Did your bathtub look nice way back in the day when it was originally installed? What about now that times have changed a bit, and probably your tastes as well? Wild colors like bright pinks and blues were very much in style back in the day for a while, but these days it’s more about more plain colors and simple styles. The great thing about bathtub refinishing is that it isn’t JUST to be used when your tub is cracking, chipping and looking bad, it can also be used exclusively to change the color and look of your tub! You’ll never have to look at that horrible color again after refinishing, you just get to enjoy your nice new tub!
Bathtub Repair Service
To reglaze a bathtub, professionals typically use acrylic, polyurethane or urethane products, while do-it-yourself kits typically consist of paints or epoxies. Right from the start the difference in material quality is drastic, acrylics and urethane products are far superior to any paint or epoxy. These are not as toxic as professional materials, but they’re also not as durable and the finish deteriorates rapidly. Many DIY kits begin peeling within the first year, while professional bathtub reglazing lasts much longer, upwards of 10 years with the proper care. It’s important that you have proper ventilation and protection anytime you’re working in an enclosed space with things like this. Professionals know the process in and out, they’ll get proper ventilation set up before work even begins. They know the small things to look out for that you may not. Something as simple as one spot of imperfection can cause the whole refinishing job to go down the drain within just a few months or years.
Reglazing a bathtub first requires stripping off the old glaze before you can do anything else. Professionals typically use hydrofluoric acid to do this, and then they rinse and sand the tub to get a nice rough surface that the refinishing can really hang on to. It’s important that before anything else happen, all cracks are repaired and any other damage is fixed up. It’s good to double check, but after this your tub should be ready to move onto refinishing. Professional refinishers typically apply two coats of fast-drying epoxy to ensure the finish coat adheres properly, and finish the process with a polyurethane topcoat to seal it all in there. Instead of painting with brushes or rollers, a professional will spray finish your tub usually, this just offers a smoother finish and more glazed clean appearance. You’ll get that nice glossy clean appearance that everyone loves and wants for their tubs.
Bathroom Refinishing
Now that your tub has been refinished, it is NOT automatically indestructible. It will require cleaning and care to maintain it and prevent any further scratching, discoloration, or damage. You should never use abrasive cleaners or tools like steel wool, bleach, rough brushes, or anything else that could cause abrasions on the surface anywhere. You need to always ensure that you’re using things like bleach-free cleaners, washcloths, and just things that aren’t going to be abrasive on the surface of the tub. You don’t have to, but we suggest you avoid using bath mats with suction cups, as they can tear up your coating. You can re-coat with a urethane polish every six months or so to keep it preserved as long as possible. As long as you are careful, your refinished tub should last you at least 10-15 years, that’s a fantastic return on your initial investment!
Bathtub refinished gives you an ROI that not many other home-improvement related things can match up to. For a few hundred dollars, you give your tub another good 15 years of life and the unknowing visitor will never be able to tell that it was Durham bathtub refinishing. In the past full on replacement was the only good option for a damaged or ugly tub, but no longer! Bathtub refinishing truly is a great service, and something that everyone should look into. Get the tub that you’ve always wanted!