Paint Stone Tiles
Stone tiles are popular among homeowners because they are so sturdy. Stone holds up better to constant traffic than hardwood or carpet and is often more attractive than linoleum. Unfortunately, stone can stain and grow blotchy over time from constant moisture, spills and aging. Painting your stone tiles is much easier and less expensive than replacing them. You'll still have a sturdy attractive floor that may repel stains and wear if you seal it properly.
Instructions
1. Find stone or masonry paint at your local hardware store. This paint is thicker and coats the stone more evenly than wall paint. Wall paint soaks into the stone's porous surface and requires more coats. Purchase two colors; white and your final color choice. Wash and dry your floor thoroughly.
2. Cover counters, cabinets and immovable furniture with plastic drop cloths. Tape off baseboards and molding to avoid splashing paint onto them. Use a paintbrush to cut in the edges of the floor with white paint. The white acts as a base coat and will make your final color look even and bright.
3. Pour a little paint into a paint pan and roll a long-handled roller through the paint, getting just a little on the roller. Roll in long, parallel, even strokes over the floor, working from the corner furthest from a door to the doorway itself. This way you won't paint yourself into the room.
4. Allow the base coat to dry for three to four hours. Rinse your brushes and change your rollers in the meantime, applying the final color the way you did your white base coat. Allow the second coat to dry overnight so both layers of paint have time to cure.
5. Apply a coat of stone sealer after the paint dries. Choose a sealer specifically for stone, picking one for exterior stone if your tiles are in a high-traffic area, such as a kitchen, hallway or foyer. Allow the sealer to dry for at least four hours before setting anything on it.
