HAVE SHOWER TILES LOST THEIR LUSTRE?
Specialty DIY paint products could do the trick
If your shower tiles are looking a little worse for wear, their colour fading or peeling, and full-scale replacement or hiring a professional aren’t practical options, there are DIY alternatives available:
Q The border tiles in my master bath shower look horrible! The tiles are dark brown, but the colour is slowly coming off, probably because of chemicals in cleaning solutions. The tiles are not flat and smooth like the surrounding tiles. Is there any way to paint them?
A Painting is probably your only option, short of replacing the tile. Although it’s possible to use standard paint to coat tile if you first scuff it up with sandpaper and apply an epoxy primer, manufacturers generally warn not to do this where the tiles will be frequently subjected to water, such as on walls around a bathtub or shower.
To coat tiles on shower walls, you need specialty paint. One example that’s widely available is Rust-Oleum Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit. This two-part acrylic epoxy comes in white and two off-white colours, Biscuit and Almond. It costs $58.90 on Amazon.ca and is also carried by many home centre and paint stores. The packaging warns against using it on surfaces exposed to “constant high humidity/water immersion such as swimming pools, hot tubs, ponds or saunas.”
So, assuming your shower isn’t in constant use, the paint should stick.
Another alternative to consider is Homax Tub & Sink BrushOn One-Part Epoxy ($36.39 on amazon.ca).
Follow package directions carefully; they differ by product. All of the paints, though, stick better to a surface that is scuffed up rather than slick.