Decorating the Bathroom

Pia · 22-07-2007, 10:06

Hellooo, well i've decided to give the bathroom a lick of paint- and on a strict budget. ...As in, not spending any money on it

So i spent all day yesterday removing waterproof (

) wallpaper from the walls with a steamer.
I have bought some cream coloured paint (i just want it fresher and neutral) and also some white tile paint/spray stuff.
What i need to do today is fill some holes in the walls, and remove some random wall plugs that are in there, gloss all the woodwork, and paint the tiles, and hopefully get the walls ready to start painting them.
I have a peach coloured bath and sink (not my choice i must say) and the tiles are also a peach colour so that's why i want to do them white.

My questions are.....

Is it easy to spray the tiles? If it goes onto the bath while i'm spraying will it wipe off?
Is normal emulsion alright for a bathroom? Obviously i know proper bathroom paint would be better- but i didn't think of that when i bought it

What sort of flooring is best? I'm not doing this bit yet- but i'd be looking for another cheap and easy solution, stick on tiles someone mentioned- i would have thought they'd not be suitable for a bathroom. And i won't be getting it properly tiled, it's an awkard shape and that would cost money, the floor space is pretty small just awkward shaped.
Also, today i need/hope to fill in walls /gloss woodwork /paint tiles /paint walls- which order is best? Glossing first or tiles?

Pia

MovedGoalPosts · 22-07-2007, 10:18

In the many houses I've inspected, I've never seen painted tiles that look good. Unless yours are really horrible, you might want to reconsider this bit.

If you bought your paint from one of the major DIY chains, they'll probably take it back or allow a swap if you have the receipt. Most do a 28 day exchange. That way you can change for the stuff you really need.

Ordinary emulsion is OK, just not as hard (durable) so it won't tolerate the regular washing down you might want to do in a bathroom. If your bathroom is prone to condensation then you can get paints that are antifungicidal which can help to reduce the black marks you get (no substitute for preventing the condensation by opening windows etc.

Paint is designed to stick on stuff. Don't splash it around and you won't have cleaning problems. Always protect surfaces and clean with a cloth immediately there are any spillages.

Regarding the floor, easiest is vinyl sheet. Numerous patterns. I've always thought carpet in bathrooms is horrible. The upmarket look would be wood laminate (make sure it's moisture resitant), and then tiling. Avoid tiling on timber floors if your don't know what your doing. Too much flexing of the floor and your tiles fail too quickly.

Pia · 22-07-2007, 11:11

Thanks Rob, i know what you mean about painted tiles, i tried it in my mam's house once with silver and blue paint and it looked shocking! But i was only about 15 and it wasn't spray. So i'm hoping with plain white it will look ok if i just do really thin coats.

This i what it looks like at the minute, after i've scraped all the paper off...
The walls will need a few coats, but then i'm not getting very far posting on here am i

22-07-2007, 11:46

cheap does not work. For apinting the walls you need a bathroom paint or an acrylic eggshell or it will just peel.You will need to rub everything down very well or you will be wasting your time

---------- Post added at 12:46 ---------- Previous post was at 12:43 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob

In the many houses I've inspected, I've never seen painted tiles that look good. Unless yours are really horrible, you might want to reconsider this bit.

If you bought your paint from one of the major DIY chains, they'll probably take it back or allow a swap if you have the receipt. Most do a 28 day exchange. That way you can change for the stuff you really need.

Ordinary emulsion is OK, just not as hard (durable) so it won't tolerate the regular washing down you might want to do in a bathroom. If your bathroom is prone to condensation then you can get paints that are antifungicidal which can help to reduce the black marks you get (no substitute for preventing the condensation by opening windows etc.

Paint is designed to stick on stuff. Don't splash it around and you won't have cleaning problems. Always protect surfaces and clean with a cloth immediately there are any spillages.

Regarding the floor, easiest is vinyl sheet. Numerous patterns. I've always thought carpet in bathrooms is horrible. The upmarket look would be wood laminate (make sure it's moisture resitant), and then tiling. Avoid tiling on timber floors if your don't know what your doing. Too much flexing of the floor and your tiles fail too quickly.

no it isnt

lauzjp · 22-07-2007, 12:47

Pia, you really need to get bathroom paint, especially with a kiddie in the house!

The shop where you bought it will probably let you exchange it - I usually just smile sweetly and say 'I brought the wrong stuff apparently... / I am just a girl!?' a bit deemining I know, but it works for me!

There's not much point in painting the woodwork first, cos you might get splashes of paint on it and then have to do it all over again?

And please don't paint the tiles!

22-07-2007, 13:02

well I would disagree there im afraid. You need to prep everything walls fill holes and rub down. Rub down and fill the wood work. Paint the ceiling first then the wood work and allow to dry for 24 hours. You should have used oil based for the wood work IE gloss or satinwood. Then you paint the walls. Reasoning wall paint is water based and will wipe off ,gloss and satin wood is oil based and will not just wipe off the walls

Pia · 22-07-2007, 13:11

Well i'm regretting the tiles, which i knew i would but i thought i'd risk it, it's uneven in places and i've just gone out to buy more.... so this better make it a bit better, i don't want perfection i don't plan on living here for much longer, but as long as it looks tidy i don't care.....

---------- Post added at 14:11 ---------- Previous post was at 14:09 ----------

I didn't see any bathroom paint in the shop, screw it i'm not that fussed, there was emulsion on the paper to start with and that was always alright.

