Have you ever painted your tiles white only to find them yellow after only a few months? Have you had a similar experience with the roof tiles who began peeling off not long after the color was applied? That’s the kind of work that involves investing in both your money and time.
Having freshly-colored stairs, kitchen, or roof is a very great satisfaction. It looks fresh, clean, and even. No dirt has collected and you don’t see the testaments of time such as scratches. The better paint you get, the longer you will be able to enjoy the benefits and aesthetics that come with quality paint. Not all paints are suitable for all materials, neither should all of them be used indoors or outdoors. If you aren’t sure how to distinguish between them, or you are curious to find out more about the features of the paints, make sure to read the Buyer’s guide too – not just reviews.
1)Johnstones Revive Tile Paint 750ml Pale Grey
This Pale Grey paint can be very helpful when you are applying it to the tiles – they will look new and fresh. Furthermore, the dust and similar particles that stick to the tiles won’t be easily visible since the pale gray doesn’t contrast the usual light grayish color of dust. This can keep the room looking clean even if you don’t have time to dedicate to cleaning it on a daily basis. It can be a good choice for the kitchen or perhaps a bathroom if it matches the color scheme. It’s easy to use and it can be applied directly on tiles so you don’t need to get another can of primer – just apply it and wait for it to dry.
2)Dulux Tile Paint Pure Brilliant White
This White Paint is a great choice for a bathroom if you are in a need of a glossy finish. Firstly, it will match with everything you have. Secondly, it dries very quickly but you have to clean the tiles thoroughly before application. It’s very easy to apply and it may take around three to four coats but it will cover tiles of any color. If you need a quick fix for your bathroom situation, this might be the solution that you are looking for.
3) Rustins BRITW250 Quick Dry Brick & Tile
This paint is matt-red colored and acrylic, which makes her perfectly suitable for brick and tile applications. It can be used both inside and outside, and if you are in the need of a paint that dries quickly, this is the one for you. It’s pigmented with red oxide and this feature gives it a great opacity. It’s also helpful when it comes to durability, which also makes it a good choice for the roof tile paint. The coat is usually touch-dry after thirty minutes, and you can apply another coat in four hours. If you don’t have a lot of time to get all of the work done – this is great go-to paint. It also has great coverage, 14m² per liter.
4)Fresh Up Renovation Paint Wall Tile
We love this paint because it can be used on numerous surfaces. It’s mostly made for indoor use, but its primary function is to provide an easy and quick layer of paint, both via roller or by the brush. It doesn’t require a primer, it usually requires two coats, and it dries very quickly – it takes around 24hrs to dry totally. It can be mixed with water if you want it to be more transparent, but what’s even better is that it can be mixed with other colors to create the one that you want and refresh your home. Since it’s white, it’s most likely going to be used for bathroom, but bear in mind that if you are going to paint walls of your shower cabin, you should find another paint – this one shouldn’t be used on the surfaces that are often in touch with water. Before applying, make sure that the surface that you plan on painting is thoroughly cleaned.
5)Johnstone’s 307950 Paint for Bricks, Tiles and doorsteps
This is the paint for those that wish to refresh their outdoor surroundings. It offers a matt finish, which isn’t unusual when it comes to the outdoors. It also has two features that we love – it will protect the surface that it’s applied to, and it’s weather-resistant. This will add to the longevity of your bricks or tiles. If you want, you can use it on a variety of surfaces: concrete, roof tiles, brick, and many more. It dries quite fast – it will be dry in 24 hours. It’s touch-dry in about half an hour, but you should let it dry much longer before applying anything else.
6)Rustins STBLW500 Quick Dry Step & Tile
Rustin’s black paint may be a great choice for many reasons. Firstly, it’s black – this is the color that’s most widely used to bring elegance into the surroundings. If used tactically, it can refresh your home effectively without any further investments. Secondly, it’s quick-drying and it contains special pigments. That’s why it covers surfaces very effectively, so there’s no need for more layers. It’s important that you don’t use this paint on glazed tiles, so if that’s your case – keep looking. This paint is acrylic based and it can be used both inside and outside, but it’s made for tiles, concrete, and bricks. If you plan on applying it outdoors, make sure that the weather is sunny with no sight of rain. Even though it can be used both inside and outside, it hasn’t shown the best performance when used in the bathroom or outdoors. Two coats should cover just about anything and it takes about half an hour to touch-dry. To apply the second layer, wait for four hours.Coverage: 14m² per 1 liter.
