bathroom tile disaster

They gave me water-based paint at the store. After sweating for hours, inhaling chemical fumes from the basepaint I realised while cleaning the brushes "hey, these are easily cleaned with soap and water".

Just read on the net the idiocy of what I've done. I feel like crying. Someone tell me what to do now please, or at least give me a hug.

Kasha

p.s. I'm broke, hence the pitiful DIY project.

Kasha, but cleansing th ebursh while after work is not exactly the same as washing off paint after it has dried up from wallls or tiles.
(at least, that's my experience)

well that's good news at least as far as the walls are concerned. thing is, I painted the floor as well!

just for clarification, it's the SHOWER floor I'm referring to. I need some quick advice on what to do as I'm not willing to rip out the tiles and replace them, cause I'm renting the place. I need a solution to this, and I figure I only have enough time and patience to do the floor for now so I'm planning on stripping the latex paint, repriming, and then repainting with an oil based paint.

The tiles are 30+ years old, and the inexpensive non-shiny kind so I think the paint will stick, at least for the next three years that I'll be living in this place. What do you fellow DIY'ers think?

As I would do it - I would first clean the tiles thoroughly and wash them off with clean water and wait until they're dry after which I would apply primer and leave that to dry thoroughly as well. Then, with sandpaper I'd rub it over and apply a second coating of primer which I would rub with sandpaper as well after it had dried up. Only then would I apply the gloss (also two coatings, one after the first has dried completely).

It depends a lot on the strokes you use I can imagine. If you use a synthetic brittle brush for the primer I think it's best. Smooth strokes are required to make it look nice and even

thanks for the excellent advice. but seeing as it's latex paint on there already, can't I just apply a finish to it?

I saw on bobvila.com mention of an acrylic topcoat. Will that work?

Hmm... I unfortunately don't know about that. It seems better to repaint them, even with another coat of latex paint, and then add the acrylic topcoat maybe. Does the pain on the tiles still look good?

the tiles aren't the shiny kind of tiles actually. in fact the whole bathroom looks like black faux brick now. it's very cool.

I considered scraping it all off and redoing it with an oil-based paint but it won't scrape off. Since the tiles had a rough uneven surface to begin with I'm thinking I'm pretty safe with regards to the colour staying. I just need a topcoat to protect from water stains.

So judging from your post I'm thinking I could add an acrylic topcoat? Will that protect from water?

Sure, high gloss latex paint will. That is - you gotta watch the box and see that 'water-resistant' is clearly marked on it.

Ok, it's been a month and I've showered there 30 times. THe paint has yet to chip or fall off.

Went to the store and they gave me a varnish to put on top so that I can clean the tiles. This is a temporary solution obviously.

If I had the chance to do it again I'd use a primer, and high gloss latex paint.

So what's the moral of the story??? Ask several opinions before starting something and most definitely visit the forums!

Kasha

Kasha it seems that paint sounds very sturdy.

If this is a temporary solution are you going to change it, or don't you want to go through that trouble because it's a rented place?

I'm surprised your landlord is not involved in this. After all, all improvements are a direct contribution to the value of the appartment, no?