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Painted bathroom tiles

Ari
Having an Impact
Ari
Ari
Having an Impact

Using the Dulux Renovation Range transformed grey marble tiles into a clean and modern white.

 

 

Bath 2 After.jpg

 

The project

 

After seeing the great before and after from elmac, and receiving a large quote to rip out and redo my bathrooms, I decided I'd start a steady cosmetic renovation by painting the tiles. I figured if I had a bad result I'd suck it up and rip out and redo at some point. I had previously painted my ugly grey 1995 kitchen cupboards three years ago with White Knight Tile and Laminate Paint and had a good result.

 

This time I used the Dulux Renovation Range, using the white colour off the shelf with no tinting. My existing tiles were an off white colour with grey marbling.

 

I started by cleaning the tiles with a green scourer to ensure there was no soap residue. I then used my trusty Ozito 18V Detail Sander with 120 grit, followed by a light hand sand with 400 grit.

 

The painting process included the following:

 

 

 

 

All four coats took two days and two nights. I did a light hand sand using 400 grit between coats.

 

Tools and materials

 

  • Paint brush for cutting in. I used a 75mm and would suggest you also have a 20mm if you have to paint around taps that are close to the bath spout as I did. It's very easy to wash out with water

 

 

  • Teaspoon handle to open the paint tins

 

  • Old fork to stir the paints

 

  • Microfibre cloth to wipe away any paint drops

 

  • Old towel to put my paint tin on

 

  • Stanley knife – see tips below.

 

Tips for painting bathroom tiles

 

  • Make sure you remove any clear sealer and silicone. I didn't even notice that I had clear sealer until I realised the paint wasn't sticking along one edge. I thought I'd just do a few coats over the clear silicone and eventually the paint would stick, but it doesn't. It wasn't the end of the world but it was a bit annoying as I had to scrape off 2cm of paint and silicone on the edge, then re-prime and re-paint. Get your Stanley knife around the edges to check if you have clear silicone before you start priming.

 

  • There tends to be decent tile edges or space between surfaces, so I don't find it necessary to tape around the area if you have a steady hand.

 

  • As with all painting, go back and check a few times to make sure you don't have any drips, especially on grout lines. Use an unloaded roller over the end of each coat, which will help get rid of drips. I found this paint good quality and really easy to work with.

 

  • As others have found I had loads of paint left over so I did my kitchen splashback as well, which used up the rest of the white paint. I still have at least a third of a tin of the primer and clear coat left over.

 

  • The primer only has a pot life of three days, so if you're planning on doing more than one room with it, you'll need to at least prime the second room fairly quickly after the first. The white paint and clear coat has a pot life of 10 days.

 

That's it! It was easy to use and easy to do.  My result is not as dramatic as others as my tiles were a lightish colour anyway, but I'm ecstatic with the result which is way better than the photos show. It's a real brightener and the tiles look new.

 

Vanity Before.jpg

 

Vanity After.jpg

 

One month on, they are still looking great and I have just done my ensuite as well. I've also added white silicone to the corners and edges, which has really added a professional finish. I use a soft sponge instead of a scourer type sponge to clean. I am quick to spot clean as I'm still keen for them to look perfect, so nothing really sets in that requires scrubbing.

 

Before and after

 

Bath 1 Before.jpg

 

Bath 1 After.jpg

 

How to paint bathroom tiles

 

Painting tiles is an affordable way to refresh your bathroom. Learn how by following this step-by-step guide: How to paint bathroom tiles.

 

More bathroom inspiration

 

For more ideas and inspiration for your bathroom, check out our Top 10 most popular bathroom projects

Comments
Ari
Having an Impact

Six months later and I am pleased to report that my painted tiles are still looking perfect!

KevinMall
Making a Splash

Great work and a good well written article. 

mich1972
Kind of a Big Deal

@Ari  That’s amazing, what a difference it makes !! I love it. 

debbiemmr
Finding My Feet

I painted my tiles in the bathroom using the White Knight products. It looks great.

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