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Last Updated: January 20, 2020 By

How I Painted Our Bathroom’s Ceramic Tile Floors: A Simple (and Cheap!) DIY

Can you paint tile floors? Yes! I’m sharing how painting our bathroom’s ceramic tile floors – a simple, inexpensive DIY – made a HUGE difference!

Do you ever have a project that ended up being so much easier than you expected that you’re kicking yourself for procrastinating so long to do it? Painting the ceramic tile floors in our first floor bathroom was one of those projects for me! I decided I was going to paint my bathroom floors way back in 2014 when I was making over my space for the One Room Challenge but the stenciling of the bathroom walls took so long that I ran out of time to do it before my big reveal. Somehow THREE full years went by with me giving the stink eye to those floors every time I used the bathroom but doing nothing about it. Well I finally knocked this little DIY project out and it was so cheap and easy. And I love it! Welcome to my its-five-hundred-times-better-than-those-ugly-reddish-floors-were bathroom!

A budget bathroom remodel with ceramic tile floors painted gray and walls stenciled to look like wallpaper. Bathroom includes pedestal since, wood medicine cabinet, twin sconces, and tasseled shower curtain.

Such a HUGE improvement over the reddish tile, right?!

"Before" of bathroom before ceramic floor tiles were painted gray. Such a huge difference!

And believe it or not, the ugly color wasn’t even the worst thing about the old tile floors. Behind both the sink and the toilet, the tile had gross, ugly stains that I couldn’t get off no matter how hard I tried – completely gagworthy and something the previous owners hid under a custom cut rug they had in this bathroom when we bought the house!

Stained and corroded area behind the pedestal sink. Painting the tile made such a HUGE difference!

Now you’d never know that my poor tile had such an ugly past!

What a difference painting the ceramic floor tile made! The full DIY tutorial is in this post!

Great post on how to paint your ceramic tile bathroom floors including how to prep your tile and what type of paint to use!

Here’s what you need to do to get the job done (affiliate links included in post – full disclosure statement available {here}):

Step 1: Sand your Tile Floors

Sanding the tile helps helps scuff up the surface of it to help the primer adhere. And if you have disgusting unidentified crap on the surface of your tile like I did, you can sand it right off. I used {this electric sander} which makes the job so much quicker and easier than doing it by hand. If you do a lot of projects around the house and don’t already have one of these electric sanders, I’d highly recommend it – it’s lightweight, fits in the palm of your hand, and has an angled head to get into corners easily:

How to prepare ceramic tile floors for painting - love handheld sander - works perfectly!

I sanded the tiles that had a build-up of crud on them with 80 grit, did the whole floor with 120 grit, and then finished off with a quick once-over with a fine 240 grit. 

Step 2: Clean Your Floors (Super Well!)

After finishing sanding, I vacuumed up all of the dust and debris and then went to town on cleaning my floors. Any heavy-duty stripper & cleaner should do the job – you can get the one that I used online {here} but it’s much cheaper at your local hardware store. 

A great cleaning product to use on ceramic tile floors before painting them!

I mixed the cleaner with water (per the instructions), mopped it onto the floor, let it sit for about 15 minutes, and then scrubbed the entire floor with a nylon scrub brush. Then I cleaned it off with bucket of warm water and did it a second time. The cleaner the floor, the better your paint will adhere!

Step 3: Repair any Missing Grout or Cracked Tiles

The grout on our floor was a mess and there are several areas where chunks of it were missing. Regrouting is a pretty huge job since you need to spend a lot of time digging out the old grout first so I went the easy route and simply used paintable caulk to fill in and smooth over any bare spots in my grout. The caulk adhered well and now that it’s painted, you would never know that I had done it. Now would be the time to replace or repair any cracked tiles too. I had one tile closer to our bathtub with a crack in it but knew it would be covered by our bathroom rug so I simply caulked the cracked portion and sanded down the rough edge a bit instead of replacing it. 

Step 4: Apply a Good Primer

Using a really good primer is the key to success for painting ceramic tile! I used INSL-X STIX (available {here}) which is my go-to primer for painting surfaces that paint might normally have a hard time adhering too (you might remember that I used it to prime brass shelving strips on the inside of the bookcase when I made-over our family room). I used a paint brush and small roller simultaneously (I use a 1/4 inch mini roller like {these}), painting the edges and grout lines with my brush and then rollering on the primer for the rest. Just make sure you start at the far end of the room and work towards the door so you don’t paint yourself into a corner. Once it was dry, I recoated using the same technique.

Step 5: Paint Your Tile!

I painted our floor tile in the same way as I primed it, using a paint brush on the edges and on the grout and rollering the rest as I went (as with the primer, I used a 1/4 inch mini roller like {these}):

How to paint ceramic tile floor - this post gives all the details of how to get the job done! Small roller and paint brush are used to apply the paint!

The type of paint that I used was Benjamin Moore’s Floor & Patio Paint since it’s meant to stand up to lots of use and abuse. It comes in High Sheen and Low Sheen options – I chose Low Sheen just for personal preference. I applied three coats of paint, letting it dry according to the paint instructions in between coats. The color I went with is Benjamin Moore Platinum Gray, which is the same gray color as the lighter portions of my stenciled walls. 

Step 6: Seal Your Tile?

The last step if you choose to do it, is to seal your tile. I was definitely torn on whether to seal mine – with porch paint you technically don’t need to seal it since the paint is made to withstand a lot of wear but sealing it with a polyurethane would definitely make painted tile more durable. The only negative to using polyurethane is that if you do get a gash in your floor or some other area that needs to be repaired, it’s a little trickier to fix in a way that it blends in perfectly if you’ve topcoated with polyurethane. So for now, my floors are going topless (and after being used for several months have held up really well) but if your floors get lots of wear and tear, a topcoat of polyurethane is definitely something I’d think about.

Step 7: Let Your Floor Dry & Then Put It To Use!

After your last coat of paint or polyurethane, give your floor at least a couple of days to fully dry before walking on it (the more humid it is, the longer it will take) – it’s best to be gentle with it (no heeled shoes, etc.) for the first week or two until everything is fully cured. We’ve been back to using our bathroom normally for a few months now and the painted tile has held up beautifully! The only issue I’ve had is a small but deep scratch on one of the tiles that was obviously made by something sharp – I’m guessing a small stone that got stuck in someone’s shoe tread. I was able to sand it and repaint just that one tile and now you’d never know anything was once there. So overall, I’m incredibly happy with how it looks and how it’s worn! Especially for a project that cost me under $50!

Ugly ceramic floor tile painted with gray floor & patio paint - LOVE how it turned out! A quick and inexpensive DIY that I have got to try!

The one other small change I made in this space is replacing the large jute rug that used to be in here with this large, cushy white bath mat (found {here}). Have I been living under a rock not knowing that they made bathmats that are long and narrow like this so that they span almost the whole width of the tub? I sooo needed one of these when my kids were little! I bought {this 30 x 50 size} and have already ordered another one for my daughters’ bathroom – in addition to being a great length it’s so super cozy on your feet and I love the subtle border design!