7)151 Coatings Step & Tile Paint
This paint is red-colored, but that red resembles something close to the brick-red. It’s usually used outside because of its texture – it’s a mixture of sand and paint, so it’s mostly used for the outside surfaces or the decorative walls and elements that are made out of concrete or wood. It also works on metal. It’s a good choice for steps or tiles since it’s very durable. The container can be a little difficult to open and the tile is sticky, thick and it’s hard to spread. This paint isn’t transparent and it offers minimal opacity but it requires a little more work.
8)Rust-Oleum 250ml Universal Paint
We love this paint since it can be applied to numerous surfaces and materials. Some of those are ceramic, plastic, and wood. The paint is suitable for both inside and outside use. It usually doesn’t require the primer, except in the following cases. It would be good if you primed the surface before applying this paint and leave a couple of hours between the priming and painting, according to the instructions. To avoid staining, use the stain block primer, and if you are painting the metal, then you should use the universal metals primer. The two coats should suffice. Coverage is 9m² per liter, but it may vary depending on the surface. The paint is touch-dry in two hours, but the second coat can be applied in sixteen. It’s totally dry and hard after seven days.
9)Blackfriar BKFBTMR500 Brick and Tile Paint
This paint is suitable for bricks and roof tiles. We like that you can apply this paint in various ways – with a brush, with a roller, and by using a spray. This gives you the flexibility that not many paints offer. It’s also very durable and suitable for its task: it’s self-cleaning and provides a weather-resistant finish. The finish is also matt and it’s a great choice for brick or roof tiles, regardless of whether they are inside or outside. Coverage: 14m²/ litre. It gets touch-dry in about two to four hours. If you wish to apply another coat, you should wait for sixteen hours.
10)Tile Paint Gloss White RAL 9010 Tile Paint Set
This paint is special because it’s environmentally friendly. Apart from its durability and the great coverage, it’s also friendly for the environment. The coverage is 10m² per liter. It can be applied via the roller or a brush and it’s a great choice for the outdoor surfaces. While it can be applied indoors as well, it’s durability and water-resistance are some of its many features that point out how suitable this paint is for outdoors. It’s touch dry after one hour and it can be re-painted after twelve hours.
Buyers Guide
Re-Coat time and Touch-Dry time – Depending on where you plan on painting your tiles – indoors or outdoors- and why, you might need to have a quicker re-coat and dry time. Checking the precise number of hours that the paint needs to dry is one of the most significant steps in planning your renovation. If you don’t know the precise time, you risk ruining the whole day’s work. There are paints that offer shorter dry times, and they are usually mixed with primer so you won’t need to wait for it to dry as well.
Durability – Most people don’t have time and money to invest in regular painting. If you are painting the doors or tiles in your offices, there’s also a chance that you don’t have a lot of spare time. They are used every day, and people don’t have time to wait for them to dry, primed, recoated, and to have enough time to ventilate the premises. Having the quality, durable paint ensures that this doesn’t happen often and it’s an indicator of a quality investment. If you want to know whether or not the paint is durable, the best way to do so is to read the reviews.
Weather-resistance – If the paint is weather-resistant it’s an indicator that it’s durable when used outside. If you plan on using your paint in your backyard, on your patio, or the outside walls of the house, you should opt for a paint that has this trait.
Coverage – Coverage tells you how many squared meters can be covered with one liter of paint. They usually come in the 250ml or 500ml packages and this allows you to know how much cans you will need. If your can has the coverage of 10 squared meters and its volume is 250ml, you will need four of those to cover all 10 meters. This means that one can of 250ml would cover 2.5 squared meters. If your can had the coverage of 10 square meters and its volume is 500ml, you’d need two cans to cover all 10 square meters.
Opacity – It’s a feature that tells you how transparent and see-through the paint is. The more transparent it is the more layers and paints you will need to actually cover the pattern and colors of your previous wall or tiles.
Application – Many paints can be applied by spray, paintbrush, or by rollers. Some paints can be applied only by using one method while some can be applied by using all of them. The work that you need to get done may require or be easier if you used spray instead of a brush. Maybe you need the same color for many types of work – like white. It can be used to paint walls or add finish details. Whatever the case, make sure that you check the tool that’s most
Primer – Whether the primer is needed or not is also the question of how much time you are willing to spend. As mentioned, some paints are already mixed with a primer or just don’t need it – if that’s the case, the whole process will definitely last shorter. Should you invest in primer? Depending. There are primers for different uses and you should research them. Some of them prevent staining or they can help your color look better since it evens out different shades.
