Can You Paint Travertine Tile? If Yes, How To Implement It?

Travertine tile has recently become one of the most popular construction materials for home decor. However, the tiles in my house have gradually faded and lost the aesthetic beauty of my living space. 

I decided to renew and furnish them with brand-new colors to make them brighter and more vibrant. Although it was not an easy and manageable DIY task, I tried my best and eventually succeeded.

So, can you paint travertine tile? My article below will solve all your irritating questions with all my valuable experience. Let’s get started!

Can You Paint Travertine Tile? 

The good news is you can change the color paint of your old travertine tiles in your home to be suitable to your taste and style. 

Plus, travertine contains limestone materials, which helps it easily absorb any type of stain other than just specialized paints. You can use almost any paint for this flooring, unlike other tile kinds. Thanks to this feature, it additionally makes it idle to work well in high-traffic places in your house. 

However, it also has a downside, which is easy to fade unless you apply the proper painting technique. 

How To Paint Travertine Tile? 

If you have decided to change the color of your old travertine tiles, you can follow the painting process below to achieve the best result. With only five basic and simple steps, you may become an expert in coating travertine flooring:

Step 1: Prepare Necessary Items

Preparing tools before painting is a simple but fairly significant step for most projects. Assemble the equipment and materials you need before painting travertine tiles, including:

• Mild detergent;
• Water;
• Sponge;
• Paintbrush;
• Paint;
• Sealant.

Step 2: Clean The Travertine Tile

Before cleaning, you should remove all furniture in the area that needs to be painted using duct tape or a tarp for areas you won’t repaint. 

Besides, you have to pay attention that travertine contains limestone, so it is easily corrosive. If you use harsh detergent or hard brushes, you can cause erosion and leave excess residue on the floor surface.

All you need to do is mix one tablespoon of soft cleanser with two cups of warm water in a bowl. Next, use a sponge to clean the floorings. If there are hard-to-clean stains on the tiles, absolutely do not use a stiff brush but exert the sponge with a little stronger force to scrub. For greasy stains, replace with degreaser and soap. 

Then, flush again to make the tile surface completely clean. Let the floor dry perfectly before coating because wet travertine will not stick to the paint.

Step 3: Apply A Sealer To Travertine Tile

Inexperienced people would paint immediately after cleaning the tiles. However, this is not a wise decision. It is advisable to coat a sealant layer before applying the paint. The purpose of this step is to preserve the natural beauty of the travertine tiles for longer and prevent the floor from absorbing paint and potential staining.

You can use a sponge, paint pad, brush, spray bottle, or cotton swab to evenly apply sealant on the tiles. Later, make sure the sealer is completely dry before implementing paint over it, normally around 30 minutes. You can test by dropping some water on the surface. If the water is not absorbed, which means your sealing has been successful.

Step 4: Paint The Travertine Tile

You don’t need to rely on an expert to complete this task because I succeeded in this DIY project myself. 

First, choose the paint based on criteria such as color and quality. In other words, you should consider the intended tone to be harmonious with the hues of other decorations and furniture around the tiles. Over and above, make sure that the planned paint should be moisture and water-resistant. 

It’s time to start painting travertine tile. Choose a good brush and coat multiple thin covers instead of one thick layer to get a perfect finish. You should allow about 30 minutes for each coat to rest before continuing with the next painting. 

Implement the paint to the corners and edges of the room first, then gradually spill out into the entrance. During the painting process, you should not turn on the fan or open the vents because this action may cause some areas to dry faster, and the floor color will be uneven. Once the paint is complete, let the travertine tiles naturally dry for 24 hours.

Step 5: Apply Final Sealant Layer To Travertine Tile

After the painting layer is thoroughly dry, you had better coat a sealer for Anti-scratch, anti-dirt, and waterproof on travertine tiles. Since you’ve done it once before, it shouldn’t be difficult this time. Just implement the same sealant coating method as the previous layer and let it dry. 

How To Maintain Travertine Tiles? 

Some people underestimate the maintenance of the travertine floorings, but the reality proves the opposite. Here are some useful tricks to prolong tiles’ longevity.

• Don’t use a harsh detergent, lemon-based cleaner, vinegar, or ammonia to clean the travertine tiles, as this can damage the paintwork and even erode the travertine.
• Wipe dust regularly with a dry duster, then wipe with warm water with a dedicated stone cleaner once a week.
• To treat stubborn stains, don’t scrub with hard brushes. Instead, use a paste mixture of poultices and water to smooth it. The poultices will loosen the stain slowly, in a couple of few days.

Wrapping Up 

Can you paint travertine tile? I would like to emphasize that you can implement changing the color of the former travertine floorings project without the help of experts. You just need to pay attention to follow the recommended steps above sequentially. 

Hopefully, you will surely be successful with my sharing knowledge and experience!