If you’re tired of your four walls but don’t have the funds to embark on a full-on renovation, there are nifty ways to have a makeover without breaking the bank.
Little jobs like painting old furniture or wall trims, as well as bigger projects, like creating a feature wall using removable wallpaper, can give your space the lift it needs while keeping your bank balance in the black.
For bathrooms and kitchens with tiled surfaces, an easy way to update them without ripping the lot out is by giving them a little repaint. As well as sectioning spaces with colour, you could use stencils to create new patterns on plain old tiles, giving your home new character and energy.
Whether you’re sick of the kitchen backsplash or you’ve inherited a hideous bathroom suite that needs to go, it’s a job that even the most DIY-averse can do.
How to paint over tiles
That said, you can’t just slap any old paint onto tiles, and you’ll need to prepare the surface so it can take paint effectively. Dulux has some handy tips to help would-be tile transformers:
- The most important thing for painting tiles is making sure your tiles are clean (cleaned with a hot detergent solution and scourer, then rinsed with clean water) and dry.
- In some cases a fungicidal wash may be required and a limescale remover.
- Make sure you paint everything using a brush or small foam roller, including the grout. If the lines need redefining then you can use a grout pen.
Meanwhile, for a crisp finish, Ronseal recommends pulling back painter’s tape at a 45-degree angle for seamless edges. The brand does away with the need for a priming undercoat with its One Coat Tile Paint, which, as you can guess, does exactly what it says on the tin.
However, the brand has a warning: do not use tile paint across floors. There are special formulas, like Diamond Hard Floor Paint, designed to withstand high footfall and are better suited for flooring rather than standard tile paint that is made to cover walls.
Can you paint your bath or shower tiles?
While many areas of the bathroom are prime for painting, the areas that will get very wet are out of bounds, according to the eco-friendly paint brand Frenchic. The tiles here or in areas where standing water could occur should stay intact to create a watertight shield against leaks and mould.
In fact, painting tiles is all down to the kind of formula you use in the end. If you’re hoping to give your home a quick makeover, we’ve rounded up the best paints to use on tiling
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Frenchic Tile Paint
The eco-friendly chalk and mineral paint brand has a range specifically dedicated to prettying up ceramic tiles, with shades from a moody Blackjack to a duck-egg blue and an elegant moss green, plus plenty more besides. There’s also the Chalk Wall Paint range, which the brand says will work across a range of surfaces, including ceramic wall tiles, with a similarly impressive colour wheel.
Buy now £10.95, Frenchic
Maison Deco Refresh Bathroom Wall Tile Paint Cool White - 2L
Yellowing and faded tiles will never be in fashion. Give your walls back their sparkle with Maison Deco’s tile paint in a brilliant white. This formula is a little different from the others on our list in that it can be used in shower enclosures. The low-VOC paint is ultra-adherent and will form a waterproof barrier once cured. As well as porcelain, ceramic, slate and glass tiles, it can also be used on wood, laminate and melamine. With no need for an undercoat, your transformation will be complete in no time.
Buy now £40.00, Homebase
Rust-Oleum Grape Soda Satin Bathroom Tile Paint 750ml
A lighter take on black, this deep aubergine tone is the perfect way to add depth and polish to bathrooms with the swipe of a brush. This is a two-part application which involves an activator and should leave behind nothing but a satin-like finish.
Buy now £25.00, B&Q
RONSEAL One Coat Watercolour Tile Paint White Satin 750ml
Why bother with the expense and mess of retiling when you can refresh tired tiles with Ronseal’s One Coat formula? It’s perfect for moisture-prone areas as one coat is waterproof and offers mould protection too. You’ll need to leave it for 24 hours to ensure the paint is thoroughly dry so one to apply when you’ve got an empty house.
Buy now £25.89, Amazon
Rust-Oleum Blue water resistant Kitchen Tile Paint in Satin Finish - Ink Blue 750ml
Whether you want to wash old tiles in a fresh new colour or you’re hoping to add a pattern with paint and stencils onto existing tiles, Rust-Oleum’s range of 110 Kitchen Tile Paints can help you reach your interiors goals. The long-lasting formula has been specifically made for tiles, offering both water and mould resistancy. With a one-hour touch-dry time, you’ll have your kitchen looking like new in no time.
Buy now £23.00, Amazon
V33 Renovation Soft Grey Satin Wall tile & panelling paint, 750ml
Made for use on bathroom and kitchen tiles, V33’s paint formula promises to protect against daily water splashing. The two-in-one paint doesn’t need an undercoat, but you will have to mix in an additive and stir well before reaching for your painting tool. Apply two coats, leaving plenty of drying time in between and you’ll be left with a beautiful colour that’s easy to maintain but is hard-wearing enough to withstand varying temperatures and wet environments.
Buy now £27.00, B&Q
Dulux Tile Paint Gloss Distant Shores - 600ml
This water-based paint is not only quick-drying and self-undercoating but once thoroughly dry, it’ll form such a strong shield that Dulux promises it won’t peel off, even in high-water areas. It’s enough to have us reaching for our paint rollers.
Buy now £16.00, Homebase
