The debate over painting tile floors instead of replacing them

I was at my neighbor Carol's house last weekend helping her with a backsplash and she showed me her bathroom floor. She had painted those old pink tiles from the 50s with a special epoxy kit and it looked pretty good for $60. But then she admitted the paint started chipping near the shower drain after just 6 months of use. I told her I would have just ripped them out and put down vinyl planks for about $200 more. She got real defensive and said the painted look was more authentic to the house's era. So here's my question for you all. Have you ever painted tile flooring and did it actually hold up, or is it just a temporary fix that sounds better than it works?

3 comments

3 Comments

drewsullivan1mo ago

Is it really "more authentic" if it's flaking off after half a year, or is that just a way to feel better about a cheap fix that didn't quite work?

bennett.noah1mo ago

Hold on, half a year?! I was thinking you meant like a few months max, not six whole months of it flaking off. That changes things for me a bit, honestly. For something to peel away that fast, it sounds less like a vintage deal and more like someone just put a bad clear coat over the top. In my experience, if a patina is real and stable, it shouldn't just fall off your car like that.

umamartin29d ago

Your timing's off, @bennett.noah - my "patina" lasted about as long as my New Year's resolution to eat less takeout (spoiler: not long at all).