Painting Tiles in Kitchen and Bathroom: the MissPompadour DIY-Tutorial

Yes, you can! Basically, you can paint almost all tiles, but it's especially easy with chalk paint and our varnishes.

Almost all tiled surfaces can be painted. There are, however, a few exceptions: Tiles coated with wax or treated with an impregnating agent are difficult to paint over. Terracotta tiles, for example, are often sealed with a wax coat to make them easier to clean. Modern surfaces with a lotus effect coating cannot be painted either. Even some floor care products that have an impregnating effect. Outdoor tiles that are exposed to rain are also not a suitable surface for painting. Of course, every surface is different and reacts differently to a coat of paint therefore, we cannot guarantee proper adhesion and durability.

It is best to work with a combination of our fine MissPompadour brush and the varnish roller for water-based varnishes. Pre-paint the joints with the brush held lengthways, then use the roller on the tiles. Always try to work wet on wet. Paint a few joints first and then Roller the corresponding tiles. Then paint the next joints and tiles. You'll soon get the hang of it.

We cannot guarantee the durability of tile paints. How long a coat of paint lasts on tiles depends heavily on how it is used. Every painted surface is subject to a certain amount of wear and tear, and this wear and tear depends on the amount of use. For example, a tiled floor in a single household without pets, where shoes are always taken off at the front door, is naturally subject to different wear and tear than in a family of five with a dog and cat, where dirty wellies are sometimes walked on in the entrance. In addition, every floor is treated differently and everyone has a different opinion of how a floor should be used. You have to decide for yourself and your family whether you want to paint a floor or look for another alternative. High-traffic areas can also be additionally protected with a runner.

Signs of wear and tear may appear over time. If there are scratches or small chips, you can repair them very easily. Sand the areas a little with the sanding pad and simply paint over them again with your varnish or chalk paint. A painted floor can be a good solution for a few years. And if you no longer like the colour, simply paint over it with another one of our fantastic colour shades.

If the colour has not yet hardened, it can simply be scraped off. This is normal. Please do not do a scratch test with your fingernail. After 14 days the colour is already quite stable, but even then it hardens from day to day and can no longer be scratched off.

Yes, textured, old-fashioned tiles usually even look really cool when painted.

Whether you are allowed to paint the tiles in the rented flat must always be clarified with the landlord. After all, it is his property and a coat of paint cannot be completely removed. It's best to always get permission in writing. That way, you'll be on the safe side when you move out.

To Clean - Cleaner for painted tiles, you can use a normal cleaner. Please check whether it is suitable for painted surfaces, as this is stated on the label. You should avoid using chlorine-based cleaners or alcohol-based disinfectants. It is also better not to leave strong acids on for a long time. Our To Clean - Cleaner is also a great cleaner for after painting. Please avoid microfibre cloths and use normal cotton cloths instead. Microfibre can finely abrade the surface and damage the paint layer over time.

That depends entirely on what kind of tiles you're talking about. We have answered the question depending on whether it is bathroom, kitchen or floor tiles.

It all depends on what kind of tiles you want to seal. We have different recommendations depending on whether it's a backsplash in the kitchen, wall tiles in the shower or a floor. And all our topcoats have a matt finish, so you don't have to worry about an extra shine.

Silicone cannot be painted over. You can renew silicone joints after a new coat of paint or prime them with MissPompadour To Seal Siliconebefore painting and then paint over them. If the joints are already old and worn, e.g. in the shower, it is advisable to renew them. When using new silicone, make sure that you use acid-free silicone. This will not attack the colour.

If you intend to paint with two colour shades, you should only mask off after 14 days if possible, when the first colour has dried through, and start with the second colour. You can use our masking tape very well here. First stick the tape to your jeans or T-shirt so that fine fibres adhere and the tape no longer sticks so strongly. Then stick it carefully to the desired surface. When pulling it off, do not pull it towards you, but carefully to the side so that there is as little tension as possible and your paint is not damaged. It is important to always remove the tape while the paint is still wet so that the paint film does not tear. It is best to re-tape for each coat of paint.

You can paint wall tiles particularly easily. Our varnishes are also great for the walls in the shower area, as they are water-based but not water-soluble once they have hardened. Floor tiles in the bathroom can also be painted. However, you must bear in mind that varnishes and chalk paints do not tolerate standing water. Damp towels on the floor or bath mats could therefore soften the varnish under certain circumstances. It is therefore important to avoid standing water on the floor. We would not paint the floor tiles in level-access showers.

If you want to paint very smooth wall tiles, you can use MissPompadour To Bond & Block to ensure that the paint adheres better. If you are painting your bathroom floor, you should always prime it with To Bond & Block, as it is subject to greater stress. One covering coat is sufficient.

Our stable varnishes are waterproof and robust even without topcoat. Walls that repeatedly get wet, e.g. in the shower or behind the bathtub, can also be protected from moisture with MissPompadour To Seal.

You should also seal a bathroom floor with To Seal to make it more robust. The durability of a painted tiled floor depends heavily on the type of tile, the finish and, above all, the individual wear and tear.

You should wait at least a whole day, if possible longer, before showering again. In the first two weeks after painting, it is advisable not to take extensive wellness showers. In the first few days, also make sure that no very hard jets of water come into contact with freshly painted tiles and that the shower head does not hit the wall and refrain from cleaning for the first 5 days.

Your kitchen splashback doesn't match the freshly painted kitchen? No problem! You can also give your kitchen tiles a completely new look by painting them with our water-based varnishes and chalk paints.

If the tiles are very smooth, you can use the MissPompadour To Bond & Block primer to ensure better adhesion. One well-covering coat is enough. It is best to leave this to dry overnight.

If the tiles are on the wall, they can be painted without any problems. The only important thing here is to use a varnish that can be applied outdoors. We recommend our MissPompadour Eggshell Varnish. It is particularly robust and weather-resistant.

It is more complicated for floor tiles in unprotected outdoor areas, as they are often exposed to standing water. You can find out more about this in our blog on painting floor tiles.