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DIY: Painting A Ceramic Tile Backsplash

January 17, 2013 by Amber Filed Under: design, painting, painting a tile backsplash, painting ceramic tile, painting grout, painting tips 60 Comments

Well, the project is complete! I know you might be wondering if this was worth it and if I’m glad I did it… the answer is yes!! I was so excited to modernize my tiles a bit and go for a cleaner, more updated look.  My tiles were white, which was great, but they had flowers scattered throughout the backsplash.

Before

 (This is an old picture with our previous wall color.)
And here is the tile, all painted and flowerless!
After

I can’t even remember which tiles had the flowers! Here is a breakdown of the materials needed and some helpful tips:
– Scouring pad to lightly sand the tiles and smooth out the flower design. The flower tiles were a little bumpy where the design was, so I just used a Scotch Brite green scouring pad, and it worked fine.
– Microfiber dust cloth to remove the dust from the tiles after sanding.
– Blue painter’s tape and drop cloths to protect your counters. I made sure to tape after the grout, so I could paint the grout that met the counter. That way, it’s all uniform and looks realistic.
– 2″ paint brush (Don’t go cheap with this! Choose the best!)
– Small roller brush (Choose one that doesn’t shed and has a small pile. You don’t want to get paint trapped inside a fuzzy roller, causing a messy paint job.)
– A special bonding primer that bonds to glossy, special surfaces. The clerk at the paint store said this was the best option. (I always use Benjamin Moore paints for all of my projects!) Here is a close up picture of the primer:
Once you have two coats of this primer, your paint will stick very well. It will also be long lasting. My mom said it best:  With this primer on, you’re on the same playing field as your walls. Well said! Now, my paint will be washable, scrubbable, like any wall! 
– Color Matched Paint with a sheen.
To get the exact color match, I took one of my cabinet drawers to the paint store. They can color match it exactly. As we all know and I have learned the hard way in the past, there are a million different shades of white paint! The clerk mixed my color with this paint.
Helpful Tips:
– Once your counters are protected and materials are out, start with the paint brush and prime the grout, first. Use a little paint on the brush, to make sure you don’t full in the grout lines too much. It’s better to do thin layers a couple of times, rather than one goopey layer. (Is goopey even a word? Spell check says no!) In the end, you want to make sure your backsplash still looks like tile and not fiberboard, trying to be tile.
– Wait 24 hours before applying the actual paint. This is important, because the bonding primer needs to fully dry and cure. I was so tempted to just finish in one day, since all of the materials were out. But, patience will pay off.
– When you start your painting the next day, lightly sand the tile again with the scotch brite pad. For some reason, my primer made little bubble marks on some of the tiles. I was so nervous about that! Don’t worry, the sanding will help that and now- no bubbles!
– All in all, make sure you do at least 2 coats of primer and 2 of the paint. It’s a pain in the neck and can be tedious, but then you’re done!
Wow, this is a novel! It was a lot of work, but worthwhile projects always are.  🙂
Total cost for this project… $48.00! In the future, I’m sure we’ll replace it with something different, but I will enjoy this for a long time.
So how about you… would you try it??
I am linking this project up to Savvy Southern Style:

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Comments

  1. Kim@Chattafabulous says

    January 17, 2013 at 7:56 pm

    Looks great! I've often wondered if I could paint my late 80's white kitchen tile floor?

    http://www.chattafabulous.blogspot.com

    Reply
  2. McKae @ Kaes Corner Design says

    January 17, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    It looks awesome! I seriously think I might do this.

    Reply
  3. Heather Moore Grahling | Vivid Hue Home says

    January 17, 2013 at 10:44 pm

    this is amazing! you can't even tell the tiles have been painted and i love the outcome! great job!

    Reply
  4. Sarah Michaels says

    January 18, 2013 at 6:36 am

    Looks terrific! So glad you are happy with the way it turns out. I am inspired!

    Reply
  5. emily says

    January 18, 2013 at 7:01 am

    It looks great! You would never know there was anything there before!

    Reply
  6. Laurie says

    January 18, 2013 at 9:21 am

    Wow it looks great. Kudos to you.

    Reply
  7. pam {simple details} says

    January 18, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    Wow, Amber! It looks so good, you'd never know what a great update, certainly worth the time and $$!

    Reply
  8. About Last Weekend says

    January 18, 2013 at 7:46 pm

    Wow! this was well worth doing – it looks like a different kitchen, so fresh. its amazing what a fresh coat of paint will do.

