Bathroom refresh help: chipped tile, grout fill, caulk help

[jankp]

I have a jacuzzi tub on raised deck with porcelain tile, 20+ years old. I plan to sell the house and need to refresh the look. No replacement tile available. I plan to paint the tile on the deck with Rustoleum Tub and Tile paint ( to cover the pink tiles on the deck face). In prepping for this, I've uncovered issues that need to be fixed first. The Rustoleum paint is a 2 part epoxy if that matters.

1. Rustoleum instructions say to remove caulk. I have done this and found grout and caulk at the junction of the wall to tub deck, and where the tub deck meets the tile floor of the rest of the bath. I got all the caulk out but some grout remains. I cannot scrape it off the tile surface. Do I need to remove all grout in order to replace the caulk after painting or will the caulk adhere over grout?

2. There is grout missing on the corner joint where tiles abutt each other. Should I regrout this area? or take the grout out, paint, then fill corner with caulk?

3. Step area at front of tub: grout missing in chunks on flat part and at edge of one tile. Regrout?

also, several chipped tiles in this area. Should I try a porcelain touch up paint first, before the Rustoleum product, or apply the Rustoleum then fill in the chip area with touch up paint? There is a thickness issue that needs to be filled and the terracotta (?) substrate is visible under the chip.

4. Large gap between floor tile and the vertical wall of the tub deck. I assume this needs to be caulked, but the gap is pretty large. Stuff backer rod in first? I think the caulk needs something to stick to. I am afraid the backer rod might fall out into the space below the tub deck. Please advise on a specific caulk to use for the large void. Needs to be flexible I think.

[Davy]

Hi Jan, welcome. Just to be clear, are you painting the deck, step and backsplash only and not the floor?

[jankp]

I'm contemplating painting the bath floor at a later time and adding a stencil. Davy, you asked about painting; does painting/not painting main bath floor affect fixing the gap where floor and vertical tile meet? Thanks

[Lazarus]

With a chipped tile, assuming that replacing it is not an option, go to Homer's and pick up some porcelain liquid "repair" liquid. If you need it a tad darker...mix some up with some stain, apply with a putty knife as many times as you need to to bring it up level and lightly sand it until it matches....

[Davy]

Jan, if you aren't supposed to paint over caulk and you plan to paint the floor later then I'd make all repairs with grout. If the grout cracks in one of the corners then scrape it out and regrout it and touch up the paint. For the chipped tile, I'd try what Laz said.

[smifwal]

dynaflex 230 fills up to 1" gaps and is paintable. So I am clear you are panting everything that you are going to be fixing? (grouting/caulking?)

[jankp]

Thanks all for the replies.
Initially, I will be painting the tub deck, everything that is the white tile. Rustoleum is an epoxy product and says it will not cover caulk So I have removed that.

I am unclear on the grout areas: the vertical corner piece ( pic 3) and the chunks missing on the step: Assume I need to regrout? And then these would be covered by the paint job. If I should fill the missing grout on the corner joint with caulk, I guess I would do that after painting. Only a portion has fallen out in 20 years so I'm not sure of the best fix.

The gap at the white tile and grey floor tile I am also unsure about( last pic). If I paint the floor at a later date, I would mask off the grout/caulk repair in this area. So I want to do what is the best repair for the long run. Since the grey floor tile does not extend under the white tile, I think the tub ( when full) must exert pressure on the joint. It was grouted. I pulled out the large cracked pieces. On the other side of the tub the floor tile goes under the vertical white tile. So I assume they messed up when they installed this side. Anyway, the gap is maybe 3/8" in places. Best to remove all grout and regrout or cover with caulk after the painting done? Thanks again.