We live in a 1970’s fixer upper and there is so much potential in this house. At some point the previous owners updated the finishes in the house but I think they did it in the late 90’s or early 2000’s. Cue a lot of dark and dingy looking tile and paint. When renovating spaces, it can get expensive very quickly, so I wanted to update the tub and tile surround as inexpensively as possible in my daughters’ bathroom.

An Inexpensive DIY Tub Update

I began the renovations on my daughters’ bathroom and initially was only going to renovate the vanity area. Well, when you give a mouse a cookie, Kelsey updates the tub and tile surround. Rustoleum makes a tub and tile refinishing kit that is about $50 instead of $$$ for new tile. This is a great way to refinish your tub and tile with paint, and I was so excited to try it!

It’s a good idea to clean the tile well before you paint to make sure that the paint adheres well. You can use a scrub brush or scouring pad with any bathroom cleaner to make sure to get all the gunk off the tile. Once that is done prep the area by covering and taping off anything that you don’t want to get painted. Then you’ll use a foam roller and a brush to paint the tile. The paint was runnier than I expected and I realized partway in that I needed a respirator or I was going to be high as a kite from paint fumes.

Another thing I realized partway through is that the paint eats the foam rollers! I made sure to change the foam roller often to avoid getting foam in the paint. After the first coat I was still a little skeptical, but once the second coat was on I was convinced!

The Finished Product

It’s done and I love the way it turned out! The tile looks so clean and the whole room looks and feels bigger. There is always a gamble when my projects snowball, but I am so happy I went with this one. The girls’ bathroom is finally done. Click here to see the whole thing.