A guide to painting bathroom tiles

Don’t forget, you’ll need the best tools for painting bathroom tiles. Here’s a simple list:

• Bathroom tile paint

• Dust sheets

• Masking tape

• Sugar soap

• Scouring pad

• Mould remover

• Sandpaper (no more than 240 grit)

• Random orbital sander

• Dust mask

• Filler

• Primer

• Paintbrushes & rollers

• Grout whitener pen (if necessary)

• Silicone sealant (if necessary)

Before you start painting your tiles, it’s important to lay down a dust sheet to protect your floors and fittings. It’s also a good idea to apply masking tape around the edges of the area you’re painting to prevent the paint from bleeding further than you’d like it to. This will also help to create a crisp, straight line.

Use a mix of sugar soap and warm water to clean the tiles, working it into the surface with a scouring pad. They’ll need to be completely free of dust and grease before you begin painting. If your grout needs a deeper clean, apply grout cleaner or mould remover to the grout lines with an old toothbrush. Leave the solution on the wall for a few minutes before rinsing it off with a wet sponge, then allow the tiles to completely dry before continuing to the next step.

You may need to sand your tiles to make sure the paint adheres to them properly. To do this, use fine sandpaper (no more than 240 grit) and a random orbital sander to give the tiles an even finish. When sanding, we recommend wearing a dust mask to prevent inhalation of dust and debris. And once you’re finished, remember to re-clean your tiles to get rid of any dust from the sanding process.

If the sanding reveals grout that’s wearing away or has moulded beyond repair, we recommend removing it and filling in any gaps with new grout or filler. This is also the best time to replace any tiles that have major damage or cracking, as this will likely be visible after paint application.

Apply a tile-suitable primer to your freshly cleaned tiles. This will help to create a smooth base for your paint to adhere to, creating an even finish that may not need as many paint coats as a non-primed surface. When applying the primer, use a brush at first to make sure you cut into all the grout lines and corners, before going over your application with a microfibre roller to get an even finish.

We recommend using a high-adhesion, multi-surface primer that’s designed for tiles or glossy/non-porous surfaces.

Please note: some paints, like Dulux Tile Paint, may be self-undercoating - you can skip the priming step if this is the case.

Once your primer is fully dry, it’s time to paint. You can use a brush or roller to paint onto the tiles, but we’d recommend using a roller for larger areas, and a brush in trickier areas. If you use a brush for the larger areas, you may be at risk of leaving visible brushstroke marks.

Similarly, with the wrong type of roller, you could be left with an unwanted painted texture, so make sure to use a foam or short-pile roller to get an even finish. Pour your waterproof bathroom tile paint into a tray, load it up with paint, and roll it onto the tiles, starting at the top of the wall and working towards the bottom.

Top tip: paint your bathroom tiles vertically for the first coat and horizontally for the second so no directional lines are visible when dry.

During the process, it’s likely you’ll paint the grout between your bathroom tiles, but if this isn’t the look you’re going for, you can use a grout whitener pen to maintain the contrast between darker tiles and lighter grout. Just run the pen along the gaps to whiten them.

You may also need to apply silicone sealant over the paint in areas that may get wet, e.g. where the bath and sink meet the wall.

The short answer here is no. Paint will have a hard time properly adhering to silicone sealant or silicone grout, meaning that it won’t be long before it starts peeling. Instead, remove the silicone and replace it with a paintable alternative.

This depends on how well the tiles were prepared before painting, the type and quality of paint you use, and how often the paint will be subjected to heavy use. But usually, painted tiles can last for several years.

If you’re painting your bathroom tiles grey, we recommend opting for neutral shades to complement this on the non-tiled walls. Try crisp white, taupe or a dusky pink to add some colour to the room.

There are a few things you can try to remover tile paint. For smaller areas, try gently scraping it off with a utility knife or by dampening the surface with a white vinegar solution to soften the pant first. For larger areas or more stubborn patches, use a heat gun to loosen the paint and then scrape it away. If all else fails, a chemical paint stripper will be your best best bet. Simply follow the instructions provided on the solution.

Yes, ceramic tiles can be painted. It’s a popular way of refreshing the bathroom without a full refurbishment.

We recommend opting for specialist tile paint which is either two-part epoxy or a high-quality water-resistant enamel paint.

There’s pros and cons to using both types of paints.

Epoxy Paint

Pros: Durable, waterproof, chemical, scratch and impact-resistant

Cons: Can be hard to apply, and may soften in high temperatures

Acrylic Paint

Pros: Easy to apply and a varied choice in shades

Cons: Is known for being less durable than epoxy, as well as being more prone to chips, scratches, staining. May also require frequent touch ups for appearance and moisture resistance.

You’ll need to properly clean and dry the tiles before painting, as well as use a mould-resistant primer and paint that’s suitable for bathroom use. You should also ventilate the room before and after painting, and regularly maintain the paintwork after completion.

Yes, but you’ll need to properly prep the existing paintwork with a clean, sand and prime.