How to paint wall tiles

When moving into a new home, it's common to find that the decor is not quite to your taste, especially when it comes to the tiles in the kitchen or bathroom. Even if you put the tiles up in the first place, it may be some years since you made your choice! Of course, trends change over time and you might feel your tiles are looking a bit outdated.

Wall tiles, whether they cover the whole wall or just part of it, are designed to be strong and to last. Tiling a wall involves a lot of time and effort. So why not leave your tiles in place and instead breathe a bit of fresh life into them? Your best option in this case is simply to paint your tiles.  The process is fairly quick and easy and you'll avoid having to carry out any major work.

Required skills

Painting tiles is a straightforward process that does not require any particular skills. A bit of precision and patience is all you need!

Time required 

It all depends on the size of the surface you want to paint. For a bathroom wall, for example, set aside a good hour to apply one coat of paint. You'll then need to wait several hours for the first coat to dry before applying a second coat, bearing in mind that drying times vary from paint to paint.

Number of people required

1 person

Steps

1. Prepare the wall

2. Apply an undercoat

3. Apply the tile paint

4. Clean up and finishing touches

Tools and equipment

• Special tile paint

• An edging brush and roller

• A paint mixer and masking tape

• A paint tray

• Acetone (or another degreasing product) and a sponge

• Dust sheets

• Gloves and a mask

This step should never be skipped as it helps the paint to adhere properly to the surface.

Start by simply cleaning your tiles. To do so, use a degreaser (such as acetone) and sponge to rub down the tiles before leaving to dry.

Next, protect your floors with dust sheets or plastic film to avoid paint splashes.

Stick masking tape around any furniture that is connected to the wall as well as the joint between the wall and ceiling.

It's not always necessary to apply an undercoat as many types of paint already contain a primer in their formula. This will help you to save a fair bit of time so keep this mind mind when choosing a paint! It simply depends on the type of paint you choose and the manufacturer's recommendations.

If you do have to apply an undercoat, the process is exactly the same as the one described below.

Start by mixing the paint well with a mixer before pouring it into your paint tray.

Use a paint brush to apply paint to all corners and the edges around any furniture.

Continue to apply the paint in small areas. Pay special attention to the grout to ensure that the paint adheres properly.

Finish off the paintwork with a roller working in sweeping motions from top to bottom then side to side to spread the paint evenly over the full surface.

Remember to consult the drying times before you attempt to apply a second coat of paint. This will help you to achieve a perfect finish.

You can now proceed to removing the masking tape. If you've gone over the edges in places, clean up with a cloth soaked with water or white spirit, depending on the type of paint you've applied.

Remove the various items you've used to protect your bathroom furniture, floor, shower tray, and so on.

Clean the brush, paint tray, paint grid and, if you have any paint left, place some cling film inside the pot just above the paint and close the pot properly. Get rid of any rubbish (masking tape, protective sheets, etc.).