they can become stained and discolored, prompting many homeowners to invest hundreds to thousands of dollars on new tiling. Often, amateur do-it-yourselfers on a budget opt instead to refinish their bathroom tiles with new paint. If this sounds like the appropriate option for your home, you should know a few things about preparation and application before you get started, or you may apply a finish that lacks durability, resulting in paint that chips and sheds over time.
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Things You'll Need
- Heavy-duty cleanser
- Mop bucket
- Towels
- Palm sander
- 220-grit sandpaper
- Blue painter's tape
- Acrylic latex primer
- Roller frame
- Nap roller cover
- 2- to 3-inch latex paintbrush
- Two-part epoxy or acrylic floor paint
- 3000 roller cover
Instructions
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1
Scrub the old bathroom tile with a heavy-duty cleanser of your choice. Rinse the old tile with a mop and bucket. Dry the cleaned tiles with towels.
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2
Stimulate adhesion by abrading the old tiles with sandpaper. Use a palm sander for better results. Do not stop sanding until the old tile feels rough to your fingertips.
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3
Cover areas adjacent to the bathroom tile with a low-tack blue painter's tape.
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4
Roll an acrylic primer onto the abraded bathroom tile. Use a nap roller cover. Attach an extension pole to the roller for easier application. Use a 2- to 3-inch latex paintbrush to apply primer and paint to areas inaccessible to the roller.
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5
Wait two hours for the acrylic primer to dry.
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6
Wash your painting tools using water.
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7
Roll a two-part epoxy or acrylic floor paint onto the primed bathroom tile. Use a 3,000 roller cover. Wait a minimum of six hours before walking onto the painted tile.
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Tips & Warnings
The older the bathroom tile is, the more likely it will be marred with grime and residue. Be sure to thoroughly clean the old tile, or you won't be able to achieve adequate primer adhesion.
Never use a plain acrylic latex paint to coat bathroom tile, or the finish will fail.
Do not paint over unabraded or unprimed wall or flooring tile, as the finish will chip.
