DIY For Beginners: How to Paint Your Bathroom in One Weekend

If you've been staring at those dated tiles, an old-school bathtub, or a worn-out vanity and thinking, "I really need a complete bathroom remodel, but I don't want to spend thousands of dollars," we have great news. You don't need to rip out walls or hire contractors.

In just one weekend, you can completely transform a standard 6-square-meter (approx. 65 sq. ft.) bathroom using nothing but the power of specialized, high-performance paint.

We know the exact challenges DIYers vent about on Reddit and YouTube, from peeling tile paint to ruined finishes. To save you from those classic headaches, we've used our professional expertise to design this step-by-step guide for beginners, ensuring your paint job looks flawless and stands the test of time.

What You Need

Keep it simple. You only need a DWIL Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit, almost everything you need for this weekend project is already packed inside one single box.

One 1 kg kit covers approximately 40–50 sq. ft. (3.7–4.6 m²) with two light coats. Remember that a 6 m² bathroom has more than 6 m² of paintable surface once you include the walls, tub and fixtures. Measure the surfaces and prepare enough paint before starting.

DWIL tips: Do not paint metal fittings, the inside of the toilet bowl or cistern, flush parts, drains, or any surface that stays underwater. If you're painting floor tiles, we highly recommend the DWIL Floor Coating Kit, which is specially designed to maximize wear resistance and long-lasting durability.

🔗 Looking for the ultimate deep dive on tools?

If you want a complete, item-by-item breakdown of every single tool, safety gear recommendation, and surface-specific prep accessory, check out our companion guide: DIY For Beginners: The Only Bathroom Tile & Tub Painting Supplies Checklist You Actually Need.

Your Simple Weekend Plan

For a 6㎡ bathroom, a realistic timeline is key. Because you have to wait 2 hours between coats, planning your steps will save you hours of downtime.

Time	What to do
Saturday morning	Empty the bathroom, remove silicone if necessary, and clean all surfaces.
Saturday afternoon	Let everything dry, lightly sand only if needed, mask the edges, and prime if required.
Sunday morning	Mix a small batch and apply the first thin coat.
Sunday afternoon	Wait at least 2 hours, then apply the second coat; paint the floor last.
Next 36–48 hours	Keep all painted surfaces dry.
Days 3–7	Use carefully, wipe water away, and do not soak painted surfaces.
After 7 days	The paint is fully hard, and the bathroom can return to normal use.

After the Weekend Keep the painted surfaces dry for 36–48 hours. After that, you can use them carefully, but do not soak them and wipe away water. The finish becomes fully cured after 7 days.

Step 1: Clear the Bathroom

Take out towels, toiletries, bath mats and the shower curtain. Remove the vanity handles and toilet seat with a screwdriver.

If old silicone touches an area you plan to paint, remove it now. Paint does not stick well to silicone. You can apply fresh bathroom silicone after painting, following the drying guidance on the paint and silicone labels.

You don't need to remove the toilet, sink or bathtub. Just clear enough space to reach their surfaces easily.

Step 2: Clean and Dry

Ask anyone on Reddit's r/DIY community what the most important step is, and they will tell you: 90% of a great paint job is prep. If your paint peels in 3 months, it’s almost always because of poor prep.

Good cleaning is the one prep step you should never skip.

Use the ceramic surface cleaner supplied with the DWIL kit. It removes dirt, oil, soap residue and wax that could stop the paint from sticking. Simply work from top to bottom:

Clean the wall tiles and grout.
Clean the bathtub and sink.
Clean the outside of the toilet and cistern.
Clean the vanity cabinet.
Clean the floor last.

Pay extra attention around the sink, bath rim, cabinet handles and toilet base. These areas often hold invisible soap or body-oil residue.

Follow the cleaner instructions, then let every surface dry completely.

That is the main preparation. If a surface is still extremely shiny or has a few rough spots, lightly sand those areas and wipe away the dust. There is no need to turn this into a complicated sanding project.

Step 3: Mask and Check Whether Primer Is Needed

Use painter’s tape to protect taps, drains, pipes, hinges, flush buttons, walls and other parts you do not want to paint. Put down the protective sheet while working on the walls and fixtures.

Our paint is a two-component paint, but that does not automatically mean every surface can skip primer.

Use a bonding primer if:

The old surface is peeling or has been repaired
The tile remains extremely glossy after cleaning
The surface has previously been painted
A small test area does not stick well

If the surface is clean, sound and suitable for direct application, you may not need primer. When unsure, test a small hidden area or contact DWIL with a photo and the surface material.

Step 4: Mix Only What You Can Use

Once the hardener is added, use our mixed two-component paint within 2 hours. After that, it will begin to harden in the container.

If you cannot use the whole kit within 2 hours, divide it into smaller batches:

Check the mixing ratio printed on the hardener label.
Use a digital kitchen scale to weigh the paint and hardener.
Mix only the amount you can apply comfortably.
Stir until the two parts are completely combined.

Do not guess the ratio by eye. Do not pour mixed paint back into the original container.

Step 5: Apply Two Thin Coat

Use the small brush for corners, grout lines and curves. Use the roller on flat areas.

For the easiest workflow, paint in this order:

Wall tiles
Bathtub and sink
Outside of the toilet and cistern
Vanity cabinet
Floor tiles last

Apply a thin first coat. It may look slightly patchy, and that is completely normal. Do not keep rolling the same area after the paint starts to feel sticky. You will get better coverage with the second coat. Wait at least 2 hours, then mix fresh paint if needed and apply the second thin coat.

For the floor, use the coating system designed for foot traffic. Start at the far corner and work toward the door so you do not paint yourself into the room—a small but very useful tip shared often by DIYers on Reddit and YouTube.

As you work, check quickly for drips around the bath rim, under the sink and in grout lines. A light held from the side makes drips and missed spots easy to see.