If the tile has lost its original appearance, but the structure has retained its integrity, it is possible to refresh the old coating in a quite budgetary and quick way - painting. Having learned how to paint a tile, you can quickly and effectively eliminate minor defects in the finishing material or change the design of a bathroom.
A new coating can only be applied to the tiles located on the walls. You cannot paint on the ceiling or floor - because of the hot steam and water, the paint on these surfaces will begin to peel off.
Can tiles be painted with water-based paints? Such compositions are best suited for interior work, however, water-based paints are washed off with water, and therefore, rooms with high humidity are not suitable for a bathroom.
It is recommended to use acrylic and latex paints - they are also odorless, dry quickly and have a non-toxic composition, therefore they are suitable for finishing residential premises. Another good option is epoxies. However, the process of applying them requires some skills, and therefore, before painting the tiles, you should first practice on other surfaces.
Bathroom tile car paint is also good: it is specially designed for smooth surfaces and is resistant to high humidity. The dried coating can be washed and it will not lose its original appearance for a long time.
Oil paints are great for painting tiles - they lie flat, adhere well to a smooth surface, and retain their integrity for years. However, they dry long enough and have a pungent odor. It is not worth using them in residential premises.
Possible staining options
Tile staining optionsYou can paint the tiles in the bathroom in various ways, the most popular are the following:
- Complete staining. In this method, paint is applied to the entire installed tile, from floor to ceiling. Any paint is used for this purpose, it is allowed to repaint in the opposite of the original color.
- Partial. Only certain areas are painted - for example, if the wall was lined with plain tiles, the color of individual elements (stripes, checkerboard cells, etc.) change.
- Return of color. In this case, the color of the tiles does not change dramatically, but only returns it to its original brightness.
- Picture. Using a template or by hand, a pattern or pattern is applied to a tile previously painted in a base color or left untouched.
There are other options - tiles can serve as the basis for creating a panel or a picture on the whole wall, but in this case you need to have sufficient artistic skills, such projects are more difficult to implement, and therefore they are less popular.
Materials and tools
For work you will need:
- primer;
- paint for tiles, selected taking into account the recommendations;
- roller;
- brushes of different sizes;
- liquid detergent (e.g. Fairy);
- masking tape;
- sponge;
- polyethylene film;
- clean rags;
- vinegar or any liquid containing alcohol;
- sandpaper;
- water-based varnish (it will not turn yellow over the years, unlike usual);
- stencil or template for applying the pattern (if planned).
Surface preparation
In order for the paint to lay flat, the tiles must be prepared in advance.
Procedure:
- The surfaces are thoroughly cleaned from dust, dirt, soapy deposits, rust and limescale and other contaminants. To do this, the detergent is diluted in warm water and a sponge is passed over the entire area to be painted.
- The inter-tile seams and joints are qualitatively cleaned - if you leave dirt in them, mold will form there over time.
- Degrease the tile using a cloth moistened with alcohol or vinegar.
- Using fine-grained sandpaper, sand the surfaces so that the paint adheres more firmly.
- If the tiles are damaged (scratches, chips or cracks), they are sealed with a primer specially designed for this purpose.
Surface preparation before painting tiles Coloration
When the primer dries, with the help of film and masking tape, objects adjacent to the tiles and sections of the wall that are planned to be left intact are sealed.
The most convenient way to apply paint is with a foam roller - it provides an even distribution of paint over the surface, allows you to quickly paint large areas. This is convenient if you want to paint the entire wall with one color.
Monochrome staining
First, the first coat of paint is applied, which will serve as a base. When it is completely dry, proceed to applying the second. If the paint on the tile is different from what is planned to be applied, then a third coat may be required, otherwise the base will be visible under the new coating.
Monochrome staining of tiles Until the paint dries completely, it is not recommended to use the bathroom - water can blur the pattern, soap splashes or dust will remain on the paint, which will ruin the coating.
Painting tiles in different colors
You can apply a drawing to the wall. This can be done in different ways: by pre-painting the wall with a base color, and then using a stencil or drawing with a brush, or immediately applying a drawing to the tile, without pre-painting.
To make a pattern on a tile, the stencil is fixed with adhesive tape on the desired section of the wall, and then paint is applied with a roller, brush or sprayed from an aerosol can.
Drawing drawing
Drawing on a tile If you plan to apply a picture, then you will need to use brushes. It is better to choose those with soft bristles - hard bristles leave marks, and smears will be noticeable after drying.
