Not in the budget right now. And there are more pressing things we have to do - not optional - next year. The trouble is it’s getting harder & harder to live with these floors. And it’s not like we’ve lived here all this time doing nothing. Every year we’ve done major & minor upgrades. This year & next are no exception Also the kitchen is huge - 30’ x 14’ - so new floors isn’t a small expense.

no to the chalk paint. It doesn't last (from what I've read).

what they suggest now is to scuff up the tile (sand paper) , apply a good porch paint bonding primer,

and then the porch paint. go over that w/a good floor poly. The reason this way is better than chalk paint is because of the scuffing and the bonding primer. And the fact that porch paint is meant to be walked on. chalk paint, not so much

Photos always help. For example, sometimes the floor can be transformed with a different color of grout.

People do paint tile, but usually it doesn't wear well. My impression is that chalk paint wears the least well, even on cabinetry -- is there a reason you want to go that way?

It sounds like you have an idea of what you're up against, with all the layers of poly and the rugs, so maybe this will work. But it's kind of a long shot. Photos, for more ideas?

Thanks Beth. But aren’t those photos of chalk painted floors? I should have also mentioned our floors are already roughed up. They’re porcelain and very textured.

Thanks acm. The floors look very much like the before tiles in the photos Beth posted. Everything I’ve read about durability of chalk paint on floors is about the real need for poly on top. At least four coats. Water based.

If I don’t go that way - painting the floors - has anyone used vinyl floor cloths? Are they cheap looking?

the issue is adhesion. with chalk paint, there is no primer. the paint wasn't meant to be walked on when adhered to something like porcelain (which typically has no 'grab' to it. ) even though your tiles are textured, they are still glazed. you will still need to rough up the surface in order for the primer (don't skip this step) and the paint to have something to bite into. otherwise, it's like painting glass. drop water on your tile. does it absorb? of course not because it's impervious. so how is the paint supposed to stick?? you must rough it up so the first layer can stick.

The topcoat is an extra layer of protection, but it's not enough. floors move. that movement will cause the adhesion between tile/paint to loosen without proper bonding. got it?

have no idea about vinyl floor cloths, but they sound horrible.

Thanks Beth. I know what you mean. The floor cloths do sound horrible. But they look great in pictures. Very stylized. And not cheap. I think I need to post just about them to get some feedback.

if you use those floor cloths, wouldn't you see the indentions of the grout joints? can these even go over tile w/grout joints?

this would just be like thick vinyl or linoleum tiles. do you glue this? and how hard would this be to remove should you want to redo floors? and does it make your floor a little higher?

Beth — https://stores.puravidahomedecor.com/classic-vinyl-1-85/

By the time you would do all the work and $$ for materials, it seems to me you could buy a few 100% polypropylene rugs to obscure the floor. Like floorcloths, you can haul 'em outisde and hose them down.

Here's my confusion: The tile in the kitchen is no longer part of your life plan. You have years of remodeling behind you and ahead of you and you say that budget is a BIG concern.

Here's what your 12ft x 14.5ft = 145sf = largest size of most of the vinyl rugs = $2290. This works out to be $15.80/sf. That's the same cost (per square foot) as porcelain tile - INSTALLED!

You can cover up tiles with $15.80/sf worth of vinyl cloths...or you can remove and replace the tile with SOMETHING ELSE for the same cost ($2/sf to remove + $5/sf for vinyl planks + $3/sf for install = $10 per square foot).

For the above reasons, I'm really confused.

Thanks SJ

I probably wasn’t clear. I wasn’t thinking of the largest sizes in vinyl floor cloths.

Also our kitchen is very large. It’s a crazy layout with many windows and doors so functionally it’s not huge. But in terms of square footage. Just the kitchen itself is roughly 30’x15’. Add in the pantry & laundry room and it’s 600 square feet overall.

So replacing the flooring would be a lot more expensive than your estimate. And I wouldn’t do all that for vinyl planks. Only wood. So up those numbers again.

Also, though budget is a factor, I don’t look merely at cost per square foot. There is also the dread of demo and install. I just did a gut Reno of a bathroom. It turned out spectacular but the project itself was a total nightmare to live through.

I may in fact put this off and bite the bullet a few years from now and do the wood floors I’ve wanted.

But I hate these floors so much.

So I’m looking for people with experience in what I’m considering.

I realize this is not the route you or some others here would take.

Sorry you don’t get it.

Also: There are many examples of chalk painted porcelain tile floors online. Including updates on how things are holding up. So far so good people say, particularly with good sealants.

That said, many of the projects are also way more involved than I would be willing to tackle. Gorgeous stenciling for example. I love the looks, but I’d lose my mind doing that.

Which is why I thought of adding a few floor cloths on top of a simply painted floor.

The floor cloths are very beautiful in photos. They’re in various patterns and colors and they have a distressed quality to them that I really like. They even made a splash at High Point. So I’m trying to find a retailer in my area who carries them so I can see them in person. And I’m looking for real live people who’ve used them.

