Will paint stripper harm ceramic tiles or grout?

Question

I just had my bathroom completely redone and would like to remove the several layers of old lumpy paint on the door frame and repaint it so it looks nicer. I realize I should have probably removed it before or as the work was going on, but did not think to do that at the time. If I use a paint stripper on the door frame do you think I am taking a chance is ruining the wall tiles or grout if the stripper ended up on some of the tiles? Is there a way to protect the tiles while I strip the paint? From what I can see the door frame is actually a metal frame. I would rather not use a heat gun and take a chance of melting the tiles off the walls.

Answer 1

With all due respect to you and the first 2 answers,,,and after having installed multiple thousands of sq. ft. of tile, and applying as many gallons or paint,,,STRIPPER will not harm either...YET in your last sentence I note a curious thing. You state HEAT GUN?????????????????

Tile,,,most often ceramic; is Fired, Glazed clay,,,essentially GLASS. Grout is essentially a colored "cement" A Heat gun won't have any effect, and the thought is way confusing anyway.

You certainly can MASK the tile with tape, plastic, etc... You might just SAND and feather the existing paint on the metal trim work. I see no real need to take the finish down to the raw surface in any case. Certainly anyone nyou might HIRE wouldn't.

You also mention something that isn't a SIN...You didn't remove the trim. Why not do so now, and install NEW? OLD/LUMPY suggests an older home. Since you had NEW tile installed, why not the same notion for trim? AND going back to your Q,,, It sounds like this wasn't a DIY job. "I HAD my bathroom re-done." Why ever wouldn't any decent contractor have made the option available to re-do the trim work???

The worst that will happen is you'll have cleanup after the fact; perhaps even a hefty scrubbing of grout you might stain with old paint being removed.

Steven Wolf

Answer 2

The stripper itself will not hurt the tiles. The grout on the other hand is a different story. While it may not immediately eat away the grout it may eat into it and eventually turn it powdery and crumbling. The other issue with the grout is that even if it was unharmed the paint being stripped would stain even very dark grout. I believe your best bet would be to get heavy duty contractor trash bags and blue painters tape (Two inch width). Start by taping off everything around the perimeter of where the door frame meets the tiles then tape the cut up trash bags over the tiles. Overlapping the two layers of tape. Don't forget to protect the floor. Cardboard with layers of newspaper should do nicely. On the other hand, a heat gun may be used with no ill effects if used correctly. If you don't feel comfortable doing this stick with the stripper. Also, when doing the stripping, DO NOT use a straight up razor blade. It will easily leave noticeable dig marks and scratches. Spend a few bucks on a real paint scraper. Preferably of the plastic persuasion. Hope this helps. And don't forget your safety glasses!
P.S. Have you considered replacing the frame all together? May be less of a headache and a lot less messy.

Answer 3

Is there no way to remove the door frame at this time? That would be my first choice if at all possible. Could you sand the paint off? If it has as many layers of paint as what I've been dealing with in my house, that's not an appealing option either. You wouldn't really have to sand off all the paint if you're going to paint it again, just smooth it out.

I would think that paint stripper should not be used on ceramic tile or grout. Or a heat gun for that matter. I can tell you that masking tape will not keep the stripper off--it will seep right through it. Not sure if there is any product that might. Sorry not much help, but those are my ideas. Check with your local hardware/paint store I guess. Good luck and enjoy your new bathroom.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

Grout on wall tile should always be non-sanded. Floor grout should be sanded. If you're using small grout lines on a floor, that's the problem. Too much flex in the tile. Grout will blow out. Some great advice will come from the home center libraries such as Home Depot, Menard's' or Lowe's.

Answer 6

I checked with my mom, who worked for an international tile manufacture as head of customer service before answering. Yes, it will damage the glaze of the ceramic tile, causing dulling and etching of the surface. Do not use any harsh chemical on ceramic tile. Porcelain tile is fired at a higher temp, but still can't take the caustics of a stripper.

Even harsh floor cleaners, such as ****-n-span can damage the glaze. Most tile manufactures will void out the warranty on the tile if you use them.

Heat, as recommended above, is truly your best bet for the tile, as well as yourself. Why expose yourself to chemicals you don't need to.