Using a stencil
In hardware stores, you can find a lot of ready-made stencils for painting, with which you can transfer a wide variety of drawings and patterns to the bathroom wall.
However, if the assortment of finished products is not enough, you can make a stencil yourself. To do this, first print the picture or photo you like, and then transfer the image to a dense material (cardboard, for example). Cut carefully with scissors and use as normal.
It is most convenient to apply paint with a special foam pad for painting - with its help, the paint will lie flat, forming a smooth surface, while after the brush strokes remain visible.
Important! When using a foam pad, do not push too hard on it. Too much paint comes out of the tool when pressed, causing drips in the drawing.
Decorating tiles
Decorating tiles in the bathroom To create spectacular geometric patterns on the tiles, you can also use masking tape - glued to the desired areas, it will help to achieve clear and even lines. After removing such tape, no traces of glue remain on the surface.
3D effect
This method of decoration is increasingly used for decorating rooms, including the bathroom.
You can create a visually voluminous pattern or drawing with your own hands. This will require a gauze. Elements of the pattern are cut out from it, then they are glued onto surfaces prepared according to all the rules. Color the drawing area first with the base color. When the first layer is dry, apply a layer of paint to the entire wall using a roller, which differs from the previously used one by several tones. This technique allows you to achieve the best effect.
Varnish application
To keep the paint bright and not damaged over time, it is recommended to cover it with varnish. This measure will significantly increase the service life of the coating, and the water-based varnish, which is recommended for use during work, will not turn yellow over the years, but will retain its transparency.
To start varnishing surfaces only after the final drying of the paint. If you carry out the work immediately, stains will remain on the tile.
Tile painting is an affordable and easy way to dramatically transform your bathroom interior. It will not take much time and money to work, but the new coating will be durable and bright, and will last, if everything is done according to the instructions, about 10 years.
Everyone knows perfectly well that nothing in our life lasts forever, even a beautiful tile in a bathroom can someday become dull and ugly. The owners of such a tile will want to immediately replace it with a new one, but this is an additional cost. How about not throwing away the tiles, but updating them a little? There are many ways to renovate old tiles: applying vinyl decals, repairing individual tiles or seams, and painting bathroom tiles - either full or partial.
Painting is a great way to refresh old tiles
Cosmetic renovation of tiles
What good is this way? First, there is no need to destroy anything or rebuild everything. Just this wonderful method will suit those people who do not need to repair anything, and they want to create a unique interior in the kitchen or bathroom. For this option, you will need to buy such materials: paint for tiles in the bathroom or vinyl stickers.
Vinyl wrap
If you're unsure of what to cover your bathroom tiles with, vinyl can help. Vinyl is a waterproof and inexpensive building material for tile repair. At the moment, in hardware stores there is a colossal selection of stickers with a variety of designs that amaze the human imagination. Thanks to modern technology, even photographs can be applied to vinyl film. Such a film will hide all the inaccuracies of the tile.
First, we prepare the surface of the old tile for gluing by simple washing with an ordinary detergent. Next, we transfer the vinyl film, which has an adhesive base, to the tile.
We begin to glue the vinyl film from the middle, smoothing it to the edges, so that wrinkles and irregularities do not form.
Painting tile - sequence of actions
How to paint bathroom tiles? Immediately, we say that only tiles on the walls and on the ceiling (if any) are subject to painting. The tiles on the floor are constantly exposed to moisture - wet stains from the shower, water accidentally splashed from the washbasin. And therefore it will not be possible to paint the floor tiles so that such paint is preserved for a long time. In order to prepare the tile for painting, you must first wash it and treat the surface with an abrasive. Basically, sandpaper is used for such a case. It is necessary to thoroughly clean the tiles so that there is no mold and dirt. It is the abrasive that can not only remove the dirt that has eaten, but also polish it - this is how the glossy surface will leave.
If there are broken tiles on the walls, it is better to replace or fix them before painting. Remember that paint will be difficult to adhere to a glossy surface - so rub the finished surface well with sandpaper.
Bathroom tiles will be painted as follows. Newspapers or unnecessary cardboard are placed on the floor. We begin to prime the finished tile surface (we select the primer to match the paint). Give some time to dry the primer. You should take a primer that will not be afraid of moisture and will be able to withstand high levels of humidity. This will extend the life of the paint.
