Learn how to paint and stencil ceramic tile floors for a budget friendly update to any room in the house!

Materials Needed:

-Primer: Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3

-Chalk Paint or Epoxy Seal Paint

- Sand Paper, 60 grit

-Painters Tape

- Few Paint brushes/rollers/Stencil Brushes or Stencil Foam Roller

-Polyurethane clear Sealer

-Floor Stencil of choice (if stenciling)

Step 1: Prep Floor

The first step is extremely important to ensure your hard work pays off and your painted tile is durable, so don't skimp!

Clean entire floor and vacuum, make sure there is no lint or anything on the floor. I used a product called Krud Cutter, which works great in removing any scum or dirt on your tile floors.

Step 2: Lightly Sand Tile

After I was finished cleaning thoroughly, I lightly sanded the entire tile floor using 60 grit sand paper. This removed some of the sheen coat that was already on my bathroom tiles and will allow your paint to adhere better. After sanding I quickly cleaned the floor again and waited for it to completely dry to move on to the next step.

Step 3: Painters Tape & Primer

Line the outer edges of the wall that meets tile with painters tape to avoid getting paint anywhere else. Once your are done taping the edges, apply one coat of Primer. I used Zinsser 1-2-3 Bulls Eye Primer and applied a light coat with a medium paint brush. I let the primer fully dry for 24 hours but you can start your top coat in 12 hours.

Step 4: Apply First Coat of Chalk Paint

After the primer dries. apply your first coat of Chalk Paint by Rust-oleum. I used "Linen White" as the base color. Begin by using a smaller brush to paint your edges along the wall and the grout in-between tiles. Once this is done use a roller and paint an even light coat all over the entire floor.

Step 5: Apply 2nd Coat of Chalk Paint

Wait about 4-5 hours to apply your second coat of Chalk Paint using the same technique as your first. After you're done painting your second coat of chalk paint, remove painters tape slowly.

Step 6: Start Stenciling!

This is the tedious part of the project so be patient! I finished stenciling the floor in two sessions. cuttingedgestencils.com has a great selection of stencils and a bunch of tutorials on stenciling tile and walls with great tips! I purchased a floral lace stencil that was a little bigger than my tile but I worked around it. Chalk Paint is great to use when stenciling because it dries extremely quick, making stenciling tiles next to each other easier to get done without having to wait hours for the tile next to it to dry. For the stencil design I used the same Chalk Paint by Rust-oleum but used the color "Charcoal".

- Line up your stencil with your tile and use painters tape to secure it down before painting.

-Originally I tried using a stencil paint brush using light circular motions to paint over the stencil. I found this was taking way too long and I knew there had to be a better way. Using a small foam roller is 20x easier and faster!

-Roll your foam roller in a tray with your stencil paint, making sure paint spreads evenly around the entire roller.
-OFF LOAD excess paint on to a paper towel before rolling it over stencil. You do not want too much paint on your roller when painting over the stencil. If you are seeing a lot of bleeding it is because you are using too much paint and it is being squished underneath the stencil.

-After you evenly cover the stencil with paint slowly remove the stencil from an outer corner pulling the stencil upwards so it doesn't smudge the paint.

-Repeat the above step on a different tile that doesn't touch the tile you just painted and is still drying.

Step 7: Stencil Edges and Corners.

This is the hardest part of the project. Tackling the tiles that are touching your walls, around the toilet, vanity, etc can be tricky but do not give up. I waited until I had all the regular tiles done to start bending and cutting my stencil. For areas of the tile floor that you can't have the entire stencil flush against the floor bend your stencil to try to fill in the space with the stencil necessary. Use the foam roller for as much as you can cover, then go in with your stencil brush for tough edges and weird angles. Once I had only smaller cut tiles left I cut my stencil in half, making it easier to work with for the smaller areas.

Step 8: Touch Up Time!

After I finished stenciling the entire floor I left it alone for 12 hours. I then went back with both the Linen White and Charcoal chalk paint and fixed any mishaps with a small paint brush and any other smudges and errors. Most of the time stencils are pretty forgiving when it comes to minor mistakes and bleeding, and once your done stenciling a project it'll look great from the distance people are seeing it. I can be a bit of a perfectionist so I spent hours on the touch ups but this isn't necessary to have a great looking floor!

Step 9: Polycrylic Top Coat

After your tile floor is completely dry, vacuum the tile being careful not to scratch the floor. Using a water based polycrylic finish apply a thin even coat over the entire bathroom floor with a paint brush. Do not over brush! Allow the paint to dry for 3-4 hours in between each coat. After the first coat of polycrylic is applied with a brush use a foam roller to apply the remaining three coats. I applied four coats in total. This will give your floor a nice glossy sheen to it while protecting it against scuffs, chips, and water. Although the tile floor is protected by the polycrylic you still have to keep in mind that the tile floor is painted and will not be as durable as regular unpainted tile. Water can get on the tile but I don't recommend letting water sit on the tile floor for hours or days so it is something you should try to always be aware about.