apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

Whatever you do, don't sandblast or use anything abrasive as you'll ruin the tiles beneath.

I'd choose an organic paint stripper that you glop on and wait to do its job, then peel off. You'll have to do a few applications to get it clean and probably will have to regrout, but the results I'm certain will be worth it.

bepsf is right on target.

I've used a non toxic orange based paint remover that is available at Home Depot. It doesn't work as quickly as a
hard core (toxic) remover, but it gets the job done.
You might have to do several applications,
but it is gentler on you and I'm sure on the original tile as well.
Whatever you use, make sure the room is WELL VENTILATED....even if it is organic or non toxic.

i agree with these two. use the home depot orange based item and also you may want to buy a plastic paint scraper, not a metal one, to help scrape it all off. definitely get a fan in there and get ready to spend a solid weekend with the tiles! it will probably take a few applications but it will be worth it in the end :)

also love the built ins.

please post an update with reveal! so cool, and hope the stripper suggestion works. i've used Peel Away on wood with amazing results (minimal smell, super easy to remove 5 coats of old paint) and went with a plastic scraper and rough bristle toothbrush.

It'd be ironic if the Grueby Faience tiles turned out to be hideous. Although judging by the images I found through google, that's very unlikely.

You're making me wonder what's under the paint that my landlord slathered all over the tiles of our fireplace.

I haven't used it to strip paint (yet), but Jessica at no accounting for taste used a couple different solvents and liked Citrasolv for stripping the black paint off her dining table. I was so impressed, I bought a bottle to give it a whirl in our house.

I'm excited and I don't even live there! You MUST show us all the finished result! My home is bland early 90's and the mere thought of hidden treasures in older homes makes me swoon.......your pictures are sure to make for some very exciting house porn!

Third on the orange stuff, plus it's pretty thick so it'll stick to vertical surfaces. Just be patient with it, b/c it doesn't work as fast as the heavy chemicals, and be ready to do it several times to get all the layers off.

I guess once you've got the tiles revealed, you can take a look then and decide whether to get harsher to get paint off the grout. Or just scuff the grout-lines so there's adhesion and regrout right over them, maybe.

Thanks all. It is going to be some time before I can tackle the tiles due to time constraints regarding the arrival of painters, sanding of startlingly good hardwood floors that were under rugs, moving in times, and my day job. I can't afford to have someone else do it, as I have blown the little remaining funds after the apartment buy on the floors and those bookcases.

So the tiles will will remain covered for a while, but when I get to them, I will definitely follow up. Glad to learn of the non-toxic option...I remember some really sickening fumes when stripping some furniture in my oblivious youth.

I used Citrasolv to good effect on an old painted metal set of trays. Use rubber gloves!

And...

Even if you can't get all the paint off or the tiles are damaged it could still look a lot better than the way it is now. I had a similar situation in my 1940's house and some Deco relief style tiles. Much of the glazed finish had worn off. The tiles were very colorful. I just got out my acrylic artist paints and did a subtle touch up. After some tile and grout sealant you could not tell.

Before getting into the whole stripper thing, try just peeling or flaking off the paint.

Good luck, brave little toaster.

Oh, and to those who always suggest painting original features glossy white -- this is why you shouldn't. The next owners will curse you.