After the primer has dried, paint on it. How to process bathroom tiles? You can buy glossy and semi-matt emulsion paints to create a glossy finish and are easier to apply. But it is worth remembering that it is not so durable. If you want a more durable finish, you can paint the old bathroom tiles with oil paint. But it will be a little more difficult to apply, but this paint will last much longer.
Painting the tiles in the bathroom is done in thin layers - and each of them should have time to dry well. The number of layers of paint will depend on the result you want.
Remember that it is better to make several thin layers than one, but thick, because thin layers will lay better, which will provide a high-quality and durable coating. As you can see in the photo, high-quality painted tiles are stylish and beautiful. And most importantly, this way of updating the bathroom is a budget option.
What about the seams?
Light inter-tile seams, one might say, are the most vulnerable place in the entire cladding, they quickly darken, lose color, becoming covered with a dark coating. There are three main ways to refresh tile joints quickly and easily:
- Just paint - the simplest and most affordable way, but at the same time, the most unreliable and longest. To do this, you can use either a simple paint or a special marker, the main thing that needs to be done before painting is to clean the tiles and the seams themselves with a detergent and dry thoroughly, otherwise the paint will not fall. The only drawback is that in the case of using paint, an unpleasant smell will remain for some time.
- Treat with vinegar solution - if the inter-tile seams darken and spots of a bluish or greenish color appear on them, then most likely it is mold. The easiest way to clean mold from tile joints is to use a weak vinegar solution. Simply wipe the seams gently with a hard cloth or sponge.
- Replace grout - the most difficult, but at the same time, the most reliable and most effective way is to replace the grout. Carefully peel off the top coat of the old grout and apply a fresh new coat.
How to renovate bathroom tiles with spot repairs?
If for some reason you decide not to make cosmetic repairs to the tiles and not to paint the tiles in the bathroom, then you can resort to partial replacement of the damaged areas. This replacement includes the replacement of some individual tiles or tile joints.
Replacing damaged tiles
Are your tiles chipped or cracked? Then you cannot do without replacing it. To do this, you need to buy the same tile or the one that will be most suitable in its appearance.
The hardest part about replacing old tiles is removing them.
First you need to remove the inter-tile grout, then remove the damaged tile. After such procedures, we remove the old glue and treat the tile surface with a special primer, which is designed for deep penetration. We give time for it to dry. Then we apply glue, lay the new tile, leveling it. We fill the seams with special grout.
As you can see, if you wish, you can easily and simply update the tiles in the bathroom. Painting a tile in a bathroom requires attention and accuracy, but in general it is a process that is much easier than a complete new tile or even replacing parts of it.
When the appearance of a kitchen apron gets boring, there is an irresistible desire to change something about it. Moreover, it should be changed so that not to undertake large-scale repairs, and to manage with small means. It is the painting of tiles that is the most acceptable option here. And how to do all this quickly, accurately and aesthetically, will be discussed below.
What is this article about
The need to stain the tile
Although this method of decorating a room comes to mind, in fact, many do not know for sure whether it is possible to paint the tiles in the kitchen. This method is really not quite common. Therefore, it is worth noting especially in which cases there may be a need for such an emergency mini-repair of kitchen ceramics.
- Renovation of the kitchen space from an aesthetic point of view. The dyeing method is the most elementary and low-cost of all, therefore it is ideal for quickly transforming the kitchen, bathroom and any other room, wherever it is needed. With this approach, it is possible to radically change the design of walls and floors without unnecessary hassle and dust;
- Change of furniture. Replacement of furniture elements inevitably entails replacement of wall and floor cladding. This option involves changing the color of the tiles according to the new design project;
- A change in style in the interior entails a revision of all existing types of finishes. Including - the appearance of ceramic tiles;
- The need to mask tile defects. Painting certain areas of the tile allows you to hide small flaws in the coating that have arisen during its intensive use. Moreover, you can do this completely independently, you just need to be able to hold a brush in your hands and use paint;
- Applying decor to a tiled surface allows you to complement the design with some colorful pattern and even an image.
It doesn't take much to decide to paint an apron. The main thing is to get creative inspiration and create your own, albeit small, but a masterpiece, where a flat ceramic surface will act as a canvas.
Choosing a coloring agent
In order for nothing to distract from the process, paint should be selected and purchased in advance. Since we are talking about a residential apartment, especially about a kitchen, then preference in this case should be given to the following types of compositions:
- acrylic - bright shades, easy to use;
- epoxy - quick-drying, odorless compounds;
- auto enamels - ideal for smooth surfaces, including ceramics.
