The best tile paint for DIY that is perfect for both kitchen and bathroom use

Tile paint is specially formulated for use on ceramic surfaces. It provides not only a healthy new glow but will give an extra layer of protection against water and mould.

There are a number of finishes that you can choose for tile paint - satin and gloss being particularly popular for kitchen and bathroom use.

While many tile paints will often require a primer to allow the paint to bond well with the ceramic, these premium paints require no priming at all, saving you both time and money.

All of the tile paints listed are water and scratch-resistant, meaning those tiles will glimmer for the foreseeable future!

While all of these paints have been chosen specifically for tile coverage, a selected few are also universal paints and can be used on a variety of surfaces.

How do I apply tile paint?

Tile paint can be applied with both a roller and a brush. Make sure to use the brush for any hard to reach parts for the roller.

First off, ensure that your tiles are nice and clean, especially when painting kitchen tiles. We've got a great selection of grout cleaners, which are ideal for removing any accumulated mould and mildew.

For some expert painting advice, check out our all-round painting guide to refreshing your home.

Can tile paint be used on shower tiles?

The answer is a resounding yes! Tile paint is incredible for the bathroom and is extremely effective at keeping mould and mildew at bay.

Can I apply tile paint over old paint?

This is mostly dependent on the quality of the paint itself, as well as the colour of paint that you're painting over. If you'd like to paint over a particularly dark shade, we'd recommend using a paint stripper to clean your tiles thoroughly beforehand.

However, if it's a lighter colour, then for a majority of the paints listed, you should be able to easily paint over the old colour.

Can I use tile paint for any other materials?

In our list, we've included some excellent universal paints, perfect for a multitude of surfaces. Therefore, we generally would recommend sticking with those, rather than using a tile-specific paint.

For indoor walls, we have an excellent list of great value emulsion paints with some incredibly handy general advice on the do's and don'ts of DIY.

If your exterior walls are looking a little worse for wear, here's our great value selection of masonry paint that is easy to apply and will last you for years to come.

1. Johnstone's Tile Paint

Specifications

Available in 70 colours

Available size(s): 750ml per tin

Coverage: 10.7 m²/L

Finish: Specialty

Drying time: 2 hours (touch dry)

Overview

We found the best-selling house paint of all time on Amazon with over 27,000 reviews. It is an excellent paint that will leave your tiles looking shockingly good.

Johnstone’s tile paint not only has excellent colour and opacity, but it’s also incredibly tough, quick-drying and has very little odour, so there’s no need to aerate the entire house while DIYing.

Johnstone's tile paint is ready for direct use onto tiles - no primer required, saving you time and money in the long run.

Although it was initially available in over 70 colours, this tile paint has sold ridiculously quick, leaving only a select few colours; we love the pale grey, which is perfect for the kitchen and bathroom and is still up for grabs.

How to apply

While Johnstone's tile paint is low odour, you should always keep your painted area well ventilated while drying. Johnstone's recommends using a fine waterproof abrasive paper on any surfaces you wish to paint beforehand to get an even surface.

Also, ensure you clean the area with warm soapy water, removing any dust and potential mildew, mould and grime.

Use a brush or roller to apply, ensuring you don't overspread when applying.

Some customers recommend two coats of tile paint to achieve the optimum finish and colour, but this is entirely up to personal taste!

Review

"Revived our bathroom with this paint, went on easily although personally feel it needs two coats. Really happy with the colour too, a lovely modern grey."

2. Dulux Tile Paint

Specifications:

Available in four colours

Available size(s): 600ml

Coverage: 18m²/L

Finish: Satin

Drying time: 2 hours (touch dry)

Overview

An excellent choice for a great value tile paint, Dulux’s tile paint has an outstanding, vibrant colour that will look amazing. Dulux’s tile paint is ready to apply directly to any tiled surface and is perfectly capable of enduring any shower or kitchen wall.

Dulux’s tile paint quite easily achieves the best coverage per litre of our top picks without sacrificing durability and aesthetics. Just ensure to keep a window open while painting as it may cause some drowsiness!

As a quality paint that is absurdly resistant to scratches, mould and mildew, Dulux's tile paint is an excellent option for brightening up your home.

How to apply

Firstly, use warm soapy water to clean the tiles of any grease, mould or mildew from the tiles prior to painting.

Using a brush or paint roller, liberally apply a single coat of tile paint to the area, leaving it to dry for at least four hours between coats. Also, ensure there is good ventilation in the room where you are painting to avoid drowsiness and improve drying.

