What is the best way to paint over tiled bathroom shower?

Teresa Wilson
by Teresa Wilson
My house was built in the 60's and the bathroom has the pink square tile in the shower/bathtub and all walls in the bathroom. I guess that was to popular thing back then. I don't want to tear the tile out I just want to change the color of the tile from pink to something more appealing.
  8 answers
  • Janet Panos Janet Panos on Dec 23, 2017

    Hello Teresa! Here is how one Hometalk contributor painted the tile in her bathroom, and it came out quite successfully. She was really pleased with the outcome. Click on the link below and check it out :


    https://www.hometalk.com/diy/paint/how-to-paint-tile-2570386


  • Cristine Schwartzberg Cristine Schwartzberg on Dec 23, 2017

    They make a special paint for tile. I had one of those oh-so-popular pink baths. You have to prep the tiles, apply the tile paint and then add a glaze. One of them (I think it was the glaze) stunk to high heaven while it was drying. It worked well for about seven years then it started peeling on the tub walls. The tub walls got a lot of moisture from showering and bathing. By that point, we had finally saved enough for a gut rehab.

  • Joseph Glackin Joseph Glackin on Dec 23, 2017

    I think in the 50s/60s someone convinced Middle America all bathrooms should have pink tiles with black trim. If they are ceramic, try prepping and re-glazing. If, as many were, they were plastic, I would pop the tiles off and start over.

  • Shoshana Shoshana on Dec 24, 2017

    I would go for a rustoleum tile paint kit. They're quite reliable.

  • Jmh12836933 Jmh12836933 on Dec 24, 2017

    Don’t paint!! Hire a professional to reglaze. It is not that expensive and color choice endless!

  • Pat Pat on Dec 24, 2017

    We went to one of the big box stores and told them what we wanted to do....they recommended that we buy a paint sort of like Kiltz to put on first and then we could use a semi-gloss paint, which we did. Now our old pink tile is white and has been for the last 10 years. I have had to touch up the white paint where the broom/vacuum nicked it, but does not show at all.

  • Dea12517802 Dea12517802 on Dec 24, 2017

    I agree with Pat as I did exactly the same and it looks great and has lasted for over 10 years.

    Andrea

    Vallejo CA

  • Marie Nachman Marie Nachman on Dec 24, 2017

    I would not paint the tile. Paint the rest of the bathroom in a creamy white that complement’s the tile and use accessories in Soft teal, coral and buttery yellows. Look at 60s color schemes and work with it. It’s less hassle and you won’t have paint peeling off tile in a couple of years. Ceramic material with a gloss finish isn’t a surface paint loves to stick to. All the cgrmicals that etch the surface ruin the tile, so if they do peel you need to start over or replace the tile. Just my perspective.