Monday, February 22, 2010

Can you tile on painted drywall?

I want to put up some tile halfway up the wall in our downstairs powder room. I want to use 4 inch tiles and then to them off with a border tile. Can I apply them directly to the painted drywall or do I need to put up that 1/4 in masonry board on the wall first?Can you tile on painted drywall?
Yes. You can do that.


I recommend that if it is going to be exposed to moisture, even if moisture condenses on it, that you cut out the regular drywall and replace it with moisture resistant drywall (blue board). It is just as easy to install as regular drywall, but you will have confidence that moisture will not migrate through it and cause rot.


In any event you might do well to reprime with a latex primer.Can you tile on painted drywall?
Yes you can, but don't use thin set... use mastic glue... this will adhere better to the wall
Before there was masonry board, everyone put tile directly to the drywall. So yes, you can. Although for the cost and amount of time it takes to put up backer board, it's probabley worth it.
I just did this! I ripped out my entire bath, the builder told me to go ahead and paint it before they started tiling. On one area that is not in an area that would get wet they just put the tile right over the painted wall and didn't use the masonry board. Around the tub they used the masonry board. Oh, and the tile below my iron stands under the sinks they just put it up on the painted wall.
Before concrete-masonry board was even invented, tiles were glued right onto drywall -- even painted drywall.





There may be some new-fangled surface prep material you could get for painted drywall -- ask the dudes at Home Depot, Ace, Tru Value, or Lowes (or other hardware / home-improvement store) to see if there is some material you spread on the painted drywall to make the mastick stick better.





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Sure. If the substrate is in good shape, use a thinset tile adhesive. You might want to rough the surface up a bit with a sanding block first, but you should be ok.

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