What type of paint should I use on ceramic floor tile?

The tile flooring in my bathroom is made up of 1-inch hexagons in a black and white pattern. Each tile must have been placed individually because smack in the middle of the floor, one of the black tiles is out of place. It drives me nuts! I could peel up the entire floor and re-tile it, but that's drastic. I don't think I'm skilled enough to move just two tiles, so I'm considering paints. What would be durable enough to survive being in the middle of the bathroom? Is it worth painting or should I just avert my eyes?

2 Years 3 Answers 2.5k views

Sarah C

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Answers ( 3 )

 
  1. JR Ferreri 1171 Community Answer

    Ceramic tiles are glazed with a mixture of alumina, flux, colorants, and silica. The silica forms glass, which is why tiles frequently have shiny surfaces. Additives like calcium and titanium can create matte glazes, as can too much flux.


    Painting or gluing things to a glass surface in a durable manner is challenging. You can mechanically grind or sand the surface to rough it up, but this causes a horrible breathing hazard. Glass frosting/etching creams like Armour Etch will texture glass surfaces, but they contain Ammonium Bifluoride,
    Sodium Bifluoride, and Sulphuric Acid! You need to wear breathing protection, long sleeves and heavy rubber gloves when using this product, even though you can find it in many arts and crafts stores across the country! Do NOT get it on your skin!


    While polyurethane floor paints are rather durable, two part epoxy paints do exist. Read carefully, don't settle for paints with epoxy particles suspended in them which is common in spray paints that claim to be epoxy paints. A true epoxy paint will consist of a pigmented resin that you stir in a bit of catalyst to activate. You'll want to have good ventilation until the paint sets completely. You may be able to find this product in a bright white, sold for resurfacing bath tubs.


    Any surface that is walked on will experience a lot of friction and will be exposed to moisture, so it is going to experience wear over time. However a durable floor paint applied to a properly prepared surface will perform well even if (like most things in this world) it will not last forever.

    UTC 2021-04-19 04:59 AM 0 Comments
  2. Shinto shrines in Japan have huge, elaborately carved wooden gates that are truly beautiful and almost perfectly symmetrical... but they always have some symmetry-breaking "flaw" (not really a flaw; it's intentional!) that reminds us that true beauty is not the same a perfection.  Or something like that.  


    So perhaps your tiled floor was laid by a philosophical artist who wanted you to contemplate that concept every time you sit on your throne.  


    Don't spoil it!   ;-)

    UTC 2021-04-10 06:39 PM 0 Comments
  3. You can paint floor tiles, but the results will not last as long as you want them to, there is a risk the paint will peel or bubble up from being frequently scratched or exposed to moisture, regardless of the amount of paint layers applied.

    UTC 2021-04-12 03:08 PM 0 Comments

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