Tile panels (synthetic) - any good?

Jebrelli

Hi all,

I'm saving up for a new kitchen but it'll take a good couple of years until the funds are in place to buy one. In the meantime I would really like to do a cheap and cheerful kitchen makeover, as I don't think I can stand one more month of peach walls and twee multi-coloured tiles

I looked at tile paint first, but the colours are limited and it costs quite a fair bit (unless someone makes tile primer and I can use my own colours?).

Then I found this stuff: http://www.easy-tile.com/page/What%20is%20Easy%20Tile - some sort of flame retardant polymer material that comes in panels with moulded tile shapes.

Again colours are a bit limited, but it looks easy enough to put up and doesn't cost too much. Does anyone have any experience of them? Can you clean them easily? Do they start to unstick from the wall after a few wipes?

Although I dislike the colour of my existing tiles I do actually like the shape and texture of them, so if there's a way of painting them my preferred colours I would much rather try that. But fake tiles would by my second choice!

Thanks for any advice.

ormus

ive used a similar product in a shower area. it was fine. no big problems.
if youre looking for a temp job though, just paint the tiles with tile paint.
i certainly would not use tile paint as a long term solution.

keystone

I wouldn't use it / recommend it as a permanent solution but if it will tide you over for a year or two go for it.

Dulux tile paint has a limited range of colours. Ronseal has a greater range - have a boo at that.

Cheers

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

We used Ronseal primer and then glossed over the scabby tiles in the old flat. Lasted fine, cleaned up great, just started to yellow a bit by the cooker after about 4 years. Could have redone it, but moved instead and let the new occupant do the kitchen the way they wanted.

Jebrelli

Thanks guys. I think I'll give the tile paint a go first - might as well!

Is there anything special I should use to clean the tiles with first? Eg. sugar soap or similar?

Flibertigibit

Just wanted to say my bit in favour of easy tiles. I've tiled a whole bathroom with them and three years later when I moved, they were still perfect and nobody ever guessed they weren't the "real" thing. I don't know why anybody would go for ceramic tiles or tile paint when they have the option of using these - plenty of colours/styles, light to carry, easy to cut, easy to bend round corners and most of all warm and insulating which cuts down condensation (and therefore damp in the house). Just my two penn'orth but someone needed to stick up for them (pun!).