How to Paint Tile

Since paint won't adhere to a grimy surface, scrub the tiles that you want to paint. Basic household cleaners, or dish soap and water, will get the job done on most tiles.

If you want to paint kitchen backsplash tiles, you may need to do a second or third pass with degreasing dish soap to ensure that the tiles are totally clean.

Once the tiles are clean, inspect them for cracks and chips. If you see any, put on your protective gloves and fill the cracks with caulk and a patching knife.

Inspect the surrounding grout while gloved, and apply small dabs of grout in areas where it's missing. If large amounts of grout are chipped off, it may need to be removed and regrouted entirely before resuming the tile painting job.

If you see signs of severe damage, ask a local tile contractor if you’re better off ripping the tiles out and addressing any underlying issues.

Most tiles have glaze for aesthetics and to protect their color or design. This glaze must be sanded off so that the paint will properly adhere to the surface. Depending on the size of the area you want to paint and how many tiles there are, you may be able to manually sand the surface with a sanding block and 100-grit sandpaper. This may be doable for a small area like a backsplash. An orbital sander will make the job much faster and easier if you are sanding a large area, like an entire wall.

Whether you’re using sandpaper or an orbital sander, be gentle with your motions, ensuring that you're sanding the surface but not stripping it completely.

Lay down the dropcloth in the area where paint drips are most likely to occur. Cover the wall edges, and any adjacent fixtures, with painter’s tape.

Make sure the area is well-ventilated, then put on your protective gloves and mask. Pour some primer into a paint tray, then use a paint brush or roller to apply it to the sanded tiles. Applying primer is important if you don’t want darker colors or designs to appear under the new tile colors. It will also help your paint job last longer.

Pour some of your tile paint (or epoxy paint) into another paint tray, then apply it to the primed tiles with a paintbrush or roller. Once you've painted the tiles to your liking, allow 24 to 48 hours for it to dry.

You can achieve different designs with stencils, painter’s tape, or freehand painting. If you'd like a more uniform pattern, stencils are the best option. You may need to let each tile repetition dry before applying the stencil to the next one.

Once all desired colors and patterns are dry, add a coat of clear polyurethane sealant to preserve them. Let it dry for another 24-48 hours, or according to manufacturer directions.

Paint and sealant each need sufficient time to dry. Humidity, ventilation, temperature, and other factors will affect drying time as well.

Read the paint manufacturer's instructions for curing time. The surface should be avoided during the curing period, which may be as little as four days but could take 30 days or longer. If you paint the floor, the room should be avoided until fully cured.