If you need to achieve the preservation of the gloss of the composition, then it makes sense to choose a glossy paint.
Satin semi-matt paint is also a good choice. Sweats and dirt on it do not attract much attention. An attractive velvety effect is created.
Enamel is best purchased from a well-known manufacturer with a proven track record. There is no need to spare money here, because in cheap paints the presence of low-quality substances is possible, some of which, under concomitant circumstances, are capable of producing toxins. And this is possible in the kitchen, since the apron is heated by the stove.
Many paints are suitable for coloring the tiles, the range of which in the construction supermarket is large. If it is not at all clear what to choose, you should consult the seller. He will definitely tell you the right option.
Any expensive brand of paint is also suitable for these purposes, along with special compositions. A good effect can be achieved by choosing car enamel.
Preparation of materials
Painting ceramics itself is not difficult. Especially if the materials were chosen correctly.
To paint a ceramic surface, you need to stock up on the following materials:
- primer mixture (for example, epoxy);
- ceramic paint;
- rollers;
- a set of brushes with different bristles;
- gloves for hand protection.
Tile staining instruction
The entire staining process consists of a series of sequential steps. By sticking to them, you can create a new decor for a kitchen apron with your own hands.
- First of all, the tiles are cleaned of all sorts of dirt - stains, grease, splashes, various deposits on the apron. This is usually done with warm water and any dish detergent (from laundry soap to imported gels, for example, Fairy). Or, a soap solution is prepared from the product for processing tiles. Either they moisten the matter, and the product is dripped onto a cloth and applied to the surface of the tile, and rubbed;
- Having washed off the soap solution from the wall, it is treated with a weak vinegar solution or an alcohol-containing substance;
- The cleaned ceramic surface is sanded with fine-grained emery paper;
- A primer is applied to the tile, carefully passing along the inter-seam intervals;
- Allow the tiles to dry, pause for one day. Then the dry surface is well sanded, which will allow the paint to reliably adhere to the primer layer;
- The soil and paints are applied exactly as much as it will take for a one-time treatment. Paint is applied to the second layer again. This is done so that the compositions do not lose their properties while in the open state. The best effect is obtained by a composition that is consumed within the time specified by the manufacturer (usually up to 6 hours).
The staining procedure is performed by applying uniform strokes. After applying the first layer of paint, the surface is left alone for a while - it takes about 12 hours to dry.
After the first layer has dried, the second is applied. For which they impose another portion of the dye composition, mix it well and begin to apply it. The sleeve at the roller is carefully cleaned of paint or put on a new one that is not stained.
If the task is to obtain a dark coating, then a third layer is applied. However, the previous one is allowed to dry completely before this.
If you plan to perform a small image on the wall or paint individual elements of the apron, then choose not a roller, but a set of brushes. At the same time, to create a lightweight texture and relief of the pattern, use a brush with a soft bristle, because hard brushes leave grooves from the bristles when staining.
The work is also carried out in two stages. First, apply a base coat of paint, and then apply the second one with perpendicular strokes. For a pattern, one overlay of paint is enough, but then it is recruited into the brush in a slightly larger amount and put a little thicker.
After finishing painting, the ceramic surface is dried for three days. To make the drying process of the coating faster, the room is kept at a temperature. Freezing of the coating in the cold takes longer. When processing a large surface, the work can be distributed over several passes, so as not to block access to the premises for a long time.
Selecting an image on a tile
What can you embody on a tile with your own paint? There are a lot of options for the creative process, they cannot be only because of the narrow thinking of the decorator-artist himself. However, the ideas for design still exist and you can borrow them. After all, based on ready-made solutions, it is always easier to create your own unique creations.
- Total coloring of ceramic tiles with a complete color change;
- Updating the color of the tile provides for the preservation of the existing background, but with some deviation - it should freshen up and become more dynamic. It is allowed to select not the entire background, but individual elements on the cladding;
- Complementing a single-color finish with a pattern or ornament;
- Picture. This idea is applicable to interior decoration in the same style. To do this, attention is focused on individual fragments of floor or wall tiles or on the corner of the room. To create a highly artistic image (still life, landscape, portrait), special drawing skills are required.
Image protection on ceramics
An image applied to a ceramic base requires special protection against aggressive external factors. In particular, protection requires a drawing that is located in a room with fluctuating humidity conditions (in a bathroom, bathroom, kitchen).