Ceramic tile bathroom floors painted gray - great post detailing how to do it!

So I can finally write our bathroom off as one more room that’s done… for now at least 🙂 Just to see how far it’s come, this is what our bathroom looked like when we moved in (this is before we took out the rug because I decided that even the ugliest tile is better than a rug that goes around the toilet – yuck!):

Our powder room before our makeover

and here it is today:

LOVE this bathroom makeover with stenciled walls that look like wallpaper, wood medicine cabinet, twin sconces, and painted tile floors!

The best part is that it’s a room we didn’t spend a ton of money on. Other than the money spent on the wood medicine cabinet and sconces, everything else was inexpensive DIY projects. You can read more about how I stenciled the walls to look like wallpaper in {this post}, how I reworked our ancient towel bar in {this post}, and about the DIY art that I added over the toilet in {this post}.

Budget bathroom makeover, with stenciled walls (yep, that's not walllpaper!), painted ceramic tile floors, DIY art, and more!

So what do you think? I’ve included a full source list for my space below in case you were wondering where something in my bathroom came from – hope it’s helpful! If you love this DIY and would like to get more DIY and decorating inspiration delivered to your inbox, I’d love for you to subscribe by email – it’s only 1-2 posts per week and you can unsubscribe at any time!

UPDATE!! If you’re wondering how our painted tile floors have held up check out {this post} with an update of how they’re looking 20 months later!

Thanks for stopping by!

Driven by Decor Source List

Scroll and Click/Tap to Shop the Look! Source details also linked below

Wall Stencil & Paint Colors: Annapakshi Indian Damask Wall Stencil – I used the 11.25″ x 15.5″ furniture stencil (Basecoat paint: Benjamin Moore Aura Bath & Spa (Matte) in Chelsea Gray; Stencil paint:  Platinum Gray (Benjamin Moore color but mixed in Behr Premium Plus Ultra in Satin)

Main Pieces: Pedestal Sink | Medicine cabinet is no longer available but {this arched wood mirror} is a very similar design

Accessories: Sconces (polished nickel finish) – {these} are similar | Tassel Shower Curtain (citrine color) – {this shower curtain} is similar and comes in more color options | Bath mat (30 x 50) – my specific bath mat doesn’t come in white anymore so if you want white, check out {this bath mat} that’s the same size | Soap dispenser – found at HomeGoods but {this clear dispenser} is similar | Woven basket on toilet – HomeGoods | Wood stool: HomeGoods (I love {these dip dyed stools} as an alternative! | Frames above toilet – no longer available | Monogrammed tissue Box Cover  | Turkish Bath Towel (grey/white) 

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Comments

  4. Carrie says

    September 14, 2017 at 8:15 am

    In my bathroom, I have dated Burgundy tiles spread out randomly with white tiles~ do you think it would be worth the effort to try and individually paint these gray (or greige) to be a complement to the white or should I try and paint all the tiles? The tiles go up and around a jetted tub too……
    Thanks for the post!!
    Your floors are spectacular and I LOVE the stenciling. 🙂

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      September 15, 2017 at 10:54 pm

      With your tile situation, that’s a tough call! It would definitely take a whole lot longer to do individual tiles than do all of the tiles plus the grout – I think it just depends on how much time you’re willing to put into it and which look you like better. I would be hesitant to do it around a tub if those tiles get a lot of water splashed on them but if they don’t, you should be good! And thanks for your sweet words about my post!

      Reply

  5. Megan Roberts says

    September 14, 2017 at 8:23 am

    Looks great! I’ve been thinking of painting one of our bathroom floors so your post has been really helpful. How do your floors stand up to cleaning?

    Reply

  9. Sharon says

    September 14, 2017 at 9:45 am

    Kris, you are a wonder! I’m still in awe of your stenciling job (those corners!) and now your ‘new’ tile floor! Gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your sources, btw.

    Reply

  11. Vanessa says

    September 14, 2017 at 9:58 am

    WOW!!! What a transformation from the original bathroom! The space is gorgeous!
    I have a couple of accent tiles in the shower of the guest bathroom that I’ve been giving the stink eye to. They are travertine that has been sealed. Do you think this same method could work on those?
    I purchased the grout paint, per one of your previous posts; and really need to get started on that project.
    Thank you for sharing such a beautiful space and the sources.

    Reply

  13. Jenny says

    September 14, 2017 at 11:39 am

    Hi, when can you come and do mine. I live in England- is that a bit too far to travel?
    I seriously love what you’ve done with your bathroom. I would never have used grey and white, thinking it’d be too cold looking. What you’ve done is amazing.

    Reply

  17. Karen B. says

    September 14, 2017 at 11:18 pm

    What a great fix to an ugly floor. That’s really cool, it goes so well with your stenciled walls. I think you should write a book! A DIY to fixing up a home. 🙂
    xo,
    Karen

    Reply

  18. Lisa says

    September 15, 2017 at 12:27 am

    Amazing difference Kris!! And $50 is a heck of a lot cheaper than tearing out the tile and installing something new! What a difference the before and after!!

    Reply

  19. Sandi says

    September 17, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    Amazing!! We just moved into a home that has gray tile with a red diamond in between every tile in the entry way. I was thinking of painting that diamond black to match the railings. Think it would work?? I adore what you did!!

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      September 19, 2017 at 8:22 am

      Hi Sandi! I think that would probably work – you’d just need to paint it carefully so you don’t get paint on the grout. In this case, I would seal them after painting too!

      Reply

  20. Sherri Smith says

    September 18, 2017 at 6:30 pm

    Wow what a difference that made to your bathroom! It looks gorgeous!! You did a fantastic job thanks for sharing with us!

    Reply

  23. Rosie mauk says

    September 20, 2017 at 3:02 pm

    I love what you have done. I am goi g to paint my bathroom floor but planning to use a stencil for design. Your tips will really help. Anything you can add about using stencils please feel free

    Reply

  24. Sharon C says

    September 20, 2017 at 6:24 pm

    Wow, what a transformation, from an ugly duckling to classy and sophisticated bathroom. You have done an amazing job Kris. Who knew that painting a tile floor would be so relatively easy and super affordable.

    Reply

  25. Sherrin says

    October 9, 2017 at 5:31 am

    What an amazing job you’ve done!
    Congratulations. I have so many ideas in my head for things about the house but lack the “know how”. Your articles are so helpful and I thank you.

    Reply

  26. Bonnie says

    October 12, 2017 at 10:26 pm

    Do you think this would work in a large, high traffic area kitchen? I’m dying to go gray. I painted my cabinets and the floor needs to be in harmony 🙂 Worried that it won’t hold up and I will wish I didn’t miss with the old tiles. Thanks!

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 13, 2017 at 9:05 pm

      Hi Bonnie – it’s hard to say if it would hold up well enough or not but I think I’d be a little hesitant about it in an area like the kitchen where occasionally things get dropped on the floor. If you did try it, I’d definitely top coat it with polyurethane. Wish I had more definite advice one way or another but I haven’t tried it myself so just don’t know for sure!

