We figured out How To Paint Tile The Easy Way while making over the duplex we just bought! I am so excited to share this easy and frugal process with you.

If you would like to change the tile in your bathroom or kitchen but don’t have room in the budget to do it, this post is for you! 

First, let me give you a little background on the duplex. After we sold our first fixer upper project, Matt and I decided to use the 4 letter word that changed our lives then and buy our first rental property. We have talked about wanting to do it for some time and the opportunity presented itself soon after the flip house sold and we took the plunge. There are two apartments in the duplex – an upper and lower unit.

The tenant in the bottom unit has been living there for six years and stayed when we took it over. The person that was living in the upper unit moved out a few months before we closed on the duplex. We knew we were going to have to do some work to the upper unit before we could rent it out. 

BUT…. we didn’t know how much work would actually be involved until we got in it. WHOA! (I will be writing a post all about it soon.)

Today, we are going to focus on the bathroom – particularly the tile in the shower.

In the first photo, you can see that there was a surround in the shower. I did not take before photos of the bathroom for some odd reason, but the bathtub was pink. We painted the bathtub just like we did in the flip house. The surround was not in good shape and we thought we were going to have to get a new one. While all of that was going on, we found out that instead of having to replace one furnace in the duplex, we were going to have to replace both!!

UGH! The furnaces were top priority and with the weather starting to get coldwe needed to get them done ASAP so pipes wouldn’t freeze. While the guys were getting those done, we started taking the bathroom apart. As we were pulling the surround off the wall, we noticed that the tile behind it was still in good condition. Could we save the $200 it would take to get a new surround and salvage the tile?

It was worth a shot.

{Affiliate links are used in this post. You can read my disclosure HERE.}

After pulling the entire surround off, some of the tiles at the bottom came off. We went to Menards and bought the tile that was the same size as the rest of them and just filled them at the base with adhesive and grout.

After that was all set and done, we started the prep process to paint.  

How To Paint Tile – Supplies Needed:

Rustoleum Tub & Tile Paint Kit

400 Grit Sandpaper 

A REALLY GOOD MASK

Lime Cleaner

Comet Cleaner

Good Gloves

Painter’s Tape

Scour Pads

Paint Brush – Get a good brush, but know you will throw it out after.

Roller

VENTILATION!!!

 

To start, we cleaned the tile really well first. (You can read all about the cleaning process we used in how to paint bathtub.)

Then, we sanded all of the tile. After that, we wiped all the tile down with a cloth so there was no residue left over from the sandpaper.

Now, it was time to mix the paint. 

 

 

Just like the bathtub, we used Rustoleum’s Tub & Tile Paint kit.

The kit comes with two different cans. You need to add the contents of the smaller can to the larger can and mix them together very well.

Once we had it mixed, we poured the paint into a painter’s tray.

The smell of this product is way too strong for me. It doesn’t bother Matt, but once the paint is poured, it is time for me to exit the premises. You must have good ventilation and wear a mask because the smell is STRONG!

Wait! Before I could leave, I had to hold my breath and get a picture of him rolling the paint.

Matt has used both a paint brush and a roller with this paint and prefers a small roller. The paint is thin and runs easily so he feels like he has more control with the smaller roller. 

After a few coats, the tile looks brand new!

It is amazing!!!

We put the shower doors back on the tub and couldn’t believe how well the tile and the rest of the bathroom looks now! (I am so mad I didn’t take a before photo of this bathroom. UGH)

Here are a few more angles of the tile for you to see.

If you have tile in your home that you don’t like, PAINT IT! I am not kidding. You will be so amazed at how good it looks when you are done and it is inexpensive to do! 

I am so glad we figured out how to paint tile because it saved us so much money and time in our first rental property. 

FAQ’s I get most about this project:

• Can you do this on a claw foot tub? 

We have not tried this on a claw foot tub, but I don’t see why not.

• Can you use this on a tub surround?

NO! This product is not made for tub surrounds. 

• Can you use this on a sink?

We have not had to do that, but yes! I have seen other people use it on sinks. 

• How many kits do you need?

We like to put a couple of coats on the bathtub. With one kit, we can get one coat on the bathtub and the tile around the tub is there is some we are painting. We usually get two kits for sure to get enough coats to cover them well. 

• What do you do with grout lines for painting tile?

We paint over the tile and the grout lines. The paint covers it well.

• Does the paint peel or chip?

We make sure to put a few coats of paint on the tub and tile and it doesn’t peel or chip. You don’t want to use abrasive cleaners after it is done, but it holds up well.

• Does the water temperature affect the paint work?

No.

 

Pin This How To Paint Tile Post!

If you liked this How To Paint Tile The Easy Way post, check out these other easy projects: 

How To Paint A Bathtub Easily and Inexpensively!

Architectural Salvage Project For The Entry

10 Flips For Flipping A House To Make It Easier