Painting on Wall Tile

Use your belt sander to degloss the surface of the wall tile. You won’t be able to sand off the glaze, but continue working it until the shine is dulled. Brush off the dust.

Brush primer onto the tiles with a paintbrush, starting at the top of the wall and working your way down. Brush it in a thin, even layer, in one consistent direction. Don’t cover the grout lines between the tiles, just the tiles themselves.

Let the primer set for 24 hours.

Paint the tiles in the same way you primed them, from the top down, covering only the tile surface and not the grout lines. Keep the paint thin and smooth.

Let the first coat set for 12 hours.

Brush on a second coat in the same manner, let it set for 12 hours, then add a third coat. Use additional coats if necessary for full coverage. Let the final coat dry for 24 hours.

Brush polyurethane gloss onto the tiles in the same manner as you did the primer and paint, starting at the top of the wall and working down, in a thin layer. Don’t brush it over the grout lines.

Let the polyurethane dry for eight hours. Lightly sand it by hand with fine sandpaper to dull the surface. Wipe off the dust. Brush on a second layer of polyurethane.

Let the second layer of polyurethane set for eight hours. Add a third coat if desired, first dulling the second coat with sandpaper.