Can you paint old tile flooring?

[MELSMICE]

There is a small bathroom at my dance studio that has an old tile floor - the kind gramma used to have!!!!

Can these be painted with some kind of special paint?

 

[Darcy03231]

I've seen it done on home decorating shows. The one I saw had them painting bathroom tile. It was a two step process. I would check at your local Home Depot or Lowe's. They must have the stuff there.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

Are you talking about ceramic tile or VCT? Vinyl Composition tile, the stuff usually seen in commercial places, schools, etc.? I'm guessing you're talking about VCT.

Ceramic tile isn't pourous and may or may not take paint well. It would definitely need to be primed to have any chance of success. VCT can be pourous if it's not waxed or sealed, or if it's been a while and the wax or sealant has worn down. If that's the case, you should be able to prime and paint it.

Any idea how old the tiles are? And how big are they? If they're 9" squares and been down since the 1980s, they're most likely asbestos tiles. If so, I believe you can paint over them also -- and definitely prime them first as well.

 

[MELSMICE]

Are you talking about ceramic tile or VCT? Vinyl Composition tile, the stuff usually seen in commercial places, schools, etc.? I'm guessing you're talking about VCT.

They are not ceramic tile. They are the kind you see in schools & commercial places, so, yes, VCT tiles.

Do you know if there is a special paint you need to use? Would they have it at Home Depot or Lowes?

It's a small area - small bath - but I would say moderate to fairly high traffic. Not super high because it's not a walking area, but enough that I would it to be durable & hold up without getting constantly scratched.

 

[Darcy03231]

I found these instructions on DIY:

"First, wash the surface to with a 50/50 solution of household ammonia and water to remove soap films from bathroom surfaces or grease from kitchen walls. I also recommend you wash with a mild acid solution which is used to clean ceramic tile of excessive grout. This can be found in the tile section of most home centers,Ace hardware and tile distributors.Rinse well with plain water, and let the surface dry thoroughly.

Next, prime it with a high-quality adhesion-promoting primer like Zinsser's latex-based Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer. Bulls Eye 1-2-3 adheres tenaciously to ceramic tile, glass, and other hard-to-stick-to materials. The primer provides an "anchor" for the topcoat so it can't be rubbed, chipped or scraped off easily.

If the area is going to be subjected to a lot of water such as the tile in the tub area, use BIN an alcohol base primer for maximum durability.

Follow the primer with one or two coats of a high-quality finish paint. In moisture-prone areas alkyd (oil base)finishes are preferred, as they provide a harder finish than water-base paints and are more washable and durable. There are also several epoxy coatings that are excellent for durability, check with your local paint store for availability.

If you want to paint the grout a contrasting color, you can go back over it with an artist's brush.

Your finished project will be fully cured in appx 2-3 weeks and you should avoid harsh abrasive cleaning agents, soft scrub is a good general cleaner for painted surfaces.

Zinsser's Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer can be found paint stores, hardware stores, and home centers across the country. For more information, visit Zinsser's web site."

Hope this helps.

 

[MELSMICE]

I found these instructions on DIY:

"First, wash the surface to with a 50/50 solution of household ammonia and water to remove soap films from bathroom surfaces or grease from kitchen walls. I also recommend you wash with a mild acid solution which is used to clean ceramic tile of excessive grout. This can be found in the tile section of most home centers,Ace hardware and tile distributors.Rinse well with plain water, and let the surface dry thoroughly.

Next, prime it with a high-quality adhesion-promoting primer like Zinsser's latex-based Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer. Bulls Eye 1-2-3 adheres tenaciously to ceramic tile, glass, and other hard-to-stick-to materials. The primer provides an "anchor" for the topcoat so it can't be rubbed, chipped or scraped off easily.

If the area is going to be subjected to a lot of water such as the tile in the tub area, use BIN an alcohol base primer for maximum durability.

Follow the primer with one or two coats of a high-quality finish paint. In moisture-prone areas alkyd (oil base)finishes are preferred, as they provide a harder finish than water-base paints and are more washable and durable. There are also several epoxy coatings that are excellent for durability, check with your local paint store for availability.

If you want to paint the grout a contrasting color, you can go back over it with an artist's brush.

Your finished project will be fully cured in appx 2-3 weeks and you should avoid harsh abrasive cleaning agents, soft scrub is a good general cleaner for painted surfaces.

Zinsser's Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer-Sealer can be found paint stores, hardware stores, and home centers across the country. For more information, visit Zinsser's web site."

Hope this helps.

That does help, thank you!

 

[oxfordcircus]

Some old resilient tiles contain asbestos.

 

[MELSMICE]

Some old resilient tiles contain asbestos.

I'm not sure how old they are - I rent the building.