Removing gloss paint from Victorian tiles

horseykitty

The house I'm renovating has the original Victorian wall tiles in the vestibule - only they are covered over with white gloss paint.

What's the best way of removing it and restoring them to their former glory?

I don't want to just go at them with paint stripper and ruin them.
Thanks

Orford

Paint stripper should be fine, it won't damage the glaze.

You can always test a small area first.

keystone

@Orford

What makes you think they are glazed? I suspect they aren't.

Cheers

macman

To state the obvious, the OP needs to confirm what type of tiles.
If they're unglazed and covered with oil paint, it will have soaked into the tile itself and I know of no way of removing it entirely.

theGrinch

Im assuming they a matt (non shine) finish as these tend to be the norm in residential properties. There are of coure glazed finishes for fireplaces and at the foreign office. However, the OP will have to confirm.

I find the result can vary tile to tile and depending on the colour of the tile. White tiles tend to have better results and black tiles can have mixed outcomes depending on how the tile was made.

You will find some tiles are porous and the paint soak in, so once you remove the top layer there is still some paint evident on close inspection.

My advice is to use a wall paper scrapper to lift the paint off. Spots, drop and remains can be tackled with a blade. To give the tiles a general clean try HG Cleaners. I dont find paint strippers or grinding the tile down effective here.

I have cleaned over 20000 victorian tiles and paint isnt the easier to shift, but not impossible given time.

horseykitty

Thank you for all your replies.

They are glazed (shiny) I have chipped bits of the paint off in various parts - they are jewel colours: green, red, blue etc.. and look very pretty, that's why I don't want to ruin them. I think I'll have a go with a scraper and then resort to paint stripper on the harder bits.

Not meaning to sound thick, but what are HG cleaners theGrinch?

macman

If you scrape a glazed tile with anything other than a blunt wooden scraper you'll scratch it. I'd test with paint stripper.
HG is the brand name, Google it.

AlexMac

macman wrote: »

If you scrape a glazed tile with anything other than a blunt wooden scraper you'll scratch it. I'd test with paint stripper. ....

Good advice, but I've successfully (and carefully) used a long-handled scraper with brand-new blades on tiles; finishing off the odd bits with stripper or caustic soda (take care with this and avoid unless you know how to use it).

But we also managed to ruin a marble fireplace with stripper; it wasn't real marble, but original Victorian plaster or alabaster, painted with marbling; we'd looked at next doors' and mistaken en for the real thing! So do test in case.

macman

But glazed tiles aren't going to be painted fakes...

ValHaller

horseykitty wrote: »

Thank you for all your replies.

They are glazed (shiny) I have chipped bits of the paint off in various parts - they are jewel colours: green, red, blue etc.. and look very pretty, that's why I don't want to ruin them. I think I'll have a go with a scraper and then resort to paint stripper on the harder bits.

Not meaning to sound thick, but what are HG cleaners theGrinch?

If they are glazed, I would do anything to avoid taking a scraper to them. Paint stripper is far less likely to do damage.

I_have_spoken

Best bet would be one of those 'poultice' paint strippers, leave on overnight and lift away