    Reply
  9. Carrie @ Hazardous Design says

    January 20, 2013 at 5:21 pm

    I had no idea this was possible. You've got guts!
    Looks fantastic. I would not hesitate trying it after seeing your success.

    Reply
  10. modern jane says

    January 21, 2013 at 2:26 am

    Wow Amber! It looks so much better! You can't even tell they were painted!

    Reply
  11. Kelly says

    January 22, 2013 at 10:59 pm

    Wow! Seriously that's amazing – what a time and money saver.

    Reply
  12. Kathy Shea Mormino says

    February 8, 2013 at 5:37 pm

    Those look great..Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope you’ll join us again!

    Cheers,
    Kathy Shea Mormino

    The Chicken Chick

    http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com

    Reply
  13. Anonymous says

    February 22, 2013 at 1:27 pm

    i think we have that exact same tile! may have to try this.

    Reply
  14. {Hi Sugarplum!} says

    February 22, 2013 at 5:01 pm

    What do you think about using it on ceramic floor tiles?! Yours looks great!

    Reply
  15. nanasewn says

    February 22, 2013 at 8:14 pm

    I would like toknow your exact process as I never get a good line of calk and it looks NASTY. thank you

    Reply
  16. Vicki K. says

    February 24, 2013 at 6:01 pm

    What a great result!!! Do I understand correctly that you painted on top of the grout first (with a smaller paint brush) and used the small roller over all?

    Reply
  17. Amber B (Simple Dwellings) says

    February 24, 2013 at 10:17 pm

    To answer the question about the grout lines, we didn't add new grout, but pained over the existing grout. To get that perfect line, though, we always use painter's tape when painting near the grout. When you peel it off, the line is straight. That would work when applying new grout, too! 🙂

    Reply
  18. Amber B (Simple Dwellings) says

    February 24, 2013 at 10:19 pm

    Hi Vicki! You got it! I used the paint brush to get into the grout really well. I knew the roller wouldn't cober that area. Then, the roller works best for the tiles, creating that smooth, believable finish. When I used the roller, I'm sure I got it on the grout too. But, that's ok! It's just extra coverage. And let me tell you, I have scrubbed this tile to get sauce stains off and water has boiled many times on the stove. All is still very well! 🙂

    Reply
  19. Hilary Kimbel says

    February 27, 2013 at 10:47 pm

    Thanks so much for the awesome ideas! I have been trying to find creative things to do with ceramic tiles in ottawa for a while now… I definitely feel like this post has given me some clarity. Thanks so much again for posting!!!

    Reply
  20. Robbie Marinero says

    March 1, 2013 at 1:17 pm

    Yes, painting your backsplash is a great alternative to a quick tiling job. This way, you don’t have to spend much and take a lot of time in taking down the old tiles and installing new ones. =)

    Reply
  21. Julianne says

    March 1, 2013 at 7:29 pm

    Once the weather warms up we'll be painting our beige tile, beige grout and ugly, ugly accent tile. I can't wait! Thank you for the tutorial, I was able to bring my husband around to the idea with your help!

    Reply
  22. Lindsay says

    March 5, 2013 at 12:35 am

    I saw your tutorial on Emily A. Clark a few weeks back. I did this to cover up my awful, old beige kitchen backsplash this weekend. Thank you so much for sharing – my kitchen looks so much better now!

    http://livelaughloveandlindsay.blogspot.com/2013/03/the-story-of-white-backsplash.html

    Reply
  23. the cape on the corner says

    March 6, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    that is a great after! who knew you could even do this so easily.

    Reply
  24. Kenya Hampton says

    April 12, 2013 at 2:43 pm

    Looks great! I have been wanting to install a backsplash in my kitchen but never had the money. I finally have money to spare! I am so glad I saw your post so that I have some information. Do you happen to know of any places that sell high quality ceramic tiles in Calgary? If you do, please let me know! Thanks so much!

    Reply
  25. Rose Pipper says

    April 12, 2013 at 3:17 pm

    Thanks for sharing! I love your work! I wonder if I could do something like this with ceramic tile in Hamilton.

    Reply
  26. Tomi Wilhoit says

    May 2, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    Actually, painting the tiles is way cheaper than buying new backsplashes for your kitchen. Instead of spending a whole lot of money in removing your tiles, what you did here is simply amazing! Who would've thought about that? I'm sure frugal readers of your blog will go nuts about this!

