Q. Can I apply this product over 1″ ceramic tiles? My dad put in a counter top and back splash of 1″ tiles. I’ve replaced lots of grout but don’t like the look still. Will this bridge the tile gaps and once the poly is applied, how scratch resistant would your marble looking counter top be?
I also have a nasty old tile floor in the bath area. The colors are Grecian and I’m doing a country look. The tiles aren’t square but like a set of 8 tiles that fit together to make a square with a medallion inside. Each tile has a texture. Could I cover this and again, how rugged is it after 4 coats of poly…
A. Surfaces such as Formica, vinyl floors, etc, are all questionable based on how the surface is prepped AND what type of traffic and use the surface will encounter. The area that is the biggest concern about your surface is the grout indentations and how a tight bond could be created. Also, it will take on the “tile look” because of these patterned grout lines.
With the indentations in the surface for the grout lines, it will be difficult to get any adherence and surface stability. There is a SkimStone product that is troweled onto tile, concrete, or any non-porous surface that could fill in the grout spacing, then be primed and PaperIllusion applied. Once the surface is prepared, the PaperIllusion will adhere and then the 4-6 coats of poly will give a durable surface.
NOTE: On any of these finishes, if alcohol sits on the surface, or if counter is used as a cutting board, the surface will mark and when moisture goes into the poly, then the PaperIllusion will lift.
On a floor, if there is water that sits on the floor, or seeps in at the base molding, it will filter under the paper and cause it to lift.
What I would recommend is that you TRY a piece of tile and see how durable it is. If you have a loose piece of tile, paint it with a primer such as XIM’s product, which is called UMA. Allow the PaperIllusion to cure 1-2 days, and then layer on the poly. Perhaps this will work if the grout lines are not too deep into the counter surface and the paper is securely pressed into the grout lines, allowed to cure, then 4-6 coats of poly applied. Let me know what happens.
Jane Gauss
Designer of PaperIllusion
Do you have more questions like these?
Ask Jane personally…
Technorati Tags: ceramic tile, counter tops, xim uma, skimstone, jane gauss, paperillusion, remodeling, home improvement
Visit The PaperIllusion Place to see photos and save on all 31 colors!
6 responses so far ↓
Laura // Jul 23, 2007 at 5:33 pm
I put paper illusion multi over the old subway tile in my bathroom. I love it! Grout first and prime before you paste on. Then 3x poly. No one can believe its paper. I love my bathroom again.
Marianne Peggie // Aug 6, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Please let me know if I can buy this product locally (Troy, MI) or if I need to buy on-line. Thank you.
Marianne Peggie
Carrie Wigal // Aug 7, 2007 at 8:21 am
Hi Marianne,
You can find a dealer near you by checking your zip code with the distributor’s database. The link is found in this article. Good luck!
BeBe // Aug 10, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Hi all, My bathroom is featured on this site. I PI my walls with burgundy and the floors with a brown and tan. I did have a bathroom disaster a month ago when a leak in my tub pipes had my floor covered with water, I was out when it happened so the water sat several hours. I used a shop vaccum cleaner to suck up the water and was horrified to see that some of the PI had buckled and rippled in places. All my work destroyed. I resigned myself to the messed up floor. It is hot here in Houston, Tx. and I had the air conditioner running quite a bit and one day I got an e-mail from someone asking me about the durability of the floor and I told her what had happened. I thought hat a couple more coats of polyurathane might have spared my floor. I went to examine the floor again as I was not wanting to see the damage so I had not really noticed, but I was amazed to see that the ripples and buckles were gone. I couldn’t believe it. I asked my husband how this could be! He said apparently the moisture was removed by the air conditioner running so much and dried it out and it just laid back down. Now is that a great product or what! I am thrilled that all my hard work was not in vain. I still reccomend extra coats of poly. ” Happy Paper Illusioning”
BeBe
Carrie Wigal // Aug 10, 2007 at 11:52 pm
Hi BeBe,
Thanks for sharing this update. I suggested to that person to try contacting you when she asked about the durability of the floor. It really does help to have a follow up on projects like these.
I’m glad to hear all is well again.
Charles // Aug 11, 2007 at 3:52 pm
What kind of sealer should I use on my walls before applying the paper? Also what wallpaper paste do you suggest I use. Thanks for the information. I am new at this but ready to get started.
Charles
You must log in to post a comment.