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Can I paint this ugly floor tile?

5 years ago

Help! I need to figure out what kind of material this floor tile is made of and if I can paint itIf I can paint it. It's smooth to the touch, not too shinny.

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PRO

S Reed design

5 years ago

Looks like a terrazzo to me and it’s actually very on trend right now. No don’t paint it as it wouldn’t work anyway. It matches the shower walls so get the grout changed to match as best you can the background color. Keep it and go with other updates would be my suggestion. Let me guess you’re in an older home in Florida?

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Comments (8)

Los Feliz Girl
Original Author
5 years ago
Palm Springs, 1951 Mid modern Everything about the home is beautiful except this interior bathroom with no windows. It was an odd add on, feels like a gas station bathroom in here! Yes, the tile is on trend but the lack of light is just awful. I will do some kind of skylights (Solatube) and windows on one wall, maybe cork floors. I installed cork (sealed) floors in my LA home, it was a game changer. Thanks for your reply!
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I agree with many of the above posters that the best long term solution is to replace the ugly tile with something you like better (and I agree that a new tile floor doesn't have to be expensive.) However (depending on what other projects the OP is juggling) there are times when a temporary fix can be a big visual relief, and it can allow you to tackle even more pressing things (often the case in my big old house.) In my case the floor looked dirty no matter what I did, and it was depressing. Now it only looks...boring! But at least it looks clean! I do look forward to the day when I can apply a sledgehammer and chisel to some of my ugly tile...I could use the satisfaction!
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You can paint them, but keep in mind that they will not be nearly as durable as the unpainted tile. I would not recommend painting entire tile floors, but accent tiles here and there you may be able to get away with. Follow the normal prep process for painting anything slick....clean, sand, dust, prime with bonding acrylic primer and finish with two coats high quality acrylic paint in satin or higher sheen depending on how shiny the current tiles are.
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If the tiles are ceramic, there is no paint system that will be durable enough to hold up long term to foot traffic. Painting areas where people walk is always a challenge....look at how often we need to maintain our decks, basement steps that we paint, etc.
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Comments (9)
I would hold off. Is it marble? Is it original to the house? Your house is older and the fireplace did work at one point. Have someone in to find out what the problem is and whether it can be fixed. Then think and think some more... In other words the only thing I would do immediately is get rid of the paneling (it might be brick underneath) and strip the paint off the mantle and surround, which is VERY pretty... This house needs tlc by undoing the various "updates" from past owners...
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Fori
5 years ago
I think painting the walls (something calls for light turquoise?) might change the feel. Right now it's all blah oyster. The tile is actually kinda classy. Get some clean color on the walls and door and the floor will melt right in.
Los Feliz Girl
Original Author
5 years ago
That door is going bye bye! It goes to the garage. Gonna put some solatube skylights in there and a window.
PRO
S Reed design
5 years ago
Have you considered changing out the doors? Is there natural light behind those doors?

It also looks like you could easily pop off the terrazzo baseboard (everywhere EXCEPT shower threshold) and replace with crisp white pine 1x5. LED bulbs will change the value of the light to more of a daylight feel. Also it is easy to finish off the front of the shelving with a 1x2.
Los Feliz Girl
Original Author
5 years ago
S Reed. That door goes to the garage! It's terrible. It's going bye, bye...it will be a wall! I am putting solatube sky lights in there and a window. Definitely, will be bringing some of the outside in. I got estimates to restore the concrete underneath and turn it into a one level wet room. Ya know...know curb for the shower, same level for the floor and shower.
PRO
S Reed design
5 years ago
Sounds like a plan! They did that almost exterior bathroom thing a lot in the 50’s. I guess to kinda hose off the kids lol. Who knows?! but let us know how it turns out.
Los Feliz Girl
Original Author
5 years ago
Will do!

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