r/homerenovations • u/GoldenlawofMurph • 2d ago
SOS: help me fix this bathroom tile before my husband loses his mind
Admittedly, I began this before really having a clue what was going on. I thought our previous home owners had installed a toilet paper dispenser and towel rack atop painted tile in our bathroom (spoiler: they actually cut out portions of the underlying tile to install these). I hammered them all out.
Now I’m totally lost. What do I do? Can I try to remove what looks like paint on top of these tiles then spot match tiles as best as I can to fill in the gaps? What all does that even entail?
Signed, a very over ambitious DIY wife that is soon to drive her husband insane.
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u/Lalalama 2d ago
Take a big sledge hammer and destroy all that tile. Put drywall and replace with new tile. I would just replace with drywall and paint as I think that looks a bit outdated.
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u/H_Mc 2d ago
I will find you, and I will fight you.
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u/GoldenlawofMurph 1d ago
I’m glad someone loves our 1950s tile 😎 It matches the rest of our MCM vibe home so I don’t want to tear it all out. (Side note — what do you think I should do with the yellowish paint on the rest of the wall? I was thinking some sort of wallpaper to give more energy since I’d be keeping the rest of the wall white).
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u/H_Mc 1d ago
I used to have a 1948 house with a pink bathroom. I miss it. With white tiles you can do pretty much anything. It’d pick one of the common colors for tiles in the era to do the walls (so sort of reversing the normal scheme of colored tile/white wall), but I like to lean into my houses age and I know that isn’t for everyone.
Head over to r/oldhouses if you haven’t already. They’ll all appreciate it, and give you suggestions to fix it not destroy it.
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u/Wandering_Werew0lf 2d ago
Do you know how many people are trying to find houses with these tiles? Do you know how many people are trying to build bathrooms with these tiles? These tiles are coming back into style.
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u/Lalalama 2d ago
Really? I just ripped them out of my house and put in a more modern style bathroom
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u/Swampit856 1d ago
So, the towel bar and TP holder were probably made of ceramic as well. It was common to make them to match the tile. They are set into the same wet bed as the tile. Your only true option isn’t to remove the rest of the tile around where the bar an holder was. Then try to find replacement 4x4s and glue them in. They will never match in color. They will always stand out. There is also a chance they may not be exactly the same size. Or, as someone else mentioned you could try an architectural salvage and find something an entirely different color or with a cool pattern and attempt to make it look like you did it on purpose. But don’t attempt to take the rest of that wall down until you are ready to completely renovate the bathroom. That til is set into approximately 1” of concrete on your wall.
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u/GoldenlawofMurph 1d ago
What do you think about putting tiles in then painting over with that epoxy that was used over the rest? Then at least it wouldn’t stand out (my OCD could never). I also don’t feel we are in on a complete bathroom rehaul — we plan on renting our place out in the next year or so. Also, the rest of the house is a MCM vibe so perhaps just putting in tile to match the white wouldn’t be too bad? I know it looks “dated” but that’s sort of the vibe of the whole house.
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u/Swampit856 1d ago
It’s hard to tell if the rest of the tile has been epoxied. If in fact it has, then yes you could try that. I think you would still notice the slight difference. Blending that finish would be like blending paint on a car. Only a skilled professional should attempt.
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u/actuallyanicehuman 1d ago
Honestly a vanity will be your best bet. I would get one with a power outlet in it to connect to the wall one so you don’t lose out on the usage. Alternatively, you could get a towel rail where the wall connection covers the spaces of issue, and the towel draped over the rail will cover the bottom one. Or storage like this: Option 1
Last resort, remove debris from area. Cut out tileand paste over for the time being. Good luck :)
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u/whatsinmendlsbox 2d ago
If you happen to have a hidden spot, like behind a vanity or toilet, I would steal a couple tiles from those spots to replace where you need new tile. Then you can replace the inconspicuous spots with new square ceramic tile. I’d recommend a restore or salvage shop since you’ll only need a few and not a whole box/case.
As far as the act of removing, without breaking, there are some good tutorials online. It’s mostly about patience. You don’t have to be quite as careful with the partial tiles since you’re not keeping them, but better to have some caution as to not break ones near them.