Painting ceramic tile is an excellent way to update a bathroom. Older bathrooms especially may have outdated colors and patterns on the walls, but on ceramic tile that's still in good shape. The idea of removing all that tile and starting with a clean slate can quickly make you decide that the ugly tile's not so bad after all! You don't have to compromise anymore. You can change the room by painting ceramic tile a color that you want.

Bear in mind that painting ceramic tile that's on the walls will work fine. But tile in the tub or shower enclosure will have to be replaced if you want to change it. Any area where the tile will be constantly wet won't work for painting. Professionals have special chemicals and supplies that will allow them to essentially refinish tile in those areas. But for the home DIYer, painting ceramic tiles should be limited to those on the regular bathroom walls.

Preparation

No paint will stick to a shiny ceramic tile for very long, so the surface must be roughed. Using a tile cleaner with a tiny bit of abrasive in it, get the tile as sparkling as you possibly can. Make sure all the grout is secure and remove any mildew stains. If a cracked tile is present, now's the time to replace it. With a 200-220 grit sandpaper on an orbital sander (or any sander of your choice), remove the shine from the tile. Be sure to get the corners. If you miss any spots on the tile, the paint won't adhere in those areas. So be thorough with the sanding, and then remove all the dust from the tile.

You'll want paint thinners and rags handy to clean up after yourself, both to fix quick mistakes and to clean your supplies, because you'll be using oil-based paint. Latex is cheaper, easier to work with and less messy, but the finish won't be as durable as it would be with oil-based paint. Unless you're looking forward to painting ceramic tile again in a short amount of time, oil-based paint is well worth the extra cost and hassle.

Priming and Painting Ceramic Tile

Get the best adhesion primer you can afford, and go with oil based. First use a brush for the corners and then a short-nap roller. Take your time and get the smoothest coat you can. Let the coat dry and then prime with a second coat.

After this has dried overnight, use 220 grit sandpaper to lightly go over the surface. The object is to catch anything you created while priming. Don't sand the primer away, just flatten any bumps or lines. Use oil-based semi-gloss or high-gloss paint as your top coat, to get an amazingly durable finish. Several thinner coats are better than one or two thick ones. Be sure to let each coat dry thoroughly before you start the next one. Painting ceramic tile isn't difficult but you do need to follow some basic steps to ensure great results and fantastic new look for your bathroom.

Photo Credits: Celeste33

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Categories:

Ceramic, Handy Man, Tile

Tags:

abrasive, amount of time, bathroom walls, ceramic tile, clean slate, cracked tile, good shape, grit sandpaper, Grout, hassle, mildew stains, oil based paint, orbital sander, paint thinners, painting ceramic tiles, priming, rags, shower enclosure, time oil, tiny bit