5 Tips on How to Paint Behind a Toilet Neatly

how to paint behind a toilet

Painting your toilet does not have to cause you a headache or cost a huge amount of money from hiring a professional painter. You can easily and effectively do it yourself and achieve a professional and neat look. Here is how to paint behind a toilet neatly.

There are two main methods used to paint the back of the toilet, the traditional and modern approach. The concept in both these methods lies in the tools used and the final look. The modern approach may use a lot of time, and more resources, but provide a finer and smoother look. 

How to Paint Behind a Toilet

For others, the back of the toilet is rarely seen, and the need to have a smooth and perfect look may not be in their plan or budget. Both these methods, however, ensure you achieve and effectively paint the back of the toilet.

using a paint roller

For the modern method, you will need to use a roller and detailed brushes while in the traditional method, you could use a stick and rag or the Jimmy sponge stick. Besides being an ideal option for homeowners looking to reducing their spending, the traditional method is also suitable for smaller spaces as the tools used can fit in better, ensuring every part of the toilet gets painted. 

To learn more about how to paint behind the toilet neatly read on as we go through 5 must-have tips for a perfect DIY toilet painting project, as well as tools to ensure your work is easier. 

But first,

You need to clean your toilet, though an integral part of the house, the bathroom can sometimes be smelly, to ensure you do not rush through the painting due to the smell, thoroughly clean the bathroom. It will not only help to clean the toilet bowl but the floor and the tank as well. After cleaning the toilet, ensure the toilet is dry, remember you will be on your knees and hands a lot, you do not want to get all messy. 

Second, assemble your painting tools, to achieve a professional look; you will also need to use professional tools. The secret in achieving a great final look is in the tools, invest in high-quality painting tools and paint. Assembling your devices also reduces movement, preventing accidents or spillages. 

After preparing for the painting process, the five tips on how to paint behind the toilet include: 

Quality Mini Roller

Invest in a quality roller, this DIY project may be the beginning of more painting projects, why not use a quality roller that will not only avoid spillage, but also lays the paint better, prevents length on when painting and also lasts longer. 

Painting behind your toilet may turn out unattractive when you use the wrong roller. Although it is the back of the toilet, you need to ensure the paint lays on perfectly, saving on time and additional future cost. 

One such mini roller is the premier white woven roller. This roller has minimal splatter meaning less cleaning after the project, and also has a 6-inch frame; the woven roller is also great in providing an excellent finish on smooth surfaces. 

Additionally, when buying a roller, ask the salesperson for a sturdy handle.

But you may be wondering why not use a painting brush for this project. Painting brushes though effective do not provide different finishing. Rollers are designed to provide either a textured or smooth finishing and lay on paint much faster. This, however, does not mean that brushes are out of the question. 

An alternative to the mini roller.

Use a stick and rag, if the space between the tank and the wall is smaller, then consider using a stick and rag. Dip a rag in the paint but avoid excess paint on the cloth as it may spill, then with the help of the stick, roll the rag up and down. This method is slow and may not provide perfect lines, but will avoid detaching the water tank from the wall. 

Get the roller we recommend here on Amazon for an affordable price. 

Extension Pole

Now that you have your quality mini roller in place, what happens when you need to reach hidden spots on the back of the toilet or even paint the wall behind the toilet? You will need an adjustable pole, an adjustable pole will help you reach high areas without using a ladder, remember the bathroom is a small room and it may be unsafe to use a ladder. 

One effective extension pole in the market is the Mr. Long Pro Pole Extension, though light this extension pole is durable, strong and has a glass fiber handle making it comfortable and easy to use. When buying an extension pole, it is also essential to find out how secure the pole is after extending the length, the point in using an extension pole is avoiding accidents in small areas such as the toilet. 

Have a Variety of Brushes

When painting the back of the toilet, you will experience edges, angled surfaces, and other hidden areas, the water inlet pipe, on even the back of the water tank. Invest in a variety of brushes, use both angled and detailed brush. 

These brushes ensure you get a crisp, fine and cut-clean final look, the detail brush can be used to paint the water inlet pipe, while the angle pipe will be used to paint behind the water tank. 

Remember, the quality of the brush also determines the amount of paint absorbed in the paint, one feature to look out for is firm bristles on the brush, this not only ensures you get that clean-cut look but also allows you to use the brushes on more projects. 

Additionally when using water based paints, use polyester or nylon brushes, when using oil-based paint son the other hand, use a natural brush. 

Another tip when buying the brushes is using different size inches angled brushes, the best-angled brushes for a toilet project are 2 and 3 inches brushes. 

Turn on the Fan

You read that right, and wait, hear me out. The toilet is one of the most important parts of the house, to ensure your paint dries out fast, you will need to have fan, excess moisture in a room prevents your paint from drying quickly, and fan will help in solving the issue. 

On average, painting the back of your toilet should take a maximum of 3 hours. This, however, depends on the size of the bathroom and details and space on the back of the toilet. Another vital tip to help you finish the project faster is painting a thin skim coat. This coat should take approximately 30 minutes to dry. To smoothen the look, you could add one or two more layers, though three layers will need more time to dry, the fine look is long-lasting. 

Last Resort, Removing the Water Tank

As earlier on mentioned, if the roller does not fit, one could use a stick and rag to paint behind the water tank. However, if you are looking for a professional look and do not mind the detaching and attaching process of the water tank, then your last resort might be removing your tank. Caution, removing your water tank should never be an option if you have not tried other options. 

Also, removing a water tank may require more time; however, to ensure the painting process is a success, here is a guide on how to go about the entire process. 

Flush out the water in the water tank; secondly, turn off the water entering the tank through a valve attached to the wall. Now that your water tank is empty, unscrew the tank by removing the hose on the back of the tank and then removing the plastic nuts securing the tank to the wall. 

The tank should lift easily, after painting the back of the toilet and allowing it to dry, carefully screw back the tank by placing the nuts and bolts in the right positions, then turn on the water and flush the water to inspect any leakages or any malfunctions. 

using a paint brush

Bonus Tip

Use a Drop Cloth or Tarp

Have a drop cloth or tarp to help cover your floor from paint spillage, no matter how carefully you are when painting. A little spillage is unavoidable, but one could use old absorbent cloth around the house or buy a tarp. 

The aftercare for your equipment is another essential factor to consider. As earlier on mentioned, the mini-roller and brushes will not only serve in this project but will also be used in the future. 

To avoid mixing paints, wash your roller and brushes in running water and let dry.

Take Away on How to Paint Behind a Toilet Neatly

Painting behind the toilet is a fairly easy project, saving yourself money by hiring a professional painter, by merely investing in quality tools. With the above tips, you are sure to have a perfectly painted toilet. 

But remember, before embarking on this project, clean your toilet, if you suspect spillage make use of tarp and absorbent drop cloth. To ensure the fabric does not move around, you could use a painters tape. Finally, do not be in a hurry to paint the second or third coat as it may affect the final outcome, take time and allow the paint to dry. 

Get more tips here with our guide to renovating a bathroom. Read more here.