      Reply

  27. Katy Beacher says

    October 21, 2017 at 6:16 pm

    You are not only extremely talented but you are so brave! What a lot of hard work that really paid off! I have no suggestions. I’m just swooning over the beautiful results.

    Reply

  28. Lori says

    October 25, 2017 at 7:49 am

    I had that same birdcage wallpaper in my master bath, I love what you have done! Thanks for sharing, I’m going to try this on a bathroom in our house that has green tile with pink grout, I’ve hated it since we moved in 18 years ago🤢

    Reply

  29. Elisabeth says

    November 26, 2017 at 10:06 am

    I am so glad I found your blog. I’m in the process of updating the bathroom of our 1960 home. All original. So you can imagine the old gouted tiny patterned tiles of the floor. You did an outstanding job, hope my tiny tiles turns out as well as yours did. Our bathroom is the kind that has matching lavender color tub, toilet and sink. They certainly had wild style back then.

    Reply

  31. Pat Watson says

    December 20, 2017 at 8:04 am

    It all looks fabulous, especially the stencilling. I recently painted my bedroom grey which I loved at first but now thinking a little decoration would be goo. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  32. Adam says

    December 21, 2017 at 11:53 pm

    Love love love it! How has it stood up to the test of time? My wife is so concerned that it won’t withstand our walking , her moving chairs to put on makeup etc.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      December 22, 2017 at 10:37 pm

      Adam, it has held up even better than I expected! As I mentioned in the post, one tile got scratched early on by something sharp (I’m guessing a stone in someone’s shoe) but other than that it still looks perfect! We really don’t have any furniture we’re moving around on our floors though – If you have a chair, I’d definitely be sure to topcoat it with a polyurethane for some extra protection!

      Reply

  33. Wendy says

    January 6, 2018 at 12:35 am

    Your painted tile floors look fantastic! I’m inspired to start on my kitchen backsplash using your painting tips and techniques. I don’t know how well a painted tile backsplash will hold up long term, but a light color of paint will make a big impact in this dark kitchen. Thanks so much for sharing your home and talent!

    Reply

  34. Marilyn says

    January 6, 2018 at 4:14 pm

    Thank you for your detailed how to project. I have several tiles floors and thought to myself, “Could these be painted?” Until now, the experts I asked said no. You have given me inspiration to do it. The tile in my Nevada house has a shinier finish than your tile. Do you think that sanding will allow the paint to adhere?

    Reply

  35. Mark Sawyer says

    January 7, 2018 at 10:53 pm

    I have ceramic tile floors in my bathroom that I dislike because of the color. I would like to paint the tile floors but am wondering if it is possible because of the style of my tiles. Each tile has an uneven pattern so they are not smooth like your tiles. Do you think it might still be possible for me to paint these tiles? Your bathroom looks great by the way!

    Reply

  36. Chris H says

    January 16, 2018 at 12:15 pm

    Looks great. How does the painted tile feel on your feet? I am afraid painted floor tile will feel rough to the tough.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 21, 2018 at 4:58 pm

      Honestly I don’t feel like it’s the least bit rough! Since I sanded the tile well before painting and used a roller that gives a really smooth finish it really feels no different on my feet than typical tile!

      Reply

  37. Diana Forbes says

    January 18, 2018 at 1:16 pm

    Your bathroom looks great!! I am considering trying this in my kitchen but I have 2 dogs. Do you think it would hold up?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 21, 2018 at 4:46 pm

      Thanks Diana! My only experience doing it is in our bathroom and it’s held up great but our dog really doesn’t go in that room so I can’t say for sure. I would definitely put some type of polyurethane or other protective coating on it though. Good luck!

      Reply

  38. Kathleen says

    January 29, 2018 at 10:39 pm

    WOW! Wonderful transformation. I revamped our bathroom with subway tile etc. Even though the floor is in fine condition it no longer looks right with the new black, white and gray color scheme. You have definitely inspired me to paint floor tiles. I have been wanting to do it for a while now but until I read your post I was fearful. Not anymore….thank you.
    I do wonder though, if painting them will hurt the resale value of the house any though. Thanks again.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      February 19, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      Jody I’m assuming it would work on wall tile too but haven’t tried it. I’d be hesitant to do it in a shower though – being exposed to that much moisture I’m not sure it would hold up.

      Reply

  42. sandy says

    February 19, 2018 at 10:12 am

    The bathroom tile repaint is beautiful- I’m thinking about trying that in my bathroom. I have white tile and it looks dirty and stained in some places- I think you’re idea might work! Thanks for all the info too- really appreciate it!

    Reply

  43. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2018 at 6:14 pm

    Did you remove the toilet and sink pedestals before painting, or did you just paint around them? I’ve been putting off replacing my floor tile because I really don’t want to have to remove and reinstall my toilet.

    Reply

  44. Tammy says

    February 23, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    Hi Kris,

    Your bathroom looks fabulous! Thank you for sharing!
    What is your thought about doing this same painting process on a kitchen tile floor that gets higher traffic than a bathroom?

    It seems hard to find a clear sealer that isn’t glossy…..even the polyurethanes that say matte finish dry with a shine. Any suggestions? Or recommendations on a product that is clear and seals with a matte finish? for tile?

    Thanks!
    Tammy

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 9, 2018 at 12:46 pm

      If you do a high traffic spot like that, I’d definitely use a top coat. I know that Minwax’s Polyacrylic in Matte is not shiny because I just used it on a refinished table but I don’t know if that’s an appropriate topcoat for flooring – definitely something to look into though!

      Reply

  45. Rain says

    February 25, 2018 at 10:33 pm

    Hi, your project looks great! I came across your page when I was googling on re painting toilet. I am looking at painting a small patch of the tiles in the shower area. Do you think the paint which you recommend would stand up to daily dose of shower water or it’s better to go with epoxy paint? Thanks!

    Reply

  47. Dorothy says

    March 1, 2018 at 12:20 am

    Thanks so much for your inspiration. Does this paint have a bad odor like some of the other tile paint I have been reading about?

    Reply

  48. Patricia J Leahy says

    March 3, 2018 at 7:00 pm

    Painting the bathroom floor didn’t come out right. I had my handyman go to our local Rings End and bought the primer and paint that could be used on garage floors. I see exactly where we went wrong NOW. No sanding, no stripper & cleaner but I did vacuum and washed the floor with Clorox & water. Two coats primer and one coat top paint. It’s a miserable mess-the white primer is scratched and the one coat of Navy blue obviously did not stick. I think I will rent a palm sander and start over myself and follow your direction to the word. Thank You.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 9, 2018 at 11:43 am

      I’m glad that you found this post helpful! I would definitely scuff up your floors by sanding first and I would also tint your primer since you’re using a dark color over it. Finally, if it’s in a room that gets a lot of wear, I would finish it off with a top coat!

