It’s been a little over a year since I decided to dive into painted tile floors. Admittedly, the project seemed a little intimidating at first, but after researching the best techniques and products, I felt confident enough to make it happen. Of course, I was a little concerned about how well the paint would stand up to regular traffic and cleaning. So, 16 months later, I’m pleased to announce…. it’s still looking fabulous.
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Check out the full tutorial on how to paint your tile floors, here.
What My Painted Tile Floors Looked Like When First Painted
Nice, right?
And What The Painted Tile Floors Look Like Now
B.E.A.U. tiful.
It’s been a little over a year and, to be completely honest, I had expected there to be a few chips or lifted edges by now. There’s not a single one.
Here’s a close-up of the painted tiles:
Obviously, I’m really happy with how they’ve held up. However, there was one thing I noticed when I got down to really examine the floors. At first, I thought there were tiny dots of wear showing in some of the high-traffic areas. But, upon further examination, I found that the tiny gray bumps I was seeing were actually teeny air bubbles that had popped as the clear top coat was drying — resulting in a tiny textured dot that collected dirt in the crevices over time.
In this next photo, you can see the tiny gray bumps going vertically through the center of the stenciled pattern:
I had been cleaning these floors as needed all year, but I found that if I scratched the little bump with my nail, the dirt could be lifted pretty easily. So, in an attempt to save time and my nails, I decided to take a magic eraser to the spots. It worked perfectly.
After a few wipes, here’s what the tile looked like:
So fresh and so clean! And if that’s something I need to do once a year to keep these floors looking great, I’ll happily do it. It’s much better than cleaning grout, IMO.
How To Ensure Your Painted Floors Stand The Test Of Time
If you ask me, the single greatest contributor to the longevity of these floors was the prep and strict adherence to the timing and process. Getting the floors completely clean and stripped of any dust, coatings, and oils is imperative to making the paint stick. Of course, I used a great primer, but it was able to properly adhere because of the prep I completed beforehand. Check out the original post for the complete list of products and detailed process.
Another contributor to the longevity of these floors has been the gentle cleaners I’ve used on them. I’ve stayed away from products containing bleach or strong chemicals, and I’ve stuck primarily with gentle floor cleaners such as this one from Method and a DIY vinegar and orange peel cleaner.
As originally anticipated, I’ll probably apply a coat of sealant sometime in the next year just to keep them shiny and protected, but that’s not a big deal if it’ll keep these floors looking beautiful.
If you enjoyed this post, check out How To Paint A Tile Backsplash and How To Add Quarter Round Molding In 6 Easy Steps.
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