How to paint tiles: Step by step guide
1)Make a list of the necessities
How many times have you started doing something only to have to stop in the middle and leave the house to get something that you don’t have? It happens often and to all of us. Painting the tiles is the job where you might get very dirty and if you mind going to the store dusty or covered in paint, then the best solution is to make a list to ensure that you don’t leave anything out.
That list would look something like this :
-Dusk mask
-Two pair of gloves
-Protection for shoes
-Protection for eyes
-Sandpaper
-Painter’s tape
-Paintbrush/Roller
-The paint of choice (don’t forget to calculate how many cans you will need)
-Primer (if needed)
-Cleaning products for tiles
-Plastic to cover the floor
2)Buy what you are missing
This step is self-explanatory. If you have trouble finding a certain tool or product, consult the professional or a friend who’s into DIY. Of course, you can always find a number of a professional online and call him, or Google the product.
3)Set the protection
If you plan on painting the vertical walls, keep in mind that the paint will drip. Also, your paintbrush or roller is likely to touch the ceiling or nearby walls. This is why you should spread out the protective covers and make sure that they are set in place with the painting tape. You should also place the tape in the corners to prevent brushes from getting to the neighborhood walls. The tape will also ensure that your paint will be applied in a straight line.
4)Sand tiles
The primer will stick much easier if the tiles are sanded. It will also remove the buildup of other materials if there is any. To do it, you can use the sanding paper or you can use the electric sander. Using the electric sander, you will get your job done much faster, but as not all of us own one, the usual 100 grit sandpaper will also do.
5)Clean tiles
Clean tiles allow your paint to stick better. This means that you will really have to commit to washing all of the dust. It’s best if you could vacuum most of the dust first. If you have sanded the wall, then it’s best if you vacuumed the dust on the floor and the walls anyway as it’s very likely that it will fly as you move and paint, and stick to the newly painted tiles. After that, you should wipe or mop the walls/floor. This will take care of the remaining particles. If you aren’t sure whether you should wipe or mop the surface again – do it, as preparation can affect results greatly.
6)Repair if needed
If any grout is missing, now’s the time to fix it. There are many different ways to do it, and this post isn’t about regrouting, so we will skip the instructions. If there is any necessary work that needs to get done – this is when you want to do it since the next step will be priming. This also goes for broken tiles or cracks.
7)Primer if needed
We have already talked about the primer. It’s necessary for some paints, while it’s not needed for others. Primer can affect the way that your paint turns out greatly. It’s in charge of the paint adhering to the surface. It also affects how even the paint turns out, especially if the paint’s opacity is higher. Read the instructions and consult the professional to find out whether you should apply primer twice. Make sure that you follow the time guides from the instructions since the manufacturers know best how many hours the primer (or a paint) needs to dry.
8)Paint
This is the part that we’ve all been waiting for. You can paint your wall with a variety of tools, but it’s very important that you use the tool that’s compatible with the paint. Make sure that you paint the tiles top to bottom.
9)Repainting
If you need to repaint, also make sure to wait as many hours as the instructions say. It’s normal to apply two or even three coats to the surface, but anything more than that means that you probably should’ve gotten a less transparent paint or the paint of better quality.
10)Sealing
This is the step that many people ignore – and sometimes they can do it. Many of the outdoor paints don’t require additional coating as they are made to withstand the weather and be durable. But many of them aren’t, and investing in a proper coat can buy your tiles and grouts a significant amount of time and also affect how good they look. Grouts are also cleaned much easier if they are sealed. Sealing should be done after everything has totally dried, which you might need to wait for a long time. This is one of the main reasons why most of the ceramic workers don’t usually do it.
11)Let it dry
This is perhaps the most important step. Be patient and refrain from touching, repairing, repainting, or doing anything with the surface until it’s totally, absolutely dry. You’ve made it this far, don’t let your hard work go to waste.
Conclusion
Painting tiles is a hard work that requires, above all else, a lot of time. It’s not something that you want to go through often, and that’s why you should invest your time in educating yourself about the paints and the painting process.
My favorite paint is Rustins Quick Dry Step & Tile because of its great coverage ( 14m² per 1 liter), special pigments, and quick-dry feature.
