How to Paint Ceramic Tile

How to Paint Ceramic Tile

If you follow the instructions, you’ll enjoy years of life in your painted ceramic tile.

Put on rubber gloves and cover any areas with a drop cloth near where you’ll be painting. Use painter’s tape to mask off the area and protect the surrounding walls.

How to Paint Ceramic Tile

Repair any cracks or imperfections in the grout or tile. Allow the repair to dry for at least 48 hours before proceeding.

Using a very fine grit sandpaper, sand the surfaces of the ceramic tile to break the gloss and allow the new coat of paint to stick. Take care to avoid pressing too hard. You don’t want to scratch into the tile.

Wipe off all dry dust. Clean up the surrounding area.

Even if it looks clean, clean the tile thoroughly with a heavy-duty solution of TSP, also known as Trisodium Phosphate. Add ¼ to ½ cup of TSP with a gallon of water and mix well. Apply the solution to the area you’ll be painting with a sponge, starting at the bottom and working up. Let the solution sit on the tile surface for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the built-up soil, soap scum, or hard water deposits. Use a cleaning pad to scrub every area of the tile that’s to be painted.

Rinse the surface several times and remove all residue of the TSP solution. Allow the tile to dry completely, then wipe with denatured alcohol to remove any little bit of dirt or residue that remains.

How to Paint Ceramic Tile

Use a paint brush to cut the primer coat to the edges of the area, including around baseboards, cabinets, walls, ceilings, and appliances. Follow this procedure with both coats of thin primer and two coats of thin finish paint.

Using the low-nap short roller, carefully apply one thin coat of primer, taking care not to push too hard on the roller. Roll the paint roller in all directions to avoid any edge marks and keep the surface smooth. Let the first primer coat dry thoroughly for several hours.

How to Paint Ceramic Tile

Cut in around the edges with a paint brush and roll on the second thin primer coat.

Let the second coat of primer dry overnight.

If there are any noticeable paint lines on the surface, lightly sand to smooth the area. Wipe off all dust.

Cut in the first coat of finish paint with a paint brush and apply a thin coat of finish paint with the roller. Let dry completely.

Cut in the second coat of finish paint with a paint brush. Apply a second thin coat of finish paint with the roller. Let dry completely.

If desired, paint the grout lines with a contrast paint and a small artist brush.

To seal the newly painted ceramic tile surface, top coat with a fine quality urethane finish.

Let dry about 2 weeks to achieve the hardest surface and allow the paint to dry and totally cure.

Now that wasn’t so bad, was it? If you follow the instructions, the surface can last for years.