      Reply

  49. robin says

    March 15, 2018 at 8:40 pm

    you showed the bath tile floor with red tile but the “before” picture had blue tile ? Is that the same bath?

    Reply

  50. Mary B says

    March 19, 2018 at 4:49 pm

    I came across your blog when I was desperately googling for a solution to my ugly bathroom tile that didn’t involve ripping it out and installing new flooring. Your bathroom is beautiful and I can’t wait to give it a try! Quick question: did you have to remove the toilet and sink before painting your floor? Or were you able to just sand/prime/paint around them? Thanks!

    (And now off to browse the rest of your blog 🙂 )

    Reply

  51. Lee says

    March 21, 2018 at 11:44 pm

    After reading this. I’m ready to paint my ugly floor tile. I like that you use bm patio paint. That’s a great idea.

    Reply

  52. Cathleen says

    March 31, 2018 at 5:54 pm

    I have been searching for information on painting a ceramic tile floor and this fits the bill. The floor is one with a combination of different sized tiles laid in a pattern and a high gloss shine. Do you think this method would work?

    Thanks, Cathy

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      April 14, 2018 at 12:52 pm

      Cathy I think if you did a good cleaning and sanding job on the tile first it would likely work but I can’t say for sure since I’ve never tried it on an extremely high gloss tile.

      Reply

  53. djaz says

    March 31, 2018 at 6:50 pm

    This looks so great!

    I;m going to try this in the kitchen, since, we’re empty nesters and I’m usually the only one in there. Leaving it unsealed and using the products you recommend seems to be the best way to go for easy repair if needed.

    Thanks so much for your post. I’ve been agonizing over what to do with the floor for some time.

    Reply

  54. Pilly Sykowski says

    April 4, 2018 at 4:57 pm

    Hello Kris, I really like how your tile turn out. I am going to try to do mine as well. But I have a questions. After painting the tile, what are you doing with the grout. Will the grout remain panted and will not show any grout?
    Is this paint will not peel through the years. Your response will be greatly appreciated.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      April 14, 2018 at 1:17 pm

      I painted both the tile and the grout so yes, the grout will stay painted. My floors have been in place for over six months now with no peeling. I can’t promise that for every single tile type there is no chance of it ever peeling, I can only tell you what my experience has been and it has not been an issue for me.

      Reply

  56. JENNIFER says

    April 10, 2018 at 8:50 am

    I’m going to do this to my pink 1960s tile. Can I use a ‘glossy’-oil (porch, floor & patio) paint or is a latex best?? I don’t know which to choose. I’d like a shiny look so I prefer glossy but it’s oil based. Will it hold up and what exactly did you use? Thank you for the great idea!! Also, will this same method work for my shower?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      April 14, 2018 at 1:21 pm

      Hi Jennifer – I used Benjamin Moore Floor & Patio paint which is available in different sheens depending on the look that you like. I would not recommend painting tile that’s in the shower as I think you’d have peeling issues.

      Reply

  60. patti says

    May 7, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    just one comment about using polyurethane, ..if you are painting over white, best to use a water based poly because the oil based poly will eventually yellow the white color.

    Reply

  61. Sandra Montes says

    May 8, 2018 at 11:38 am

    Hi, it looks great and I am inspired. I have a question on painting the floor tilt with the product you used. How has it held up with time and foot traffic?

    Reply

  63. Ryan says

    May 19, 2018 at 5:06 pm

    Hi Kris thank you for the story. I looked for specifics on the sanding and didn’t find them so I’ll ask. Did you use coarse or fine sanding paper? Was there a lot of dust with that sanding process?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 9, 2018 at 9:15 pm

      I sanded the tiles I had with the crud on them with 80 grit, did the whole floor with 120 grit, and then finished off with a quick once-over with a fine 240 grit. The sander that I mention in the post has a dust collector so there wasn’t a lot of dust generated.

      Reply

  64. Janet says

    May 21, 2018 at 6:39 pm

    I have brand new tile in my bathroom that is supposed to be grey. It is in a herringbone style, not all one color. It is on the brown and tan shades not grey. Any ideas?

    Reply

  66. jill says

    May 28, 2018 at 5:03 pm

    Your bathroom floor looks great, so much better than that original red one. A very good fix for a low cost (though a lot of prep). Years ago we bought a house that had a small white octagon tile in the bath that was interspersed with flower shapes (more octagons) that were maroon and pink in the center. I painted over these using Testor’s PLA model paint in black on the outer “petals” and grey in the center. For a small job this worked well as it had a tough finish that matched the gloss on the rest of the floor tile. We lived in the house several years and it held up perfectly. I’ve also seen the professionally done epoxy used on weird old colors of wall tiles that was very effective (though it can be pricey, it is still cheaper than removing tile set in concrete and mesh that was built to stay there forever). You certainly came out with a great fix for an older floor with the painted finish to match the wall stencil color. The final result of your bath re-do is a lovely, stylish room to be proud of.

    Reply

  67. Anonymous says

    May 29, 2018 at 8:45 pm

    Thank you! – Great project -and does not cost too much! – I was looking at having my bathroom tiles reglazed … wonder how different the two processes are for upgrading the tiles.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 9, 2018 at 9:22 pm

      Reglazing is likely going to be a bit more durable in the long-run but also a lot more expensive. It’s definitely a better option if you need to change the color of tile in an area exposed to water like your shower!

      Reply

  70. Vickie says

    June 7, 2018 at 9:49 pm

    Hi Kris,
    I have same question as Ryan before me, what grit sandpaper did you use on the tile?
    Your project looks great and can’t wait to start mine.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      June 9, 2018 at 9:25 pm

      Thank you! I sanded the tiles I had with the crud on them with 80 grit, did the whole floor with 120 grit, and then finished off with a quick once-over with a fine 240 grit.

      Reply

  72. Deb says

    June 9, 2018 at 3:45 pm

    Hi Kris,

    We bought a mid-century modern home 2 years ago when we moved back to St. Louis. It was built in the late 50’s (like me ) and has the sink as part of the master bedroom with the tub & toilet separated with a pocket door. The ceramic time floor was a hideous red. I saw your bathroom makeover and immediately started working. I’be done the first coat of paint – the color you used. It’s going to absolutely look great!

    Thank you so much for your makeover step-by-step! So much cheaper than having the ceramic tile removed and redone!

    You’re the best!

    Reply

      • Deb says

        June 19, 2018 at 11:06 am

        Hi Kris,

        Our floor looks great, but after a week of drying and not using it, the floor is still a bit sticky. My husband has a handicap and uses a cane. He walked on it yesterday and his cane left a round mark and his slippers left an impression – like when you walk on a really dusty floor. I took a clean washcloth and wiped down the floor and the marks came out.

        How long does the floor need to dry? I’m concerned about putting down rugs or using it right now. Any advise would be appreciated.

        Reply

        • Kris Jarrett says

          June 19, 2018 at 10:17 pm

          Glad it turned out well! I did our floor right before we left on vacation so it was about a week before we put it to use – it wasn’t at all sticky. Drying time is going to depend on whether you used a protective top coat or not and also the humidity – If you live somewhere really humid that will extend dry time.

