As homeowners and renters, we’re used to routine maintenance on our living spaces and taking care of them. However, most people don’t realize that there are certain elements of their house that they can paint to improve its aesthetic appeal. Many homeowners are surprised to find themselves asking, “can you paint a toilet?”
The answer is yes! Painting the toilet can give it a custom look and feel, making it unique compared to other toilets in your home.
4 Reasons You Should Paint Your Toilet
While some might think it’s weird or plain gross to paint your toilet and have to clean it with bleach occasionally, there are plenty of benefits to painting your toilet. Here are four reasons why you should consider painting your own toilet.
1. Adds Color
First off, by painting your porcelain toilet, you’ll be able to add a bit of color to your bathroom without having to replace anything. Painting something like a toilet bowl is very simple and only takes a few hours, so you won’t need any help from anyone else if you don’t want it (which is probably best).
2. Hide Imperfections
Another reason so many people choose to paint their toilets is that they can hide all sorts of imperfections in their bowls simply by covering them up with new paint. If you have chips or cracks on your toilet, painting it will make those flaws less noticeable.
It’s also possible to use a combination of different colors and patterns to create an artistic design that you’ll be able to admire every time you go into your bathroom.
3. Prevent Stains
Painting your toilet will also help prevent stains from setting in over time, so you won’t have to worry about cleaning or scrubbing as often as before.
4. It Makes Cleaning Easier
Finally, one of the biggest benefits of painting your own toilet is that it will help make cleaning easier for you. By covering up stains and imperfections on your toilet, you’ll be able to clean them much more quickly and easily than before. This means you won’t have to spend as much time scrubbing or getting rid of unsightly blemishes or stains on your bathroom fixtures.
Steps For Painting a Toilet
It may seem like an odd place to start, but painting the toilet in your home can make all the difference in the world when it comes to interior design. A little bit of color can actually add more character than you think! So if you’re nervous about painting a toilet, don’t be—it really isn’t that hard. Read on to learn how to paint a toilet in your home from start to finish.
What You Will Need to Paint a Toilet
- Epoxy appliance paint
- Acrylic latex primer
- Topcoat/sealant in clear (if you’re going to use spray paint)
- Face mask and safety goggles
- 160 grit sandpaper
- Drop cloths and newspaper
- Painter’s tape
- Pliers
1. Clean Your Toilet
Get some pliers and remove your toilet seat. Then, fully clean your toilet inside and out, including the seat.
Run your toilet bowl cleaner through your toilet and let it sit for at least an hour. After waiting, use your toilet brush to get any remaining grime off.
Then, disinfect using a mixture of half bleach and half water. When you’re done cleaning and rinsing, fill your toilet with hot water and let it sit while you gather your materials. This will help loosen any grime stuck to your toilet bowl.
2. Disconnect the Water Supply
You should turn off your toilet’s water supply if you want to paint it. Also, your toilet must be fully dry before painting it! This will make it easier for you and prevent any unintended messes or leaks.
Shut off your water valve at its source, usually located behind the toilet. Next, remove the toilet tank cover: Flush your toilet and make sure it doesn’t refill with water before you start painting. If it does, you probably turned the valve in the opposite direction.
Keep flushing it until all the water is out, then use paper towels to wipe up the rest of the water.
3. Sand Down the Toilet
Before you can paint it, you’ll need to sand down the porcelain so the paint will stick. Then, strap on your face mask and goggles, turn on the air vent and open a window to get as much ventilation as possible to keep from breathing in harmful particles from the sanding process.
You can do one section at a time or do it all in one sitting—it really doesn’t matter, but make sure there’s no moisture around before you begin sanding. If you have an orbital sander, that will work best for large surfaces; otherwise, use old-fashioned sandpaper with 160 grit paper.
Clean your toilet once again to get all of the porcelain dust off of it.
4. Mask off around the toilet
If you’re painting a toilet, you’ll want to mask off any areas around it using painter’s tape. You may also want to cover surrounding cabinets or furniture if needed. This will prevent paint from splattering onto any nearby surfaces.
Protect your floor: Covering your floor with drop cloths is key for preventing slips and falls during your painting project—and no one wants that! So, before you get started on your project, make sure your floors are covered and clean of debris.
At this point, your toilet should have dried off mostly. Use a hair dryer to expedite the drying process if you need to so it’s fully dry before applying the primer.
5. Apply the Acrylic Latex Primer
Before you prime it, make sure your toilet is clean, dry, and free of residual dirt or grime. Then, apply primer over your entire surface area— at least two coats. Apply primer so that it covers every inch of your toilet; you may want to use a brush for easy application around hard-to-reach areas such as under handles and inside toilets bowls.