22-07-2007, 13:15

well steam from the bath and shower will get into the paint and it will peel in time. You could size the walls first to stop and moisture soaking into the plaster but its not ideal. Normal emulsion has no resistance to moisture or mould or anything but your not gonna be there long you should ok. You other option would be to seal the whole thing once you have finished with some clear acrylic varnish but you said your doing it on the cheap

greencreeper · 22-07-2007, 13:20

It looks awful, Pia

I'd have the builder in - gut the bathroom and start again with a new suite and tiles. Lord knows why anyone puts any tiles or fittings in a bathroom that are not white. Then tackle the painting. Emulision comes off ceramics really easy. When I did my bathroom, I slapped the roller over the tiles too. Just wiped it off later with a cloth, for a neat finish. Ideally you want paint specifically designed for kitchens and bathrooms - more durable. A matt/satin finish would help hide the rough walls - all those dips and bumps.

Pia · 22-07-2007, 13:25

Well getting a new suite and everything is not an option, this is a crappy council house i just want it looking tidier, i'm not snobby about it and not a perfectionist, maybe if the house was mine i definitely would be, but like i said i don't plan living here for too long anyway so i just want to tidy it up as quick and easy as possible, if that means taking shortcuts then it'll have to do, i can't expect too much from myself, i don't know anything about decorating, i'm a helpless girl (

) and i have nobody else to do it for me......

lauzjp · 22-07-2007, 18:25

hmm, well good luck with it Pia!

You are braver than me. I just got a can of bathroom paint and sloshed it over the walls in rather a haphazard fashion, but I think it looks ok? again, I'm a council tenant and I did not pick the suite!

and I did manage to cover up this underneath it -

joglynne · 22-07-2007, 18:30

Pia as long as you have some paint left over from the walls you can do emergency touch ups as and when the finish starts to look a little dodgy so as a short term freshener it should be OK.

Please, please do not paint the tiles with ordinary paint. The ceramic finish on the tiles will not allow the paint to adhere properly and you will end up with peeling paint very quickly. To get a halfway decent finish on the tiles you really have to use some form of specialist primer. I have had people on the phone in tears wanting my husband to come out and make their bathrooms look less like a slum after they had painted their tiles "like they do on Telly"

Before you go any where near the tiles with paint try giving the grout between them a real going over with bleach and an old toothbrush. You could then use a 'Grout Pen' which will really whiten the grout and make the tiling look a lot fresher.

Jo

Pia · 22-07-2007, 19:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by lauzjp

hmm, well good luck with it Pia!

You are braver than me. I just got a can of bathroom paint and sloshed it over the walls in rather a haphazard fashion, but I think it looks ok? again, I'm a council tenant and I did not pick the suite!

That's what i had planned, i wa thinking i could get it done in a night

Silly me

Quote:

Originally Posted by joglynne

Pia as long as you have some paint left over from the walls you can do emergency touch ups as and when the finish starts to look a little dodgy so as a short term freshener it should be OK.

Please, please do not paint the tiles with ordinary paint. The ceramic finish on the tiles will not allow the paint to adhere properly and you will end up with peeling paint very quickly. To get a halfway decent finish on the tiles you really have to use some form of specialist primer. I have had people on the phone in tears wanting my husband to come out and make their bathrooms look less like a slum after they had painted their tiles "like they do on Telly"

Before you go any where near the tiles with paint try giving the grout between them a real going over with bleach and an old toothbrush. You could then use a 'Grout Pen' which will really whiten the grout and make the tiling look a lot fresher.

Jo

I used proper tile paint spray stuff for the tiles... It looks good along the side of the bath but totally crap above the sink!

Anyway... i've been working at it today and run out of paint, it needed loads of coats of paint so i'll have to go get some more tomorrow for what will be hopefully the last coat!
Also done all the glossing, including the door frame and the whole of the inside of the door, couldn't believe how yellow it was til i put the white over it!!

This is what it looks like so far..... remember- not finished

Bear in mind, the pictures in my earlier post i took this morning, and these just now... 3 coats of paint later, lots of glossing, hole-filling, sanding and tile painting later...

joglynne · 22-07-2007, 19:17

Well done. Just try not to apply any pressure to the painted tiles when you clean them. Pity you live so far away, cause we could have referred some of our customers to you for remedial work.

Edit. Just to show my horrendous before picture and my lovely after. Only waited 30 years or so.

alferret · 22-07-2007, 19:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

well steam from the bath and shower will get into the paint and it will peel in time. You could size the walls first to stop and moisture soaking into the plaster but its not ideal. Normal emulsion has no resistance to moisture or mould or anything but your not gonna be there long you should ok. You other option would be to seal the whole thing once you have finished with some clear acrylic varnish but you said your doing it on the cheap

---------- Post added at 20:52 ---------- Previous post was at 20:49 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

well I would disagree there im afraid. You need to prep everything walls fill holes and rub down. Rub down and fill the wood work. Paint the ceiling first then the wood work and allow to dry for 24 hours. You should have used oil based for the wood work IE gloss or satinwood. Then you paint the walls. Reasoning wall paint is water based and will wipe off ,gloss and satin wood is oil based and will not just wipe off the walls

There is no substitute for preperation, cutting corners will only cost more in the long run. IMO