          Reply

  73. Robin says

    June 11, 2018 at 11:02 am

    Hi Kris,

    Great instructions and great results in your bathroom. I love your modern take on classic and your ideas definitely inspire me. Curious about on update on how the painted tile is holding up? We recently purchased (a way more in need of fixing up than we thought) beach condo and I’m stuck with 80’s tile and horrible grout in the bedrooms … considering the paint approach, wondering what you think? Planning on some rugs in the bedrooms in the traffic patterns so thought this might save some $ while giving a beach look. Thanks for any suggestions

    Reply

  74. Stephanie Goldfarb says

    June 21, 2018 at 7:22 am

    Hey Kris! I’ve been researching painting the tile in our master. When I went to our benjamin moore showroom yesterday, he recommended that same bonder primer and the same brand “cabinet coat” or the benjamin moore advanced paint. He also said there was no need to poly over it for the same concerns you had.. if it got scratched, it would be hard to cover that. So I’m curious.. how is yours holding up with no poly?? I can’t WAIT to dive into this project!

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      July 26, 2018 at 10:55 pm

      It’s holding up really well! There’s just the beginning of a little sign of wear in the most trafficked area (it’s been over a year since we painted it) so I might clean it and roller a fresh coat. Even if I have to do that one hour touch up once a year, it’s well worth it for the money saved!

      Reply

  75. Kim Valadez says

    June 25, 2018 at 7:41 am

    Hi! Love this bathroom.

    Did you paint the wall tile or replace it?

    We could be purchasing a home with pink tile on the floor and walls. 😔

    All the help would be awesome!
    Thank you!

    Reply

  76. Ellen says

    June 27, 2018 at 10:15 am

    SIGH OF RELIEF… that this exists. thank you so much. This is my first time visiting your blog, wow is all I can say. Thank you for the very descriptive breakdown of each step. What a wonderful makeover you accomplished 🙂

    Reply

  77. Denise says

    July 1, 2018 at 7:16 pm

    My tile is the orange sileto tile Spanish can I do the sanding and also paint this and the grout is cement will this work for me it’s a 1/2 bath and foyer ?

    Reply

  78. Rachel says

    July 5, 2018 at 11:37 pm

    I’m currently flipping a house and have been cringing at the fact of pulling up ugly green tiles! Cannot wait to use your painting alternative, it looks amazing!

    Reply

  80. Laurie says

    July 11, 2018 at 7:55 am

    This is amazing!!! How long did it take you I have three little ones so I can’t have the project take too long. Was it more than a day?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      July 26, 2018 at 11:51 pm

      I can’t remember exact times but none of the steps are very time consuming and there is dry time between steps so it’s an easy project to do just an hour or so at a time!

      Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      July 27, 2018 at 12:06 am

      It’s done really well! After a year there are starting to be just the slightest signs of wear so I might roll a quick recoat layer on to keep it looking good. Still super happy with it!

      Reply

  84. Billy says

    July 17, 2018 at 4:17 pm

    I need help with large tile floor in my kitchen. I would like to paint it if I could. It is the old 1980s style. What would I need to do as in the easy steps that you have done in your bathroom and I am interested in doing the same with my kitchen. Please give me some comments .

    Reply

  88. Kat says

    August 22, 2018 at 7:43 pm

    Looks great! Do you think this would hold up in the wall tile (tub/shower) in a guest bathroom that rarely gets used? The tile is ugly plus the grout is badly stained, and I’ve tried everything under the sun to clean/bleach them.

    Reply

  89. Danielle says

    August 23, 2018 at 1:19 pm

    How did this hold up to water getting on it.. I used chalk paint and it looks great but if water gets on it it bubbles up instantly..

    Reply

  90. Marsha says

    August 26, 2018 at 12:20 pm

    Looks amazing! What would you say about this process for bathroom walls?? My guy has picked a waterproof laminate wood look for the floor, but the walls need some change and we don’t want to rip and redo tile!

    Reply

  91. January Beeler says

    August 31, 2018 at 12:10 pm

    Looks fantastic. I’m confused about the before pictures. At the beginning they were a reddish tile and at the end they were blue? What color tile did you paint? The red or blue? Wondering if coats would depend on starting colors because I’m painting over off white.

    Reply

  92. Laura says

    September 3, 2018 at 7:52 am

    This looks fantastic! Would you try this for the walls that were tiled to? How well do you think it would hold up in really wet situations like the shower?
    How well has it held up? Has it scratched at all?
    I love your bathroom!

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      September 10, 2018 at 12:35 am

      I think walls would be fine except those that are exposed to a lot of water – I’m not sure it would hold up somewhere like a shower. There are some minor scratches on the floor around the tile so at some point I’ll give it a fresh top coat but overall it’s help up beautifully!

      Reply

  93. lee joshua horowitz says

    September 6, 2018 at 8:19 pm

    Hi! I used the benjamin moree floor paint thank to your recommendation. I’m finding that the floor is sticky and tracks lots of dirt. Any recommendations for poly?

    Reply

  94. Patricia says

    September 16, 2018 at 4:55 am

    Hi Kris , I just happened upon your post about painting your bathroom floor from September 2017 as I am searching for a way to breathe new life into my ceramic tile floors and I have a question for you
    How are your tiles holding up after a year and do you regularly use this bathroom ? It looks great and I’m wanting to try it but am concerned about the durability , my bathroom is used daily and of course about 5 feet of the tile is right along the bath tub/shower.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 3, 2018 at 10:52 pm

      Hi Patricia, this is our hall bathroom so it does get regular use. A year in, 95% of our tile looks perfect while a few tiles in the most used areas have some signs of wear and scratches. I plan to fix those tiles and give the whole room a single recoat sometime this winter. If I had put a protective coating over the top, I have no doubt it would have worn even better but I’m overall really happy with how it’s held up!

      Reply

  95. Pat Johnson says

    September 25, 2018 at 8:02 pm

    I want to say that your bathroom is just out of sight! I have read and reread all of this project. But my question is…if the ceramic tile on the floors can be painted this way, then can the ceramic tiles on the wall be done the same?? Thanks for answering and again I must say that room is gorgeous! Pat

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      October 5, 2018 at 10:10 pm

      Thank you Pat! I would think that you could paint wall tile the same way as floor tile but I wouldn’t do it for tile exposed to a lot of water like tile in your shower.

      Reply

  96. Kim Westwood says

    October 4, 2018 at 9:19 pm

    Wow!! that looks great. I keep being told you can’t paint floor tiles as it wont last. Well perhaps I will give it a go. Thanks for sharing

    Reply

    • Brittany says

      October 18, 2018 at 11:03 am

      I’m so excited to do this in my kitchen in a couple of weeks!! I know you’ve done this in a bathroom. Is this ok to do in a bigger area and higher traffic area? Thank you for sharing this!!

