Tiles can add to the overall aesthetic appeal of your home. What if someone painted the tile, though? If you don’t like how it looks you’re probably hoping to remove the paint. Is it possible to remove the paint from the tile or should you just buy new tiles?
It is possible to remove paint from the tile, but you need to approach the situation carefully. Before you get started, it’s best to know that this can be a time-consuming process. It’s a bit tricky to remove paint from tile, and you’re going to need access to certain tools. Keep reading to dig into the details.
One of the most popular methods for removing paint from tile is to scrape it away. Don’t try to do this with a knife, though, as that is likely going to damage the tile. Instead, you should be using a plastic scraper. Use the scraper to carefully scrape paint off of the tile.
It’s best to go slow while scraping the paint away. To get the best results, hold the plastic scraper at an angle and softly scrape the paint. This method can test your patience, but you can get the job done this way. When you’re finished, it’s best to clean the tile and grout with a damp washcloth or towel.
Heat can be used to scrape the paint away as well. Sometimes paint will be stubborn and you’ll need to use a heat gun to help it come up. You must clean the tile first to ensure that dust, dirt, and grime aren’t in the way. Next, use the heat gun to heat the paint up.
Now you can scrape the paint away as described earlier. You might need to use the heat gun every so often on the paint. Try not to overdo it with the heat gun since you don’t want to damage the tile in any way. Use it in small bursts.
Paint remover can be purchased from a store if you’re having no luck with the scraping methods described above. You need to wear goggles and gloves when working with paint thinner. It’s also wise to wear a mask to protect yourself from the fumes. Follow the instructions that come with the paint thinner and apply it to the paint that’s on the tiles.
After waiting the recommended amount of time, you should be able to peel or scrape the paint away. Generally, the process of removing paint will be simple after using paint thinner. Note that you need to get the right kind of paint thinner for the tiles that you have. Also, it’s best to only use paint thinner in areas that have proper ventilation.
Sometimes paint will get on the grout as well. Fresh paint can be removed from grout by simply wiping it up. If the paint has set, you’ll be better off removing the old grout and applying new grout to the tile. This is a much better solution than trying to remove paint that has been soaked up by old grout.