No one on this thread has experience doing what I’m considering. That’s fine. Alternative ideas are great.

Dissing my ideas as being either icky or ridiculous is. Especially when you don’t have first hand knowledge.

If someone out there has chalk painted a porcelain tile floor - please let me know how it worked out for you re durability

If someone has used these vinyl floor cloths or even seen them in person - please let me know what you think of them.

I hope I’ve finally been clear. Thank you.

You can definitely paint the floors and if you choose not to stencil, it will be easy enough to do, touch up and re-poly. I have a tiny bath that I plan to stencil because I have no intentions to gut it and the floors is just ugly. I would go with the porch and patio paint route. It's designed for outside so it's hardier than chalk paint. I've never seen chalk paint used outside against the elements. Those floor cloths look cool but dang, they are pricey. Why not just a rug runner on your sink wall? Just check that the backing of it won't denigrate your paint.

Chalk paint is seductive because they claim the surface doesn't need all the prep work but for a floor, I wouldn't do it.

lw,,,,i've used chalk paint on many items over the years. I've also read many bloggers who had done it. I would never use it in a busy kitchen. maybe a powder room or lone bedroom.

But, you seem to want confirmation to the contrary. Are you also aware that chalk paint, especially 2 coats (which you will have to do) goes on a little rough? if you want a smooth texture, it really should be fine sanded so that it's smooth. That alone is extra work. at least w/the porch paint you won't have to do that ( just a little scuffing in the beginning) and you're going to do 2 coats either way. primer (get it tinted to match the porch paint color) and then the paint. same amount of work there.

I'm just trying to save you the the disappointment after doing all that work. just sand the tile and prime it! not a big deal. maybe a few extra hours. isn't that insurance good enough for longer lasting paint? But, if you want what you think to be the easy way, then try your chalk paint and poly. come back in a year and let us know how's it held up.

Beth - thank you.

oh, and one last neg for the chalk, it's expensive. If you use the good quality chalk paint (like annie sloan, cece American, etc ) a quart of it runs about $40 and would prob cover 40 sq ft or roughly a very large dresser or credenza) You have 600 sq ft. A gallon of porch paint is prob about the same price and will cover 400 sq ft. You do the math!

And to be clear, the POLYURETHANE that covers paint is the same CHEMICAL that covers wood flooring. That means a vinyl cloth (or rug, or mat, or old tile, etc) left in place over a polyurethane finish will still have the same chemical reaction. The chemical orangy-brown 'nicotine' stain underneath the vinyl cloth will be the tell tale sign that the reaction has occurred. That's the thing I'm concerned about. Whether you use chalk paint, or porch paint or cement paint it doesn't matter. The polyurethane coating (needed for durability of the finish) is what will turn orange.

Personally, and I know this isn't what you want to hear, I would recommend that you wait to do the kitchen floor when you tackle the FULL kitchen renovation. Changing the footprint in a kitchen is quite common. That's when you want to put in the new floor - so that you have a well coordinated kitchen.

If you have already done the full kitchen renovation (or at least a MAJOR refresh = new surfaces and new colours) then you are welcome to deal with the floors at any time. If you know you are going to rip out the tiles in the next 3 years, go ahead and try the porch paint. Who knows - you might achieve a long lasting finish without even trying! But if you don't succeed (the paint begins to wear through = normal) then at least you have a 3 year plan to do away with the tiles anyway.

SJ. I have never seen that reaction on polyurethaned floors. That’s an interesting side note I will look into.

I have no intention of changing the footprint of the kitchen. I never said I was planning that.

And I never mentioned what I’ve already done in there, or am planned to do in there this winter. Because I have no questions about any of that.

I had questions about 2 very specific things.

You make many assumptions about plans, costs, and the scope of my knowledge & experience.

I’ve renovated 3 houses & 2 apartments so far in my life. I’m not a novice.

People have asked for photos. So here are some when we bought the house pictures of the kitchen and some current pictures.

The terra cotta color on the walls/ceiling doesn’t render. It’s actually a lovely warm color, and warming things up is what I was going for 10 years ago, while tying into the backsplash & counters. The painter talked me into the white on the crown molding. I’ve always hated it. At a minimum, I’m going to paint the crown molding the same terra cotta color & finish, so it disappears. Or I may paint the entire kitchen. I’m looking at an entire new palate now. But I haven’t decided.

I’ve already replaced all the appliances with high end, redone all the lighting, put in window treatments, painted the cabinets, & put in new hardware.

I’ve hated the cabinets forever too. They are rock solid boxes though so I’m getting them refaced this winter. New doors, hidden soft close hinges, drawer fronts, etc. Its the highest end refacing. Not cheap but much less than replacing them. I have several meticulous friends who have gone this route for the very same reasons and the end result has been great.