To prevent rapid abrasion of the pattern, a layer or two of varnish is applied over it. To do this, use a water-based composition. The drying time of such a composition is short, moreover, it does not emit specific odors into the environment. And the colorless film he creates on the surface of the tile has a good degree of strength. For residential premises, this is a suitable composition.
Even a person who is not naturally endowed with artistic talent can paint the surface of the tile. To do this, you only need to choose simpler solutions and be able to apply strokes with a roller or brush. And for creative people, a ceramic surface for painting is a wide field for the manifestation of abilities. Moreover, the staining tile can not only renew externally, but also create something completely new and unexpected on it.
Floor tile paint allows you to change the design of the room without resorting to major repairs. This happens over time, as a result of which taste and fashion change.
With its help, you can not only change the color of the floor, but also depict on it any pattern that the owner likes.
This is possible thanks to a wide range of paints, ideal for working with tiles or porcelain stoneware. However, not all types of paints and varnishes are suitable for this situation.
What is it for?
Many people, upon hearing about this method of changing the interior of a room, are perplexed: why paint a coating that does not require such processing?
These design methods are not so popular, therefore most people hear about them for the first time. Although there are a number of reasons why staining floor tiles is gaining popularity:
For coloring the tile, it is not always necessary to take into account the need for a procedure. Enough desire and creative imagination.
The information regarding the staining of the tiles applies only to closed rooms located inside the apartment. Moreover, the surface temperature of such floors is always positive.
When choosing the best option, it is recommended to give preference to acrylics, since they are the most convenient and easy to use, or epoxy compounds, which tend to dry quickly and practically do not smell. If we consider the possible types in more detail, the following conclusions can be drawn:
| № | Paint type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alkyd enamel | All analogs have excellent adhesion to the surface of interest. However, their use is practiced only in dry rooms and only for tiled walls. Alkyd enamels are not used as a material for flooring due to their low wear resistance. The base must be primed before painting. |
| 2 | Polyurethane | All epoxy formulations have good adhesion to all types of substrates. Separately, one-component urethane enamel based on an organic solvent can be distinguished. The main difference from water-dispersion or alkyd-urethane compounds is their unique resistance to abrasive wear. In addition, such paint does not flake off when the substrate temperature and room humidity changes. Pre-priming of the surface is carried out only with a special composition on an organic solvent. |
| 3 | Epoxy | Paints and varnishes made using epoxy resin, after drying, forms a strong and hard protective film on the surface. The composition adheres perfectly to any substrate and protects it favorably from moisture. Only a composition similar to that used for painting with polyurethane paint is used as a primer. |
| 4 | Latex water dispersion | Good adhesion of aqueous dispersion and acrylic resin allows the compounds to be applied to glass, concrete, tiles, porcelain stoneware. For staining a dry room, you can use an acrylic-latex compound. In this case, the floor will need to be waterproofed using so-called rubber paints. In comparison with polyurethane compounds, they are identical in terms of wear resistance, while dispersion ones do not have a pungent odor and are completely safe for humans both during application and during operation. Painting is carried out without preliminary priming. |
The choice of color scheme is often of paramount importance. In this case, you can buy a classic white color and mix it with the color you are interested in. This method is especially suitable for people with creative imagination.
Varnish treatment
After the tile has been successfully painted, it is recommended to cover it with a layer of varnish to protect the paint layer.
The need for such actions is explained by the fact that even the most wear-resistant composition loses its properties over time and wears out under constant load and exposure to water, therefore, in order to obtain a high-quality and reliable coating, it is imperative to protect it in this way.
The varnish that will be applied to the floor must meet certain requirements.
First of all, if you do not want to change the appearance of a freshly painted surface, it should be as transparent as possible after drying, and when interacting with paint, it will not change its color.
It is desirable to use oil-based formulations, however, it should be borne in mind that when solidified, it may turn slightly yellow.
This effect is often used to add extra depth to a surface. In addition, the varnish must have adequate wear resistance and not wear off earlier than the period specified by the manufacturer. For detailed instructions on staining, see this video:
It is advisable to specify the specific period of service of the trains in advance. You can find out about them from the characteristics of the formulations given on the product packaging, or directly from the seller.
Do not forget to degrease the tiles before painting. The process of staining the tile itself is quite simple. If there is a desire to transform the room, this will not require much effort, and even a person who has never been involved in similar work before can cope with the process.
As a result, you will not only get a changed interior of the room, but also cheer yourself up without turning the apartment into a construction site.