How to Clean Old Ceiling Tiles For DIY Projects
3 Materials
$10
1 Day
Easy
I have this thing for old pressed ceiling tiles. They always add so much character to a project. A few months back we bought a whole bunch of really rusty ones on facebook.
Just look at those gorgeous patterns under all that rust and grime and paint. They needed a lot of work before we could re-purpose them for our DIY projects. But hey, it's worth it and I thought I'd share the 3 different ways we used to clean them up.
Just a heads up, cleaning old, rusty tin ceiling tiles is a messy business and it does take some elbow grease. Most old tiles were painted with lead paint back in the day so it's a good idea to wear protective gear and work in a well-ventilated spot that's easy to clean up afterwards. Right let's get to those 3 ways for cleaning tin ceiling tiles.Method 1 - Oven Cleaner Good old oven cleaner - the cheap alternative to paint stripper. Just spray the oven cleaner on the tile and let it sit for about 10 minutes.
Scrub the tile with a wire brush and rinse.
Depending on how many layers of paint there are you may need to repeat the process. On this specific ceiling tile, we had to do it three times. Here’s a before and after of the same tile.
Method 2 - Sand Blasting This was the hubby's way of cleaning the tiles. Personally I prefer not getting sand up my crack, thank you very much 
But it does remove most of the old paint and rust really quickly. Protective gear is a must when sand blasting the tiles. That sand goes every where.
But it does remove most of the old paint and rust really quickly. Protective gear is a must when sand blasting the tiles. That sand goes every where.
Sand blasting the tiles won't remove all of the paint, but in my humble opinion that also adds to the charm.
Method 3 - Bang and Smack This is my favorite method. It so satisfying banging and smacking those tiles 
Use a hammer or the back end of a paint scraper to bang and smack the loose paint off. Depending on how old the paint is, it will come off in chunks, and the rest can be scraped off with the paint scraper.
Use a hammer or the back end of a paint scraper to bang and smack the loose paint off. Depending on how old the paint is, it will come off in chunks, and the rest can be scraped off with the paint scraper.
Which ever method you choose, you'll need to wipe the tiles down with a vinegar and water mix to get rid of surface rust. Rinse the tiles in a mild detergent and soapy water afterwards to remove any lingering vinegar residue and dry thoroughly before applying a clear, sealer to protect them and prevent further rust.
We used a whole bunch of the cleaned ceiling tiles to transform an old metal plant stand into this charming beauty.
And made this cute birdhouse.
Do you use ceiling tiles in your DIY projects? How do you clean them?
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4 comments
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Wow! Talk about hidden treasure! You made them look beautiful 💙
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Wow, it turned out stunning. Looks like new.
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Thanks so much Anita
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