Share
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @smasshmurphy. It's fabulous to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about covering floor tiles.
The simple answer to your question would be that painting is the easiest solution—however, the benefits of laying hybrid vinyl planks far outweigh painting. Vinyl floor planks are renowned for their durability and longevity, with the ability to withstand the rigors of high-traffic laundry areas and resist chipping, scratching, and wear. They are also highly water-resistant, crucial for a room prone to spills. Maintenance is a breeze, requiring only regular sweeping and occasional mopping, while painted tiles demand more upkeep. With an array of style options, vinyl planks can enhance the laundry room's aesthetic appeal, providing a modern and clean look. Moreover, vinyl flooring is straightforward to install and can boost the resale value of your home.
Painted tiles on the other hand scratch easily if stones are carried in on the bottom of shoes, mark and stain easily and have a finite lifespan. It's really a stopgap measure until you change the flooring entirely. It will certainly freshen the look and doesn't exclude you from laying vinyl floor planks in the future. If you are looking for an easy refresh you can do over a weekend, then it's certainly an option, I'd just suggest you consider a more permanent solution in the future.
here are a couple of helpful step-by-step guides: How to lay vinyl plank flooring and How to paint floor tiles.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
You wouldn't need to @smasshmurphy, but their removal would likely improve the new floor planks' look. Nothing wrong with leaving the tile border, though.
Mitchell
Would you paint the side tiles at the same time as the floor? I’ve done the prep and I’m ready to go but wondering how I avoid the roller scraping off the paint on the side tiles if I try paint both at the same time. Also what should it look like after the first coat?
Hi @smasshmurphy,
It would be best to paint them all at the same time, and I'd recommend you use a roller that doesn't have a hard end cap that could scratch the adjacent surface. If you use the Dulux floor paint, they suggest a 4mm nap 100mm microfibre roller. These don't have hard end caps. They also advise cutting in with an angled sash cutter paintbrush. So, if you do find you are rubbing the paint off on the other tiles, you can switch to a brush.
Given the darker colour of your current tiles, after the first topcoat, you might still see some darker shadows. The second topcoat should cover those, but the instructions do call for at least two topcoats and a third might be required. You need to wait eight hours between topcoats. Remember, your first "coat" will be the primer, then two topcoats of paint. With the primer and two top coats, you should reach full coverage.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Mitchell