      Reply

  98. Johanna says

    October 18, 2018 at 11:18 am

    Hi. I painted my spare bathroom tiles with this technique, however, I didn’t use a sander. I hand sanded and probably didn’t do a thorough job. So far I’ve put 2 coats of BM Floor/Patio paint and the coverage is good. Not sure if I need a 3rd coat. Also, I noticed that the paint feels slightly tack-y. It is definitely dry but don’t have a smooth soft feeling. Is this normal? Thanks for your feedback and I just subscribed!
    Thanks, Johanna

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      November 4, 2018 at 9:37 pm

      Sorry for the late reply! You’ve probably figured this out by now but I would give it more drying time if it’s still feeling tacky. It should be smooth and not at all sticky before it’s ready to be walked on.

      Reply

  99. Toni says

    October 25, 2018 at 10:37 am

    Wow. Loving everything I’ve quickly glanced at. I was more concerned with painting bathroom ceramic tile. I’m attempting this much thought about project very soon and your instructions are the BEST!!!

    Reply

  101. Nancy says

    November 11, 2018 at 2:53 pm

    I also love the long bathroom rugs but worry how to launder them. Do you send them out or machine launder at home? How large is the capacity if I may ask?

    Reply

  102. Lisa says

    November 17, 2018 at 7:13 pm

    Kris-
    Love the bathroom! I have this hideous, small rectangular tile with pink grout on my bathroom counters. I was thinking I could paint it like you did the floors. What do you think?

    Reply

  104. Janene says

    November 21, 2018 at 10:03 pm

    Your bathroom looks amazing and I love seeing that. And knowing you transformed your entire bathroom and cost you practically nothing has got to be one of the best feeljngs this world!!!! I love doing DIY projects myself around the house! I’ve done a few that weren’t as big as yours redoing an entire room, but it’s amazing how even just recovering pillows or painting a lamp, can make all the difference in the world!! I try to recycle as much as I can, too!! I’m always looking for some new project to do and am very interested in receiving your posts !! Ty☺️

    Reply

  106. Meryl says

    November 24, 2018 at 6:17 am

    Superb result – hard work during all the preparation ….but my what a result for the money. Well done YOU . Don’t know you obviously but very proud of your tenacity to achieve such rewarding results.

    Reply

  107. Mary says

    November 28, 2018 at 3:38 pm

    Wow! What a difference! You did a great job! I need to do the tiles in my kitchen and I’m so afraid cuz I sweep and mop regularly.

    Reply

  108. Debra says

    December 9, 2018 at 12:53 am

    Hi…you’ve done a great job the rooms look beautiful,clean and updated. Thank you for your instructions,the only problem is that Benjamin Moore paints aren’t available here in Australia…any thoughts on what I could use instead…debz

    Reply

  110. Paul Rothery says

    January 5, 2019 at 10:52 am

    I followed your instructions to the letter, using the same brand of paint. After 4 days the floors still feel slightly tacky when walked on. Do you have any suggestions? It feels quite dry to the hand but sounds worrisome when walked on. Please let me know if you experienced the same?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 5, 2019 at 12:56 pm

      I would give it a few more days to fully dry because it shouldn’t feel tacky. If you are having a lot of rain or you live in a humid climate, it’s going to increase drying time.

      Reply

  111. Tile Rescue says

    January 6, 2019 at 10:52 pm

    These areas are generally neglected so when not managed may ultimately invite expansion of molds.
    To clean bathroom tiles, there a number of different options, some work better than other in common situations,
    depending on how dirty tiles have become. As with virtually
    all troubling situations in your life prevention is unquestionably superior to a cure and so it
    really is with tile cleaning as well.

    Reply

  112. Philippa says

    January 16, 2019 at 4:18 pm

    Hey – I painted my floor tiles, but find it really picks up the dirt so easily and is hard to clean – have you found this at all?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 21, 2019 at 10:04 pm

      Honestly, no I haven’t had an issue but our painted tile is in the bathroom and we don’t wear shoes in the house so there’s not a lot of dirt getting tracked in on it. If it ends up being an issue for you, I would put a protective top coat over the painted tiles.

      Reply

  114. Lisa says

    February 1, 2019 at 4:14 pm

    Can you do the same thing for wall tile? I see yours is white already. I’d like to make me cream wall tilewhite too.

    Reply

  115. Angela says

    February 3, 2019 at 8:40 am

    Painting the tile would be a cheap, quick fix for my fireplace surround. Do you think the paint you used would hold up to heat that is given off by a gas fireplace?
    Your project looks great!

    Reply

  116. Peggy says

    February 4, 2019 at 12:43 pm

    How about just painting grout? I don’t want all the tile painted but the grout is too light and always looks dity. I know there are grout color enhancers but they are very expensive for a large area.
    Thanks!

    Reply

  117. Ashley says

    February 11, 2019 at 12:11 am

    Our new apartment title floor in the restroom is kitchen red like at a fast food place :/ I already work at one I don’t wanna come home to the same floor. I am considering doing this! it’s already sanded down and everything though the landlord did all that I need to just re paint it asap

    Reply

  118. Yv9nne says

    February 11, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Thank you…the tiles look good but is there a particular paint..eg regular paint, chalk paint? Did you ever do that to get tiles more shinny? Also, what is the polyurathane product?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:27 pm

      If you go back and read through the post, I talked about the specific type of paint I used! And I’ve only tried this on my own tile floors, not any that are more shiny. If you decide to top coat it, I would speak with someone at a local reputable paint store to determine the best type of product to use – I didn’t research it since I didn’t use polyurethane or another topcoat on mine.,

      Reply

  119. Anonymous says

    February 17, 2019 at 9:43 am

    Overall good directions, but you’re talking about getting a DIY project done quickly and on a budget:
    Once you sand something and vacuum with a good shop-vac, you don’t need to clean with stripper. It’s clean!
    Also, three coats of paint is definitely over-kill.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:25 pm

      I disagree – the sanding creates dust and dirt that you can’t fully pick up with the vacuum. Cleaning with a stripper only takes a short amount of time so why cut corners and skip a step that could help the primer adhere a bit better. And three coats isn’t overkill because I used a roller that gives a very smooth finish but it’s also a thin finish. You can certainly cut corners if you wish but that’s not how I do things.

      Reply

  121. Kelly Jo says

    February 22, 2019 at 9:11 am

    I love your bathroom and plan to paint our own bathroom tile this weekend. I was wondering how you clean painted tile. I normally use Pine-sol. Can I use this on the painted tile? Would I need a finish on top of the paint to clean?

    Reply

  122. Cathy says

    February 24, 2019 at 9:44 am

    I am so going to do that to the orange and black tiles in my old bathroom. Do you suppose you could do that to the tiles in the shower?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:19 pm

      I’m not sure how well it would hold up in the shower – I would guess that after prolonged exposure to moisture it might start to peel so I’d be cautious about doing that.