6. Time to Paint
Once you’ve finished priming the toilet, it’s time to apply the first coat. Time to throw your facemask back on, especially if you are using spray paint. Using your paintbrush or spray paint, paint all the surfaces, including the tank and seat cover.
After that dries, be sure to apply a second layer using either your spray paint or another brush to get things right. You can tell when your painting is complete once all of the areas are covered in one or two coats and there are no visible naked areas left.
When that happens, it’s time to call it quits for now; allowing the paint plenty of time to dry overnight before refilling it will help it last longer and look better in no time.
7. Refill Your Toilet With Water
Now that you have a shiny new toilet do the same steps you did to shut off the water in reverse to refill the toilet. Next, flush the toilet to check that everything is functioning well. Now take a good look at your hard work before someone poops all over it.
Can You Paint a Toilet? FAQ
Painting your toilet is just one of those DIY jobs that many would-be do-it-yourselfers never take on because they’re afraid it will be too difficult. Many people think painting their toilet is going to require some heavy-duty tools and special skills, but really all you need is an appropriate color and a few basic materials (see above).
Here’s the answer to some of our frequently asked questions from our readers:
Can You Paint a Toilet a Different Color?
Yes, you can paint your toilet a different color. Use our guide above to learn how to do it.
What Type of Paint Do You Use on a Toilet?
While spray paint might seem like an obvious choice, remember that it’s heavy and can chip easily. On the other hand, epoxy paint has a longer shelf life and is less likely to flake or chip.
If you have an exposed toilet tank lid or your toilet is made of porcelain, spray paint may be the best option; otherwise, epoxy is probably better for you. It’s also important to protect nearby surfaces with plastic or painter’s tape and be sure to wear gloves while handling paint.
Epoxy Appliance Paint
Painting with appliance epoxy paint can give any bathroom an updated look. The shiny surface of epoxy paint makes it ideal for bathrooms, especially if you want to cover unsightly rust stains in your toilet tank.
Removing rust from toilets requires a different process than removing rust from other surfaces such as stainless steel, but painting over it isn’t impossible—even if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Appliance Epoxy Spray Paint
With spray paint, use masking tape to protect areas you don’t want to be painted. Cover any glass or mirrors with newspaper, cardboard, or plastic sheets.
Thoroughly clean and dry your toilet before you begin. Apply two coats of primer; let it dry completely. Next, spray two light coats of paint (you may need to buy more); allow drying time between each coat, and apply at least three coats for best results. Let the paint cure for 24 hours before using.
How Can I Change the Color of My Toilet?
Clean your toilet completely, then drain the water, sand it down, and clean it again. Wait until everything is dry, then prime it and paint it.
Can You Paint a Stained Toilet Bowl?
Many people wonder whether or not they can paint their toilet if it has stains all over it. The good news is that, yes, you can paint a stained toilet bowl.
If there are any imperfections on your current toilet bowl, then covering them up with new paint can help prevent them from getting worse over time and make cleaning much easier for you!
Does Acrylic Paint Wash Off of Porcelain?
Acrylic paint is made from water-soluble polymer resins. It was made to hold its form when applied but will wash away easily with water when you’re ready to remove it.
Can You Paint the Toilet Handle?
Yes, the chrome on the toilet handle can wear off easily and start to look decrepit. Paint your toilet handle using the same process as above, except you probably don’t need to sand the handle.
Can You Paint a Toilet Seat?
Yes, you can paint your toilet seat. You will want to use some pliers to remove the seat first and paint it separately from your toilet. Use the same process for painting your toilet above your seat.
Is Epoxy Paint Waterproof?
Epoxy paint is waterproof, but it may not hold up over time. It will stick to just about any surface you apply it to and provide some protection from everyday use, but don’t expect it to last forever.
The resin in epoxy paint has excellent adhesion properties, meaning that once you’ve applied it, you can be sure that no liquid or moisture will get through until you remove it. That said, its durability depends on several factors; if your epoxy paint gets wet often, it will last about 10 years.
Can You Paint a Toilet Tank?
Yes, if you’re talking about the outside, use our guide. If you’re talking about the inside, use a good quality painter’s masking tape (sticky-backed variety) and cover over areas you don’t want to be painted (e.g., overflow pipe, flush handle, etc.).
Drain all the water from the tank and make sure it’s fully dry. Then apply two bright white emulsion paint coats with either brushes or spray paint. It will be tricky getting around the components inside the cistern to get a full thorough coat of paint, but it is possible if you are meticulous about it.
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