Review

"I highly recommended this paint. I covered lemon mosaic tiles with two coats. It’s not difficult to use like gloss paint. Touch dry is speedy. A gloss roller gives a lovely finish. 10/10"

3. Rust-Oleum AMZ0043 Universal paint

Specifications

Available in 17 colours

Available sizes: 250ml/ 750ml

Coverage: 9.4m²/L

Finish: Satin

Drying time: 2 hours (touch dry)

Overview

While not specifically a tile paint, this is an excellent all-purpose solution to revitalise your home.

An incredible universal paint - the Rust-Oleum’s universal paint can be immediately applied to tiles without any hassle. It’s also brilliant for use on wood, metal, plastic and even rust, making it a great economical choice for DIY around the home.

It also dries incredibly quick, being touch-dry within two hours, so there’s very little chance of any accidental smudges.

The Rust-Oleum's durability, ease of application and excellent colouring, unfortunately, doesn't come cheap. It also does not offer the greatest coverage per litre either. However, it does offer one of the best options for water and scratch resistance, making it perfect for beginner DIYers.

How to apply

Once again, ensure there is plenty of ventilation, Rust-Oleum's universal paint is particularly strong and can cause drowsiness.

Before painting, ensure the area is clean by using soapy water. Having grout cleaner nearby is also a good idea to ensure no mould will build under the paint itself.

Using a brush or roller, liberally apply a single layer of paint to your tiles. Rust-Oleum looks great even after a single coat of paint, so a secondary coat may not be necessary. Leave to dry for a minimum of two hours.

Review

"Brilliant! Really good coverage. Only used one coat and the colour is so nice. Very fast drying time also. Highly recommend."

4. Ronseal Tile Paint

Specifications

Available in one colour

Available Size(s): 750ml

Coverage: 8m²/L

Finish: Satin

Drying time: 2 hours (touch dry)

Overview

Ronseal’s One Coat Tile Paint is the height of DIY convenience, offering a quick, and effective remedy to your dreary bathroom tiles. While it’s a little pricier than some of our other choices, it quickly justifies its cost by being incredibly durable.

Ronseal’s tile paint is waterproof, mould resistant and astonishingly durable against scratches - this is good for a busy household that quickly gathers wear and tear. It is also a great paint for amateur painters and decorators, as it leaves no brush marks upon application.

It’s perfect for practically any area of your household, especially near sinks, showers and cookers.

You may want to aerate the house when applying this tile paint, as its potency can cause drowsiness.

How to apply

Apply with plenty of ventilation as Ronseal's tile paint can cause drowsiness. Also, if you suffer from allergies and/or skin conditions, it's recommended that you wear gloves during application.

Use warm soapy water to clean the area of any dirt, mould or grease that may have accumulated, using any fungicidal sprays beforehand. Use a fine, waterproof abrasive paper to remove any blemishes on the tiles if needed.

Next, liberally apply a single coat of paint to your tiles, spreading evenly using a roller or brush. Although Ronseal is designed to give you a fantastic coat with a single application, you may decide to apply another - if so, wait at least four hours.

Review

"I've just finished painting the tiles in my kitchen with this product. I'm really pleased with the result, I was a little sceptical about using tile paint as I thought it might look cheap but I was wrong."

5. The One Tile Paint

Specifications

Available in 12 colours

Available size(s): 250ml

Coverage: 12m²/L

Finish: Matte

Drying time: 2 hours (touch dry)

Overview

Easily our most expensive choice on the list, The One’s matte multi-surface paint is not only excellent for all tiles but for a myriad of other surfaces as well such as brick, masonry, metal, UPVC, wood and many more.

The One has a mesmerising matte finish and an array of bold colours that are exactly as advertised.

As with our other choices, there is no need to prime your tiles before painting, just grab a brush and get stuck in. Unlike some of our other choices, The One’s multi-surface paint is low odour and non-toxic, excellent for the environmentally conscious DIYer.

The One’s multi-surface paint also gets some excellent coverage, leaving plenty spare for other areas of your home.

How to apply

As Rainbow's The One tile paint is low-odour, there's far less risk of drowsiness from painting. That said, we'd recommend that you do ventilate your home while painting regardless.

As always, make sure your tiles are nice and clean using warm soapy water and are without any unwanted excess paint from previous DIY escapades.

Apply using a roller or brush with a generous amount of paint, spreading evenly across your tiled area. Wait for at least four hours and apply another generous coat of tile paint to ensure you acquire that brilliant colour you've been looking for.

Amazon review

"Fabulous coverage I've tried lots of expensive paint in the past and this has been the best ever result. Only had to do a little touch up in places... Definitely recommend it and I will use nothing else in the future 👌"

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