Should I paint or tile first?

8 years ago

As soon as my husband gets door trim & crown molding installed it will be time for paint and tile. As a carpet and wood installer, he's in new construction daily. He says the painting is done first and then tile and that is what he says he's going to do. Then I overheard a conversation with his sister saying he might tile first, he hasn't made up his mind. When I asked him about this he said painting really should come first... Doesn't seem like it to me but what do I know. He is doing the tile work which will be on the floor and surround but we are hiring the painting. Which would you do first and why?

Thanks

Featured Answer

enduring

8 years ago

I paint first too, cause I am a messy painter. I might do trim later. I just paint a tiny way into my anticipated tile field. I painted before my kitchen cabinets went in and was so happy I did. I just had to do a few brush touch ups. In my current project I painted before the IKEA cabinets went in, and I see I will have to do a small amount of painting on one wall where someone scraped the paint a bit. In both my bathroom remodels I painted before things went in. Again it is because I am a very sloppy painter. I also want the walls sealed with paint before the cabinets go in. I prime and then paint.

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Comments (13)

badgergal
8 years ago
When we did our bathroom, the tiler wanted the painting done first because he was a perfectionist and wanted to make sure no paint would get on the grout where the walls and tiles met. The painter though insisted that the tiling be done first. He too was a perfectionist and thought it was better to pick the paint color with the tile in place. He also insisted he would not get any paint on the grout. The painter won that battle and I was glad we waited to make the paint color decision. (And not a speck of paint on the grout)

The tile guy for my DD's bathroom also wanted the painting done first. She was definitely settled on her paint color so she painted first.

Ask your painter which he prefers but really either way will work.
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monicakm_gw
Original Author
8 years ago
The vanity is already in. We aren't doing the painting. If you were hiring the painting to be done would you still paint first and then tile? The same person who did tape and bed and texture will paint. His work and work ethics were impeccable. We're confident his paint job will be just as good.
monicakm_gw
Original Author
8 years ago
I would love the tile first just because I'm anxious to see it lol. The tile color is a dark charcoal grey, nearly black, so we're matching the paint color to the Granite on the vanity. I'd like to make this easier on my husband since he has recently had open heart surgery. My husband is a perfectionist as well from what I can tell so is it tape/bed/texture/painter. Looks like painting is what most do first but doesn't HAVE to be first.
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Cabot & Rowe
8 years ago
We paint first. At least the primer and first coat. Grout and thinset wipe easily from a painted surface.
Bunny
8 years ago
My bathroom was done exactly a year ago and I honestly can't remember. IIRC my GC preferred painting first and I think that's what actually happened. It's not that hard to make minor touchups when the tile's done.
monicakm_gw
Original Author
8 years ago
"We paint first. At least the primer and first coat. Grout and thinset wipe easily from a painted surface."

Boo! I'm sure that's the most logical but I'm exempt from being logical
ck_squared
8 years ago
We are almost done with our bathroom remodel. They painted first, then tiled. The painters will be back at the very end to do touch-ups.
numbersjunkie
8 years ago
Paint first.
monicakm_gw
Original Author
8 years ago
Oh okay! We'll paint first! (:
artemis_ma
8 years ago
Given everything in place, yes, I'd paint first, then tile.
itltrot
8 years ago
I'm a bit backwards. We did prime and paint the ceiling but I didn't paint the walls until everything else was done. I wanted to make sure the wall color worked with the tile because I didn't want to repaint if I didn't love it.

Drop cloths are my friends. No tile or grout was injured with my after the fact painting. LOL
plan2remodel
8 years ago
My painter primed the walls, then the tiler laid the tile, then the painter painted the color.