Painting tiles step by step

1. Preparation of the substrate

As before any painting, proper preparation of the surface is crucial. Tiles should be thoroughly washed, degreased, and any dirt (dust, dirt, etc.) that may impair paint adhesion is removed. We recommend against using typical household detergents, such as dishwashing liquid. They often contain care additives that leave a film on the surface, thus impairing adhesion. To thoroughly clean the surface, we recommend Emulsol RN-1 . Dilute the product with water to create a 2-3% solution. One half-liter bottle will clean up to 50m² ^. The surface should then be rinsed with water.

All old silicone should also be removed. If the silicone is painted over, the paint will crack, potentially causing chipping. After painting, apply Neotex PU Joint . Avoid applying silicone to these areas because silicone doesn't work well with the paints we recommend for tile. Neotex PU Joint comes in the same tubes as silicone, so no special applicator is required.

2. Priming the substrate

The tile surface is non-absorbent, so they should be coated with a suitable adhesive primer to ensure paint adhesion. To do this, the tiles should be repainted with two-component primer RO3333 .

Advantages:

• water-soluble, so it is not difficult to apply
• two-component, very strong and durable
• very efficient, 1 liter covers an area of ​​25-30 m2²

The primer should be applied in a very thin layer, 15µ thick, after diluting it with water (according to the technical data sheet). The primer should be applied a short-nap velour roller a sponge roller , except for the joints, which should preferably be covered with a brush (a short-nap roller won't reach every nook and cranny).

3. Painting with topcoat.

After coating the tiles with RO3333 adhesive primer, wait 24 hours before applying a topcoat. Now all that's left is to choose the right topcoat. We always recommend two-component epoxy, polyurethane, or polyurea paints for painting tiles. These paints are characterized by high hardness, durability, and chemical resistance. The surface is easily washable, and the coating is also resistant to temperatures up to 100°C, meaning it can be used around stoves or on tiled stoves. An additional advantage of epoxy paints is their watertightness. Below is a brief description of the products that can be used as a finishing coat on tiles.

Neopox W Plus

A two-component, water-based epoxy paint for use on interior floors and walls. Easy to apply, the product is environmentally friendly thanks to its composition. It is suitable for use in residential and public spaces, as well as warehouses and production facilities. The paint is PZH certified. It creates an easy-to-clean coating; once cured, surfaces coated with Neopox W Plus can be cleaned with water and chemicals. Apply the second coat 24 hours after applying the first. Full curing occurs after 7 days.

An additional advantage of the product is that it is available in colors from the RAL palette – choose the color that matches your interior!

If you have a very small area to repaint, you can check out a similar product – Epimal 200 , which is available in 0.7 l packages.

Check out the recommended Neopox Special concrete paint

A two-component, solvent-based epoxy paint for interior use (epoxy paints are not resistant to sunlight). It has a glossy finish and is easily washable. This paint is used for floors in industrial halls and warehouses, boasting very high chemical and mechanical resistance. Apply the second coat 24 hours after applying the first coat. The coating reaches full mechanical and chemical hardening after 7 days; before this time, it cannot be washed with water or other cleaning agents.

This paint is also available in a solvent-free version – Neopox SF Plus (for painting floors, streaks may appear on walls)

Neodur Special

Two-component solvent-based polyurethane paint, available in the full RAL color palette. It can be used both indoors and outdoors. Glossy finish, easily washable surface. Like Neopox Special, it needs 7 days to fully harden.

Neodur Fast Track*

An innovative, fast-drying, two-component, solvent-based polyurea paint. It creates glossy coatings that are more resistant than epoxy and polyurethane paints. The paint can also be used outdoors. Subsequent coats can be applied every 2-3 hours. The floor can be walked on (light foot traffic) 3 hours after applying the last coat. After 24 hours, it can be exposed to heavy traffic (including forklifts) and cleaned with cleaning products.
*We do not recommend this paint for painting walls, as it is applied by pouring and then rolling.

Advantages of painting tiles:

• there is no need to remove tiles and then clean the entire apartment from dust and dirt
• when painting tiles, we also paint the joints, thus solving the problem of them constantly getting dirty
• we ensure the tightness of the coating, which can be very important in the case of a terrace or a kitchen/bathroom floor
• we can do the painting ourselves, without paying extra for the work of a tiler
• the entire painting process, including the paint hardening, takes less time than removing, cleaning and laying new tiles
• resistance to chemicals, frequent washing
• hardness and durability of the coating
• aesthetic finish

As you can see, repainting tiles is not a major problem these days and can be easily done on your own.

We always include technical sheets with the order. You will also find them on our website, under the description of each product. Please read them before you start painting.