How To Paint Bathroom Tile

One of the advantages of tile is its permanency. Once properly installed, grouted and sealed, the tile is there to stay. This longevity can also be a drawback when it loses its luster, or you’re just tired of it, because demolishing tile is a major project. Rather than go to all the trouble, many homeowners choose to leave the tile as is and paint it instead. As someone who’s painted tile several times, I can tell you it’s an easy and cost-effective way to give bathroom tile a fresh, new look.

Here to help explain how to paint bathroom tile are two industry experts: Rachel Otto from Fleury Lumber and Doug Curving from Sherwin Williams.

Can You Paint Bathroom Tile?

“Painting tile is pretty straightforward,” Curving says. There are, however, some important considerations.

Prep work is more intensive when painting tiles. The high gloss finish must be cleaned and scuffed with sandpaper before you paint. “Like any other painting project, you want the surface to be clean, dull and dry,” Curving says.

Both pros point to a good bonding primer as crucial to successfully painting tile. “Think of it as a paint equivalent of glue,” Curving says. Primer bonds to the glossy tile surface, then the paint bonds to the primer.

Regarding paint, Curving and Otto agree that once a good bonding primer is applied, any interior acrylic wall paint can be used as a top coat. “For better durability, choose a higher quality paint,” Curving says. I always use Benjamin Moore’s Regal interior paint when painting tile.

Avoid painting tile with cracks or crumbling grout. Consider covering less-than-perfect tile with a vinyl liner or wall panel.

Pros of Painting Bathroom Tile

There are lots of benefits to painting bathroom tile.

• Cheap and easy upgrade: Bathroom paint on tile provides a fast upgrade for your bathroom walls at a fraction of the cost of replacement. “Painting it is a much more economical way to give your bathroom a facelift,” Otto says.
• Color control: You have hundreds of colors to choose from. If you make the wrong choice, you can always repaint.
• Design flexibility: You don’t have to go for a solid color, although that’s the easiest approach. If you want, use a stencil to create painted patterns on the tile.
• Easier cleaning: When you paint the grout as well as the tile, which is recommended, you’ll avoid cleaning moldy grout lines in the future.

How To Paint Bathroom Tile

As with any painting job, the quality and longevity depend on the prep work. Additionally, the importance of using a quality bonding primer can’t be overstated.

Here’s a quick overview of the prep and painting procedure:

• Do an initial cleaning: Wash the tile thoroughly with a solution of 1/2-cup trisodium phosphate (TSP) per gallon of warm water. This strong detergent really cuts through grease or soap scum. Wear gloves and goggles. Rinse the tile and let it dry.
• Sand the tile: “If it’s a really glossy tile, scuff it a bit to take off the gloss,” Otto says. Use a handheld orbital sander, with 120-grit sandpaper and sand the entire area you plan to paint. If you have a textured tile, skip this step.
• Clean again: Wipe down the entire area you sanded thoroughly with a damp rag to remove sanding dust.
• Lay drop cloths and mask with tape: Put drop cloths (preferably canvas) on the floor to catch drips. Lay painter’s tape around the perimeter of the wall or backsplash and cover anything you don’t want to paint, like faucet handles or soap dishes.
• Apply a coat of primer: Use a high-quality bonding primer like Benjamin Moore’s Insl-X Stix. Apply it with a four-inch roller fitted with a foam roller or 3/8-inch nap roller. Keep an angled brush handy for cutting in, painting around obstructions and filling in voids left by the roller. “Make sure to use a brush on the grout lines, too,” Curving says, “because a roller may not do a good job of getting into the textured areas.”
• Paint the first coat: Wait for the primer to dry according to the manufacturer’s recommended time frame. Apply the first coat of paint with a four-inch roller with a foam roller or 3/8-inch nap roller. “Using a foam roller gives the tile a smooth, airbrushed finish,” Otto says. Curving recommends using a satin or gloss finish paint for washability.
• Paint the second coat: Wait for the first coat to dry according to the manufacturer’s recommended time frame, then apply a second coat.

How Long Does Tile Paint Last?

Eight to ten years, depending on the paint and room use.

“As long as the paint is put on correctly, it will hold up as long as any paint will,” Otto says. If you’ve done your prep work properly, it shouldn’t crack or peel, so you can always freshen it with a new coat.

FAQ’s

Is it better to paint or replace bathroom tiles?

It depends. If you’re on a tight budget, the tile is in good shape and just needs an updated color, then painting is the better option. If, on the other hand, your tile is cracked, with crumbling grout and you absolutely hate it? Replacing it is the better choice.

Can paint in the shower cause mold?

No. Excessive moisture and poor ventilation in the bathroom cause mold. However, Otto cautions to “make sure your grout does not have mold or mildew before painting it, or the mold can continue to grow underneath the paint.”

About the Experts

Rachel Otto is a Benjamin Moore paint specialist at Fleury Lumber in Easthampton, Massachusetts.

Doug Curving is a sales service representative for Sherwin-Williams with Lowe’s business unit. He has more than 20 years of experience in the paint industry.