      Reply

  123. Lindsey says

    February 25, 2019 at 10:48 am

    I am interested in doing this in my guest/future children’s bathroom. It’s small with very basic white tile from when our house was built in 2002. We though about just redoing the tile, but that’s a lot of time & effort we just don’t have right now with everything else going on.
    What sandpaper do you recommend? If you were to seal the floor would you use a basic tile sealer or soemthing else?
    We do use rugs & the space is only 8×5 so most of it wont be exposed, but we want to make sure it really holds up since it’s only other bath we have besides our master.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:18 pm

      I think I used 220 grit sandpaper. As far as sealing it, I don’t have a specific product to recommend since I didn’t do this step myself. I would talk to someone in a reputable local paint store about a specific sealing recommendation.

      Reply

  124. Katie says

    March 12, 2019 at 7:22 am

    This looks so good!! Do you think it would work on the tile on the wall? I have tile similar to yours 40 in up the wall on the walls around the toilet in our bathroom and would love to paint it, but don’t want it Stark white like the tub and tile kits. Do you think this would work?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:14 pm

      I think it would work on wall tile in the main area of the bathroom but I don’t know how well it would stand up to wall tile in a bath or shower area where it was exposed to a lot of moisture.

      Reply

  125. Shae Bordes says

    March 12, 2019 at 9:30 am

    Hi Kris! So glad I stumbled onto your website! Fantastic ideas and I adore your taste ! I will be tackling the tile in our kitchen with this fantastic idea… But how many days did the whole project take? I know I can order takeout or pizza for a day or two, or will this be a 5 day project?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:13 pm

      It’s only a 2 day project to finish the floors (since you have to allow for drying time between coats) but I would recommend giving it several days after you’re done before subjecting it to everyday wear and tear and putting down rugs or mats – you’d be fine going in and out in socks though!

      Reply

  126. Karen says

    March 19, 2019 at 2:23 am

    All beautiful!! A couple of questions about the wall stencil, how did you do the corners to align the design, and how did you know what kind of paint to mix for the stencil??? It is gorgeous!!! All lovely, wonderful job!

    Reply

  127. Laura says

    March 19, 2019 at 6:31 pm

    Great article. I am definitely going to try this on my tile foyer. Do you have a specific type of polyurethane you recommend? All the ones I can find say they are meant for use on wood – will they still work over the painted tile?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      March 24, 2019 at 11:10 pm

      I actually don’t have a specific recommendation only because I decided in my case that I didn’t need to use polyurethane. I would talk to someone at a reputable local paint store!

      Reply

  129. Dianna says

    March 31, 2019 at 10:38 am

    It’s absolutely beautiful!! You did a great job and my bathroom floor is exactly what I am fixing to start on but my thought is to make it a more rugged paint for more traction. I tend to slip alot. What are your thoughts on this?

    Reply

  130. Kate says

    May 2, 2019 at 5:03 pm

    Thank you so much for this tutorial! I’m going to do a checker pattern in my bathroom and I’m so excited! Your bathroom looks amazing! I love seeing DIY mini makeovers that just need some elbow grease. So inspiring!

    Reply

  132. Melissa says

    May 13, 2019 at 12:38 am

    Looks great! I am not happy with my kitchen tile (texture traps dirt). I wonder if something like this would be an inexpensive solution. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  133. Michelle says

    May 26, 2019 at 10:27 am

    Hello… I’m so inspired! I have a 1950’s black chipped tiled floor, walls and shower/tub that I’m going to do this to. It will be an enormous job with all the surfaces, but holy moly…. cheap! I want white on white on white….. clean as I have looked at this stained dirty chipped black tile for too long. I can’t wait! I’ll take a before and after!
    Cheers!
    Michelle

    Reply

  134. Debi Croy says

    May 26, 2019 at 12:05 pm

    I’m guessing from the pictures & description that you did not remove the toilet and sink for the project. Did you caulk around them when done? Also, what matte roller did you use?
    Thanks

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      May 28, 2019 at 3:35 pm

      Hi Debi – no I didn’t remove either of those. I didn’t caulk around them but in hindsight I probably should have recaulked my toilet before painting the floor. Might do that when I recoat! I used a 1/4″ nap small roller for a super smooth finish!

      Reply

  135. Jean says

    May 26, 2019 at 7:14 pm

    It looks great! I’ve been thinking about having this done using Garage floor paint. Now I’m wondering if it would be a durable as the porch and floor paint us used? I loved the new wallpaper too! Great job.

    Reply

  136. Tracy says

    May 27, 2019 at 3:26 pm

    The whole room looks quite beautiful. I have been thinking of doing the same with my bathroom floor tiles. I shelled out to retile walls but doing the floor is just too much upheaval and cost. Everyone looks in horror and shakes their head when I talk of painting my floor tiles but I think if you really put the effort into the preparation then it’s got to be worth a try. I am keeping your article on hand to refer to.

    And maybe you need to ban outside shoes in the house but that’s quite a common culture in my neck of the woods – three seasons – snow and slush, mud season, dry dust and grit season, back to snow.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      May 28, 2019 at 3:30 pm

      Yes, prep is definitely key! And I would love to totally ban shoes in my house – I try as much as I can but my husband is proving to be difficult to train 🙂

      Reply

  138. Rebecca Shalmoni says

    June 12, 2019 at 7:37 am

    Any chance you can link the paint you used? I’m trying to find it online, but am having trouble finding the exact one!
    It would be much appreciated 🙂

    Reply

  139. Tamara Harrison says

    June 12, 2019 at 11:52 am

    Thank You! I really enjoyed how you wrote this. Honestly, I usually just browse over these type of articles. But I actually read yours and that means I will be using your guide for my entry tile, bathroom tile, and kitchen tile. The kitchen tile I may have to touch up more often. But… it will be easier than chipping and tearing up all that tile. Thank You Again.

    Reply

  140. Alice Pax says

    June 30, 2019 at 8:44 am

    I was looking for a post on how to paint a bathroom floor.

    I just love your blog. Your bathroom is beautiful and the directions were so simple!

    THANK YOU!!!

    Reply

  141. Susan Mohr says

    July 1, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    I am having my tub and surround reglazed in a couple of weeks and have been contemplating replacing the bathroom tile, too, but having a hard time finding a contractor that isn’t booked up, plus cringe at the inconvenience of the mess of removing the old tile, and the toilet being out of commission for days! Ran across this blog and now I know how to make the old tile look like new! We do have radiant heat in the floor, but I actually think that will be a plus if I wait until Fall to paint the tile, as it should enhance drying time. Also thinking of doing a stencil design on these 8X8 tiles. I’m thinking a little pattern can hide any imperfections from wear and tear. My husband will be away in Sept for a 2 week hunting trip, the perfect time for this project. And, yes, the heat may be on by then, as we live in Wisconsin! : ) Thanks so much for a great “how-to” blog!!

    Reply

  142. Becky says

    July 6, 2019 at 9:46 am

    Absolutely stunning makeover. You have inspired me to paint my downstairs bathroom tile floor. I eventually want to put vinyl wood down over it– my whole first floor is tiled, like one big airport landing strip. BLECH. So if the painting doesn’t turn out as pretty as yours, I won’t freak out too much – knowing it will get covered next year anyway. Thank you for inspiring me!

