Colour and materialsHow-toInspirationPainting and decoratingStyles and trends

Restyling a room with one simple trick: Painting the tiles

kitchen with hand painted tiles with geometric grey pattern on them
Photo credit @little_savage_life

Are you looking for a simple and inexpensive way to transform your kitchen or bathroom without the hassle of a full refit? If so, then painting over tiles is the quick and budget-friendly way to completely restyle a space for incredible results.

Plant on table next to grey cabinet with washbasin in simple modern bathroom interior. Real photo

There are a few things you need to consider when painting tiles to redesign your room. Repainted tiles will last longest in a space that doesn’t get too wet, too often; think kitchen countertops or bathroom walls not splashbacks or shower surrounds. Decide on the finish you would like – gloss or matt; gloss is easier to clean but matt finishes are more contemporary. Lastly, choose your design; you could go for a block of bright colour to reinvigorate the space or let your creative side loose and use a stencil to create the appearance of new patterned tiles for a fraction of the price.

Close up of hands removing a decorative painting stencil with a vintage design from the floor tiles after successfully painted into grey.

4 Steps to Painting Tiles:

Close up view of new modern kitchen solid wood oak counter with built in black rectangular granite sink, repainted grey colour tile wall. Corner cupboard.

1 – Prepare the space; clear the area, lay dust sheets and stick masking tape along the tiled edge to protect walls. If you have bits of grout missing then use epoxy resin to fill these in before you paint

2 – Clean the tiles and grout with soap and water, making sure to let it dry completely

3 –  Sand down the surface of the tiles to take the gloss off, wipe clean afterwards

4 – Paint the tiles and grout, using a small roller to thinly and evenly apply tile paint. You will need to let it dry fully before adding another coat. Two or three coats should be enough. You could also add a clear lacquer as a final coat to prolong tile life.

If you want a bold statement use a contrasting colour for the grouting. It’ll take a steady hand but painting over the grout lines gives a definite wow factor.  

Black and white subway tiled kitchen with numerous plants on counter tops. The subway tile grouting has been painted black.

If you want an experienced hand for detailed and neat repainting you can find vetted, professional painters and tilers by posting your job on Rated People.

FIND A PAINTER

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button