Here are some easy steps for you to follow when painting ceramic tiles and have them looking lustrous and beautiful once more. However before you begin, here are a few words of caution that you should keep in mind, never attempt painting ceramic tiles that constantly get wet such as bathroom tubs, toilet bowls and wash basins as the paint on these surfaces just won't stay on for long and will soon begin to peel off.
Admittedly there are kits available on painting ceramic tiles, but the chemicals and materials used are highly dangerous and can cause serious harm to your skin if they are not handled properly. You should hire a professional who has the expertise to handle these difficult jobs. With that said and done it is now time to begin the preparation:
Cleaning the Surface: Clean the surface of the tiles using a solution containing equal parts of household ammonia and water; this will remove any dirt or grease build up on the surface of the tiles, and you can use a mild acid solution to clean off the tiles from any excessive grout build up. Wash off the acid solution with plain water and let it dry properly before going any further.
Priming: You are now ready to apply the primer, choose a high adhesion primer, one that will stick to most ceramic tiles, glass and other types of materials that are hard to stick. The primer is used as a base to attach the topcoat, and prevents it from being chipped or scraped off easily. If you are working on an area that is going to be subjected to plenty of water you should consider using an alcohol based primer, for maximum strength.
Painting the Topcoat: After the primer has dried completely you can now paint the area with one or two applications of a high quality finish paint. Again, if you are working on an area that is going to be subjected to plenty of water you should use an alkyd (oil base) finish as they provide a harder finish than water based paints and they are more resistant to damage caused by excessive moisture. For a truly finished look, you should consider painting over the grout with a contrasting color to match your new paint job; this can easily be accomplished with the use of an artist's paint brush.
Finally just so you know, your project should take about two to three weeks before it is properly cured, during this time you should avoid the use of harsh abrasive cleaning solutions, you should consider using a soft scrub which is an excellent choice of cleaner for painted ceramic tiles.
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