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A bathroom with toilet and slate coloured floor tiles

Overview

Floor tiles looking a bit tired? Forget the expense of totally re-tiling your bathroom – just give it a paint instead! Follow these easy steps from Bunnings.

Steps

1Clean your tiled floor

Before you do anything, wack on some rubber gloves and give your ceramic tiled floor a jolly good clean!

Selley's Sugar Soap wipes are great for this, but if your area is large you may wish to opt for their concentrate, some warm water and a bucket. You'll also need to give your grout lines a good scrub too – an old toothbrush will do the job beautifully. Spray on some mould killer, leave for two to three minutes, then get stuck in.

Remember to wear your respirator – mould killer is noxious – and clean your bathroom floor with water afterwards.

A person wearing rubber gloves cleaning the grout in floor tiles using a toothbrush

2Sand your tiles

Once your floor is squeaky clean, grab a block and some wet-and-dry 400-grit sandpaper and give your surface a good roughing up – this will help your primer and paint adhere to the surface. Once you've done this, make sure you wipe the dust away with a microfiber cloth before you begin to prime.

A person wearing rubber gloves sanding bathroom floor tiles with a sanding block

3Apply your primer

We're using the excellent Dulux Renovation range for this job, and we've purchased both the paint colour of our choice and a primer. Applying a primer first is really important, as it means your colour will adhere to the surface properly and not chip or mark down the track.

Open your tin and grab the additive tube that comes attached. Add it to your primer and stir for 2–5 minutes. Pour out into a paint tray and use a paint brush and roller to apply to your tiles. Your paint brush will be perfect for ‘cutting in' along the grout lines, while the foam roller can be used to apply an all-over covering. Make sure you've got good ventilation while you're painting – open some windows and doors or use your bathroom exhaust fan.

A person opening a tin of Dulux plastic and laminate primer

4Mask up

Remember to tape up the edges of your bathroom with painter's tape – this'll mean you won't accidentally get paint on your walls, toilet or vanity.

A person applying masking tape along the bottom of a tiled wall

5Paint your tiles

As with your primer, add the additive to the tin and stir for 2–5 minutes. Pour your colour out into another tray and use a paintbrush and roller to apply your first coat of paint. We went with Dulux ‘Teahouse', but the great thing about this range is that it comes in all the regular Dulux colours, so the options are endless!

Once you've applied two coats, finish off by rolling one last time with a clean, fresh paint roller, so it's nice and even.

A person painting floor tiles in a bathroom using a mini roller

6Admire your handiwork!

Leave to dry completely and you're done! How great does it look? Just like you've retiled! The best bit – it cost next to nothing!

Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.