I also don’t love the counter tops. But I can live with them until some other round of reno.

Because of the configuration of the kitchen - there are 5 more doors in the room you cant see - I’ve opted for an overall unfitted style using various vintage furniture - which you also can’t see - like a bakers rack, a bar cabinet, a carved chest, etc, for storage.

There is also a huge walk in pantry & a smaller laundry room - both of which again, you also can’t see - that open into the kitchen. Great storage in both.

The kitchen table & chairs are just temporary. They are being replaced with a vintage rectangular farm table and four chairs - all of which I’m hunting for now.

We are the 3rd owners. Someplace I have pictures of what the kitchen looked like when the 2nd owners bought the house. Can’t find them at the moment. The work the 2nd owners did was uneven and incomplete throughout the house. We’ve had lots to complete and redo inside & out. Including every single mechanical. This past year it was plumbing & heating & new furniture & rugs for 3 rooms that ate up the budget. But there have been similar budgets every year.

Scheduling the cabinet refacing for this winter got me thinking about what else I can do to the floors that won’t cost me a fortune and require major demo. Like putting wood floors in - 600 square feet of them - would. Because even though I want to do that, that will need to wait.

Every piece of trim outside was installed improperly (before us) and has been rotting. We already tackled the window trim, 25 windows worth. Also our decks and fence are facing replacement. These things are far more urgent than replacing this floor.

Got it now??

Weird. Some of the pictures didn’t load.

I’m not a designer, but I think your floors look just fine as is . They look similar in tone to counter and backsplash. I think because you don’t have much other color it looks a little one note. Maybe add a little more touches of red that you have already and maybe one other color . This might help you live with the floor til you can replace it.

Bouncy - there’s actually more red in there already than the other pictures show. So I agree with you. But that table & chairs - they were hand me downs that I painted red - has to go lol. Here’s a picture that I just took.

https://spicherandco.com

The vintage vinyl floor cloth company.

For anyone who wants to understand the concept better.

FYI:

“What is Vintage Vinyl® made of? Vintage Vinyl© floorcloths are made with two-ply vinyl that has a latex padded backing. It is about 1/16” thick and can fit under most doorways. The material is lay flat and has a certified non-slip surface.”

”Can Vintage Vinyl® be used on hardwood or tile floors?Yes, Vintage Vinyl® is ideal for most flat surfaces. It will not damage or discolor hardwood floors.”

Klenk makes an epoxy paint for tile and IMO a bunch of floor cloths are just a bunch of tripping hazards. If you must paint the darn things with proper finish and be done . I will tell you very often removing the tile is quite easy with a rental tool.

If you don't find enough personal reviews online, you could order a welcome mat from the vintage vinyl company for under $100. Then you could see if your tile's grout lines telegraph through.

Do you have a small bathroom or pantry whose tile floor you could try painting?

Apple pie - thanks, both good ideas.

I’ve ordered 5x5 samples of a bunch of patterns to see which I might like. But they’re going to be very small. A welcome mat is an excellent idea if I’m able to narrow down the pattern selection

Unfortunately, I don’t have this particular tile anywhere else in the house. But I do have some spares. So I’ve already tried out some colors & a few coats of water based poly. They’re drying. I think I’ll put them on the floor in the garage where we can really abuse them and see!

Btw, I am also going to look into porch paint. So thanks to those (Beth & others I think) who suggested it.

Meanwhile, I must say, I didn’t prime my extra tiles, just painted them with Annie Sloane, a couple of coats. Adhesion seems fine. Durability is clearly the other question. I don’t have her lacquer - which she recommends for floors - but I did have satin water poly so I used that.

Experiment in progress!

I love your table. I would paint the base of the table and the chairs white. Love the tile!

So after a lot more research, I’ve elected to paint the floor with Wise Owl One Hour Enamel. Plus primer and a sealant.

It’s possible I may add a crackle glaze between the first and second coats of OHE, with a darker paint color over a lighter one, then seal, then use a brown glaze to softly define the grout lines, then seal again.

I found lots of great info through White Owl suppliers & users. The OHE is super strong & durable.

But this is still in the thinking stage. I’ll be doing some experiments, then decide.

And if I want a rug/rugs in there, I’m going with Ruggable washable rugs.

Thanks for all the advice & comments here. Love the internet!

FYI. All you skeptics. I did a chalk floor. I used wise owl one hour primer after cleaning the tile thoroughly. Then I painted with chalk. Then I used a grout pen to paint the grout lines I wanted emphasized. Then I used wise owl one hour top coat. 2 coats. It turned out GREAT & DURABLE. I’ll have to dig up a picture. I will post it here eventually.

In conclusion: just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean another way of getting it done won’t work. Discouraging replies show a lack of creativity, not an abundance of knowledge.

Just because it lasted 15 minutes doesn’t mean it will last 16 minutes. Give it a couple of years. You'll be jackhammering tile by necessity.