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      August 14, 2019 at 10:07 am

      That’s exactly what gave me the courage to do mine – I was planning on changing out my bathroom floor in a few years so knew if it was a fail, it wasn’t the end of the world. I’ve been so pleasantly surprised by how well it’s held up!

      Reply

  143. Debbie says

    July 13, 2019 at 12:22 pm

    Looks amazing! I really want to paint the ugly beige tile in my only bathroom. Since I only have one bathroom, how long would I need to wait before showering? Is this even an option? Thanks for your help!

    Reply

  144. Eliza says

    July 14, 2019 at 8:14 pm

    Hi Kris,
    Beautiful bathroom! Thank you very much for sharing all the necessary information to ‘Get it Done’. I’m so glad I found your post and look forward to receiving your posts, in the meantime….I’ll get on the tile floor, LOL.

    Reply

  145. Lisa Kraus says

    July 26, 2019 at 4:03 pm

    Did you paint same color in grout spaces? It looks great! I want to do this to my kitchen floor. Thank you so much! Not sure if I need to do any to the grout

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      August 14, 2019 at 10:02 am

      I didn’t paint the wall tile – only the floors. I would imagine you could paint wall tile using the same steps I did on the floor but I haven’t tried it myself. I would also hesitate to paint tile in the shower – not sure how that would hold up.

      Reply

  149. Ivana says

    August 9, 2019 at 5:30 pm

    Thank you for putting your experience into words and images. Very helpful! I would like this done to the tiles around our fireplace. I would like to remove the glossiness and apply a flat or matte paint in a dark brown or black to match the frame and the mantel. Also, I’d like if the grout between the tiles is in the same color as the tile if at all possible. Any advise you might have for me? I am a little worried about cleaning the tile after being sanded due to the hardwood floor around the tile.
    Thank you again

    Reply

  151. Terri Galloway says

    August 22, 2019 at 11:07 am

    Hi! Thank you for this detailed, step-by-step blog of painting your bathroom ceramic tile floor. I am very interested in repainting ours, SOON!! LOL One question/concern please: Did the primer and/or paint have something in it to help prevent slipping when floor is wet?

    Thank you again!
    Terri

    Reply

  152. Sara says

    August 24, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Hi, I found your tutorial because we are going to paint the tile in our bathroom, but I’m wondering about your medicine cabinet/mirror. Do you replace the entire medicine cabinet, or just remove the mirror and put the new mirror on? We have an old medicine cabinet and we aren’t quite sure how to upgrade it when we do this face lift!

    Reply

  153. Elena Gonzalez says

    August 31, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    Hi, I’m trying to find the Benjamin Moore floor paint you used but can’t find it online. Where/how did you purchase it? Thank you

    Reply

  155. Liza Coyne says

    September 4, 2019 at 5:15 pm

    Hi! I followed your post and my bathroom turned out amazingggg!!! One thing, I used the BM Patio paint you suggested and it still (1 month later) feels tacky when wet. Did you ever experience this? Do you think putting a polyurethane on top would solve this?

    Thanks,

    Liza

    Reply

  156. Karen says

    September 23, 2019 at 6:27 pm

    I love what you did! It’s absolutely gorgeous! My only problem is I want to do my kitchen floor with alternating black and white squares and I couldn’t not walk on it for two days! 😢

    Reply

  157. Tricia Wenborne says

    October 2, 2019 at 10:08 am

    I would love to do this to similar tiles in my kitchen which is quite large but worry about getting to the sink and cooker whilst it is hardening. I cant think of any way round this. Yours looks great.

    Reply

  159. Christy says

    October 3, 2019 at 12:52 pm

    The tile in the “before” picture does not look the same as the red tile that was painted. Was the smaller tile in the “before” picture replaced with the red tile which was then painted?

    Reply

    • Christy says

      October 3, 2019 at 12:53 pm

      I think the tile in the “before” picture is actually the rug and the red tile that was painted is underneath the rug – correct? Thanks!

      Reply

  160. Heather says

    October 7, 2019 at 11:57 am

    I LOVE this idea! I would like to try this in my bathroom. The house was built in the mid 70’s & has NEVER been updated, its scary yellow, brown & green!!! The bathroom is a jack & jill style. I pulled up the nasty carpet, yes I said carpet, & found tile. The tiles are small with wide grout lines. It’s a mosaic of small tiles measuring from 1’x1′ to 3’x3′, with some square some rectangular. Would this technique work on a floor like that? Do you think it would look decent? I’m thinking anything would look better at this point.

    Reply

    • Vikki says

      October 16, 2019 at 8:27 pm

      I used this technique on all my ceramic floors in my Florida home…..
      They turned out so good! I am so proud of myself and can’t wait for friends to see my efforts!

      Reply

  161. Pam says

    October 21, 2019 at 2:35 am

    Hi, this is fantastic! I want to do the same, however, the tiles in my bathroom are textured, sort of wavy and uneven. I’d like to stencil them can you advise on this?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      November 9, 2019 at 8:56 pm

      I sanded the tiles I had with the crud on them with 80 grit, did the whole floor with 120 grit, and then finished off with a quick once-over with a fine 240 grit. And the same Floor & Patio paint that I used has a high gloss option!

      Reply

  163. Angela says

    November 18, 2019 at 10:53 pm

    The new “look” on you bathroom is absolutely gorgeous! I need to do this in the second bathroom. Beige walls, beige tiles yuck 😖 looked ok in the beginning three yrs ago. But after seeing what you did, I need to do ours and sooner rather that later. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏼
    Angela N.

    Reply

  165. Carmel says

    November 29, 2019 at 10:18 am

    Be aware of a phenomenon that can happen with latex paint. I followed all of your directions, then put the first coat of Benjamin Moore Floor and Patio paint. After 5 days, the first coat is still tacky. This is called blocking. Just hoping it doesn’t take weeks or months to resolve. Still needs the second coat.

    Reply

  166. Ignacia says

    December 6, 2019 at 6:34 pm

    I´ve done it three times and non of them have worked. Mabye is because my bathrooms are used to shower about 4 times every day and the paint is not exactrly for that? Any idea?

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 20, 2020 at 1:06 pm

      Did you paint the tile in the shower itself or the tile on the floor? I don’t know if painting tile that’s actually in the shower and being exposed to that much moisture and humidity would work.

      Reply

  167. Vessela says

    December 18, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    Amazing! I am inspired to paint ours.
    What kind of roller did you use to achieve smooth finish? Did you use new rollers between coats?
    Did you use satin finish?
    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Kris Jarrett says

      January 14, 2020 at 8:44 am

      I used a 1/4″ nap small roller for a super smooth finish. I didn’t use a new roller between coats – just covered the roller with plastic and stored it in the refrigerator between coats. I used the Low Sheen version of the paint I mentioned.

      Reply