    Reply
  27. sunheart says

    June 17, 2013 at 1:21 pm

    I am too happy with the way you describe it. This is an innovative suggestion and helpful for faster and better solutions. I am expecting better tiles options from Floor Tiles Manufacturer

    Reply
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    June 18, 2013 at 1:11 pm

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  29. katysewell12 says

    June 21, 2013 at 2:33 am

    I've been dying to redo my kitchen and your post has shown me a few ideas about remodeling that I intend to use. Would you happen to know of any place that sells ceramic tiles in Killeen, Tx ? If so, that would be so helpful.

    Reply
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    June 28, 2013 at 12:02 pm

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  31. 1e297878-e224-11e2-824e-000f20980440 says

    July 16, 2013 at 8:03 am

    I found a ceramic tile paint kit that comes with a bonding agent primer and can be used on wall or floor tiles. The site was refinishingonline.com and the results I got were magic. My tiles sparkle now and it was under $50.

    Reply
  32. Carson Sharein says

    August 2, 2013 at 8:35 am

    WOW Amazing Blog for nice Cloection Discount Tiles in Australia.

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    August 13, 2013 at 1:43 pm

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  34. supremebathrefinishing says

    August 13, 2013 at 1:51 pm

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    September 4, 2013 at 1:36 pm

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    October 3, 2013 at 11:06 am

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  38. John Scagaliano says

    January 13, 2014 at 7:31 pm

    Amber,

    It has been just about 1 year since you have painted the tiles. How did they hold up?

    John Scagaliano
    My Tile Backsplash

    Reply
  39. jagdish says

    January 17, 2014 at 6:20 am

    Thanks for sharing! I love your work! I wonder if I could do something like this with kitchen backsplash ideas.

    Reply
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    January 29, 2014 at 4:40 am

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    April 23, 2014 at 8:28 am

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  44. Shelly Slader says

    June 30, 2014 at 11:45 pm

    That looks great! I didn't know it was even an option to paint ceramic tile! My husband and I are considering putting some ceramic tile in our house this summer. Knowing that I can paint it later if needed is a big pro for me.
    Shelly Slader | http://www.house-of-floors.com/prodcat.aspx?Id=3&page=27913

    Reply
  45. Dana Perez says

    July 2, 2014 at 1:38 am

    This was really an awesome backsplash, I think installing some glass splashbacks could really help you on your design!

    Reply
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    August 4, 2014 at 6:39 pm

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    January 13, 2015 at 12:11 pm

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Amber... a wife, mom and interior decorator. I am the writer of Simple Dwellings and the designer behind Amber B Design. Blog topics are all things design, with the occasional DIY attempt! Thanks for stopping by.Read more...

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Most of my favorite design colors to use in projec Most of my favorite design colors to use in projects come right from nature! #coastalliving #palmbeach #loveyourhabitat
Whenever I’m looking for coastal design inspirat Whenever I’m looking for coastal design inspiration, I take a walk around Palm Beach. This week is perfect for that! #designinspiration #coastalliving #palmbeach #loveyourhabitat
Can you believe it… I wrote a blog post!!! 😂 Can you believe it… I wrote a blog post!!! 😂 Head over to my blog (link in bio) to see what’s been going on with all things Amber B Design, including this bookcase beauty in the office of #ProjectClassicLiving #amberbdesign #coastalliving #myballardstyle
In my last post, I hinted at a new plan for the li In my last post, I hinted at a new plan for the living room. Now that the ladder has been relocated to the family room, this corner is definitely in need of some height. I almost went with the idea of a tree and while I love it in other homes, I just didn’t see it here. So I went on Pinterest in search of inspiration and @studiomcgee to the rescue! I love the idea of a pedestal with a vase and maybe some branches, instead of a tree. I can switch up the accessories on the pedestal and I think it’s the winner! Inspiration in the next slide. #amberbdesignathome #coastalliving
I have always liked to shop around my home, moving I have always liked to shop around my home, moving things to different rooms and making them feel like new accessories. It breathes new life into a space, even with subtle touches. I switched the living room and family room table lamps and I like the larger scale lamp in here! I have fun plans for the living room, which I’ll share soon. Happy Friday!! #amberbdesignathome #loveyourhabitat #SMmakelifebeautiful #howyouhome #bhghome #hgtv #coastalliving
Once the Christmas tree is down, I always feel lik Once the Christmas tree is down, I always feel like the room is so bare. This year, we had it to the left of the television and I really feel like that space is now so empty. I tried the living room ladder in its place and I love it! But the living room needs it there too. What to do?! Maybe a tall plant in one of the spaces?! Two ladders within feet of each other?! 😂 #amberbdesignathome #coastalliving #howyouhome #SMmakelifebeautiful #loveyourhabitat #bhghome
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