Cleaning

• 1). Sweep the vinyl tiles with a broom.
  
  
• 2). Wash the vinyl tiles with trisodium phosphate, using a nylon pad.
  
  
• 3). Rinse vertical-running tiles with wet rags. Rinse floor tiles with a mop. Let the vinyl tiles dry for two hours.
  
  

Prep Work

• 1). Put on knee pads if you are working with floor tiles.
  
  
• 2). Sand the vinyl tiles until they feel coarse; rough surfaces are far better-suited for primer and paint adhesion.
  
  
• 3). Cover the bottoms of baseboards or walls where they join the vinyl tiles, using painter's tape. If you are working with vertical-running tiles, place drop cloths beneath them.
  
  

Application

• 1). Coat the vinyl tiles with latex primer, using a roller. Roll vertically, consistently working toward your right. Immediately touch up vertically-running tiles, using a polyester brush. Let flooring tiles dry for two hours before touching them up. Let any wet primer dry for two hours.
  
  
• 2). Place your tools in the bathtub and wash them under the faucet.
  
  
• 3). Paint the vinyl tiles as you primed them. While latex paint is appropriate for most vertical-running tiles, an epoxy paint is best-suited for shower wall tiles. Finish vinyl floor tiles with acrylic floor paint or epoxy.