Is your dated, stained, scratched, chipped, or just plain ugly tub ruining your bathroom’s appearance? Most people put off replacing tubs because of the mess, inconvenience, and cost.
Give Your Tub An Affordable New Lease On Life
Aside from refinishing making your tub more aesthetically pleasing, the process can prolong your tub’s life 20 plus years. Whether you’re getting your home updated to sell or just giving your bathroom a fresh update, bathrooms and kitchens are typically the most expensive areas of a home to remodel.
Refinishing your tub for a small fraction of what it costs to replace will help stretch your budget and better allow you to splurge on the tile or shiny fixture you’ve been eying. Do ensure that the condition of your tub is salvageable; experts don’t recommend that heavily pitted and rusty tubs be refinished. Otherwise, high-tech refinishing products can restore and, if you wish, change the color of bathtubs made of:
• Porcelain
• Acrylic
• Fiberglass
• Ceramic
Bathtub Refinishing Process
First, you’ll need to remove the old caulk from the tub’s perimeter and take the drain outlet out. The resurfacing bonding agent will need a completely clean surface for adhesion. So be sure to clean, rinse, and dry the entire surface of the tub. It may require a little extra attention to get the edges and corners where the caulk was removed and areas surrounding any faucets or outlets thoroughly cleaned. If necessary, you can remove the faucets and outlets to ensure the cleanest surface. However, be sure that you locate the tub’s ball valve or butterfly valve to turn off the water supply to the faucet before removing it.
You’ll need to roughen the tub’s texture before applying the bonding agent. A palm sander with 120 grit, waterproof sandpaper can be used for this process. Just make sure that you again pay special attention to the perimeter and edges around the faucets and outlets. Other preliminary steps include:
• Sand rusty areas thoroughly and then apply a rust neutralizer.
• Use either a polyester filler or epoxy product to fill in scratches, small pits, and chips.
• Allow the filler to cure for the recommended amount of time before doing any other work.
• Clean, rinse, and dry the tub thoroughly…again.
• Prep the room by covering and/or taping off any surrounding areas you want to protect.
Do I Need A Bonding Agent?
Depending on the paint product, you may need to apply a bonding agent prior to painting. A paper towel, cheesecloth, or spray bottle can be used to apply the bonding agent. Most applications take around five minutes to dry. Be sure, however, to thoroughly read the instructions on your resurfacing kit, as some may require longer drying times or even for the bonding agent to be mixed in with the paint application.
Selecting Your Bathtub Paint
EP-Acrylic, or high-performance, acrylic-polymer paint, has many advantages over urethanes, including:
• Isocyanate-free
• Durable adhesion and finish
• Dries quickly
• Doesn’t require fresh air ventilation
• Excellent UV resistance
• Highly scratch resistant
• Excellent gloss retention
• Color options to accommodate most any style, design, and taste
Whatever paint product you choose to refinish your tub, do completely read the instructions and any consumer warnings before getting started.
Painting Your Bathtub
Begin spraying in a slow and steady back and forth motion to minimize over-spray and ensure a nice even coat on the tub’s surface. Directions will vary, but most products will require one or two coats of primer and around three coats of acrylic topcoat, each spaced at least 30 minutes apart. Make sure that you at least allot three hours to complete your painting. Also make a plan for your bathtub being out of use for at least 24-48 hours while the paint cures.
Alternatives To Painting
If painting isn’t your thing, you can install an acrylic or resin bathtub liner directly over the existing surface of your tub. These liners come in an array of colors, have a polished finish, and are very easy to maintain.