Porcelain tiles are superior when it comes to durability and denseness compared to other materials, like ceramic tiles. It is created from refined clay fired at higher temperatures. Although popular, you might still be curious if you can paint it. After much research, we finally determined the answer and discovered more details about painting it.
Although porcelain tile has a glossy finish and is quite sturdy, you can still paint it. And the best paint to use for painting porcelain tiles is epoxy or latex paint.
You now know that painting porcelain tiles is possible. However, there are things you must do to the tiles first before you can paint them and achieve an excellent finish. And that is what we will thoroughly discuss in this post, together with the advantages and drawbacks of painting them. So, please keep reading as we dig deeper for more information.
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Painting Porcelain Tiles
Redecorating your bathroom or kitchen with porcelain tiles is a great project. It makes the area more attractive and inviting. But before you do anything to your porcelain tiles, it would be best to learn several things first, especially if you wish to achieve an excellent outcome.
What Is The Best Paint For Porcelain Tiles?
Please keep in mind that it is highly advisable not to use any other paints or stains for your porcelain tile other than epoxy or latex paints. These are the best because they are abrasive-resistant and have superior adhesion to porcelain.
Can You Put Paint Directly To Porcelain Tiles?
Yes, you can directly put paint on a porcelain's surface. However, expect that the outcome will not be good since you applied the paint while it is still glossy.
As a general rule, if you want the paint to stick well and have a nice finish, it would be best to first sand the porcelain tile and prime it before applying the paint. Doing so will give you excellent results.
How To Paint Porcelain Tiles?
Before anything else, prepare the area by opening all windows or doors. This will improve the ventilation inside and eliminate the paint odor as you work. You should also ensure that the area's humidity is low so the paint will dry faster.
In addition, it is advisable to wear protective gear, like gloves, goggles, and a dust mask.
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1. Clean The Porcelain Tiles
The very first thing you should do is clean the porcelain tiles.
After that, rinse the tiles using a clean, wet rag. Repeat this step until you ensure that there is no more detergent residue on the tiles. Lastly, let the porcelain tiles dry thoroughly.
2. Sand The Porcelain Tiles
In this step, you will need sandpaper with a grit between 120 to 180. This step is a must to remove the glossiness of the tiles.
3. Remove The Dust
After sanding the porcelain tiles, you should eliminate all the dust on the surface. Use a wet cloth to remove the dust, and let the tiles dry after.
4. Apply Primer
Get the primer and apply it evenly on the porcelain tiles using a paintbrush. Check the manufacturer's instructions about how long you will need to wait to let it dry.
However, you may skip this step if you are utilizing epoxy paint.
5. Paint The Porcelain Tiles
There are vital things to remember if you want to achieve great results in painting porcelain tiles, and these are to make one smooth and long stroke and ensure to do it only in one direction.
Before you apply a second coat, it would be best to let the first coat thoroughly dry.
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Why Should You Consider Painting Your Porcelain Tiles
There are several reasons why you should think of painting our porcelain tiles, and they are the following:
- Keeps the current porcelain tile in place.
- It enables one to address minor issues with the tiles
- Compared to the cost of replacing tiles, this is a more cost-effective approach.
- Porcelain tile paints come in a wide range of shades and finishes
What Are The Negative Effects Of Painting Porcelain Tiles?
Although you can paint porcelain tiles and give you several benefits, note that it can also give negative results. Please take a look at the following:
It's Hard To Achieve Your Desired Look
Motivating yourself to tackle home improvement projects is easy after seeing the fantastic results accomplished by other do-it-yourselfers who spent little money and time making their homes more presentable.
Painting porcelain tile may look easy, but it takes time, practice, and skill to achieve the same results as those you see online. In other words, you will need to try one project numerous times to achieve the outcome you want.
Lose Durability
The preparation of porcelain tile painting is essential. However, cleaning and sanding the tile will only mean you are reducing its durability. In addition, you will also remove its water-resistance feature, which can encourage water damage to your subfloors and walls.
It May Decrease Your Home's Resale Value
Tile is one of the superb flooring options for resale deals, so sanding it down and painting can be discouraging to purchasers looking for a low-maintenance and long-lasting floor.
It may seem like a good idea to just throw a new coat of paint on your porcelain tiles before putting your house on the market. However, if potential buyers find out you sanded down the porcelain tile to paint it, they may consider this a red flag because it means the tile is no longer water- and wear-resistant.
Furthermore, if buyers perceive painted tile as one more job they'll have to handle to make the home their own, they may be less willing to make an offer at all or offer less than the asking price.
Painted Porcelain Tiles Requires A Lot Of Upkeep
Regular or unpainted porcelain tiles only require little maintenance. However, if you wish to paint your porcelain tiles, keep in mind that you'll need to exert more effort in maintaining or taking care of them.
Household cleaners may be too harsh for the painted porcelain tile surface, leading to peeling, scratching, and vulnerability to wear and strain.
For example, if you have a painted porcelain countertop, you should not place anything hot on top of it. You are for sure aware that hot things can make paint bubble. In addition, prolonged exposure to water can easily make the paint on your porcelain tile peel off.
If these things happen in your porcelain tile, you will need to retouch it or repaint it with several epoxy paint coating.
What Are The Different Options For Porcelain Tiles
It's crucial to select porcelain tiles carefully because not all varieties have the same qualities. This step is also a must if you consider painting your tiles in the future. Porcelain tile comes in several forms, the most common of which are:
Mosaic Porcelain Walls
Porcelain tile pieces are cut into small sizes and then adhered to a mesh backing in a particular design to create a mosaic wall. With the mesh backing, the pattern remains unaltered during the installation process. The unique appearance of mosaic tiles makes them ideal for use as shower accent strips or as a decorative backsplash in the kitchen.
Floor Porcelain Tiles
Its water-proof qualities have contributed to porcelain tile's widespread acceptance as a flooring material. In addition, it is also pet-proof, which most homeowners love.
As a flooring material, it stands the test of time exceptionally well. Apart from its durability, porcelain floor tile also comes in a wide variety of styles to help you create the perfect space for your kitchen and bathroom.
Wall Porcelain Tile
Showers, bathrooms, and even a feature wall in the living room all benefit from using porcelain wall tile. There is virtually no limit to what you can creatively do when using wall tiles. Porcelain tiles are great for wall structures since they look like natural materials like wood or stone.
Wrapping It All Up
Painting porcelain tiles is possible as long as you use epoxy or latex paint. And it is indeed more cost-effective than a replacement approach. However, you should seriously consider the negative impacts it can has. If you are to sell your home in the future, it would be best to think about it carefully, especially since reducing your house's resale value is what you should consider the most considerable disadvantage of painting your porcelain tiles.
Made it to the end? We hope you find this post helpful. If you still have additional questions, feel free to reach out in the comments, and we'll get back to you! For further reading, you can check these related posts out!
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