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Patchwork tiles are trendy each year, but retiling a bathroom can be an expensive and messy exercise. I really love patchwork tiles and decided to take the plunge and stamp my existing plain shower tiles to create a black and white pattern. Read on to see the home makeover – shower edition!
This is what my shower looked like: plain, simple and quite uninspiring. The metal content in our water on the farm is very high, so things that come into regular contact with water don’t stay white for very long. I didn’t have very high hopes for the white tiles, and figured I didn’t have much to lose by trying!
YOU WILL NEED
- 15cmx15xm Tile stampÂ
- Tile primer â I used A. Shak Tile Prime
- Water-based paint, suitable for use in a bathroom â I used Plascon Polvin Matt Acrylic in black
- Sponge rollers and pans â 1 for the primer and 1 for each paint colour
STEP 1
Firstly, use the sponge roller to apply primer to clean, dry tiles. For number of coats and curing time, follow the primer manufacturerâs instructions. We applied 3 layers of primer, allowing for each coat to dry before applying the next, and then let it cure for 24 hours.
STEP 2
Using undiluted paint, apply a thin layer of paint to the stamp.
STEP 3
Always test the print on a piece of paper first to see how much pressure you need to apply to get the desired look. But keep in mind that it is a hand-printing technique, so every print will look different.
TIP: You can use the patchwork tiles’ test paper afterwards for gift wrap or make cards!
STEP 4
Once you are happy with the print, you can start to print on the tiles directly. Â Use one hand to carefully position the stamp and the other to apply pressure once itâs in place.
STEP 5
Carefully apply pressure along all 4 corners, taking care not to move the stamp. If you accidentally smudge the print, you can quickly wipe it off with the clean cloth and allow the tile to dry before re-stamping.
STEP 6
After you’ve applied pressure, slowly lift the stamp by tilting it onto one of its edges before taking it away from the wall. If the print is too light, you can easily re-stamp it, taking care to get the same position as the first print.
TIP: keep the edges of your stamp clean and free from excess paint to ensure a clean print.
Use a piece of clean paper to mask adjacent tiles when youâre printing half patchwork tiles.
Black and white is such a classic combination and it works in any room. I have teamed up my black and white bathroom with a deep green accent wall to create a Victorian look. My bathroom is my sanctuary and now it even has a luxury bar cart – love it even more!
Happy stamping!
This post was originally created for Ideas Magazine.Â
What did u do around the taps and shelf? In the image there are towels covering this area.
So, you don’t have to seal it with a top coat of some kind? Wondering how it is holding up. I would like to paint my tile like marble and stencil my floor đ
Hi Amber, a top coat is necessary on a floor or other high-traffic application. You will also have to make sure that you use a highly durable paint on the floor. Good luck!
hi i want to purchase the stamp, too. i may purchase something else since it isn’t available and no timeline when it will be. really cool post and idea. i want to do something like this
HI Olivia, working on it! It’s going to be much more cost-effective than it was before, so it will be worth the wait, I promise! x
Okay. That sounds good. I have to wait to budget out even a small stamp. haha I havenât found anything that I like yet.
Thank you. I am hopeful to purchase a stamp from you. Thanks
hi any update
Not yet!!! I am so sorry that it’s taking so long. It’s terribly frustrating for me as well but I hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel soon!
Hi Germarie, A few questions:
â˘How has this held up for you? Any chipping, peeling etc?
â˘Do the tiles need to be sanded, etched or cleaned with anything in particular prior to prime/paint?
â˘Are the primer and paint products available in the states to your knowledge?
Thanks, Kim
Hi Kim,
so far it’s holding up perfectly, and we use this shower every day.
No need to do anything special to prime the tiles, you only have to clean them with soapy water and rinse thoroughly and allow to dry before you apply the primer.
I am certain that you will have tile primer in the US – and a standard paint that is suitable for bathrooms will work perfectly.
Good luck and I hope you love your updated tiles! Germarie
Hi,
Any new updates on that beautiful tile stamp? Could I possibly add my name to purchase one when they come in? âş
Will the tile stamp be coming back đ 12âx12â would work wonders for me!
Working on it!! x
Where do I find the stamp that you used?
HI Lauren, you can order them from our shop. Thanks! https://homeology.co.za/shop/product-category/large-stamps/
Can this be done on fiberglass showers?
Hi Judith, while I have not tried it myself, I am pretty sure that if you use the right primer, paint and sealer then you’ll be able to paint any surface.
Excellent idea thanks for sharing.
Will tile stamping on floor tiles hold up?
I don’t want to replace the white tiles in my powder room and this would be a lovely solution if it can hold up to foot traffic.
Thanks so much!
Hi Susan, with the right floor paint I am sure it can work very well. Painted floors tend to wear over time, but I think that will just add to its charm!
How did you protect the grout lines? I imagine that it’s difficult to not get some of the color into the depressions between the tiles.
HI Pamela, I’ve never had that question before! I didn’t protect the grout at all – it’s a meticulous process and if any paint goes where it shouldn’t, then you can just wipe it away quickly before it dries. It’s really not a messy technique, so if you take care then the grout lines are no issue at all.
Love that shelf in your bathroom on the green wall. Is that a store bought or made from other materials shelf đ
Hi Sian, that – like many things in my home – is a made item! It was actually a trim at the top of a set of built-in cupboards that I fitted on top of a couple of L-brackets. I am pretty sure you could get the same effect with a cornice moulding. gx
What do you use to seal it? What about cleaning?
Hi Sherra, you can seal it with a decorator’s varnish or any other waterproof sealer, but mine are not sealed at all and they work just fine. As long as you don’t want to scrub them down with an abrasive, they are very durable. They can be cleaned with a mild detergent and soft sponge, the same way you would wash down a painted wall that has marks on it. g