How Bathtub Refinishing Can Save you Money

What Exactly is Bathub Refinishing?

Bathtub refinishing is when you get an old, tired looking enamel bathtub which may be discolored, rusty or even cracked.  At first you think that you have to fork out money to buy a new bathtub, but thanks to the bathtubs resurfacing process, it is possible to renovate your old bath into a brand new one.

If you were to buy a brand new 'enamel' bathtub it could cost you anywhere in the region from $1,500 upwards depending on the style you choose.  But let's look at the two options you have in order to save yourself from buying a new bathtub and saving yourself a lot of money in the process:

If you wanted to hire a professional bathtub refinishing company to renovate your bath for you, then this could cost you around $400.  Although you might think that this is a little pricey, just keep remembering how much it would cost you to buy a new enamel bathtub at today's prices!

This is the basic process of what a professional refinisher would do:-

The bathtub would be stripped down to its core element using special chemicals The tub is then etched with a grinder to key the surface and remove heavy stains A water resistent primer is then applied An enamel paint is then applied by the operator spraying the bath in situ  The most popular enamel used is called 'Aliphatic Acrylic Polyurethane Enamel'.

All of the above would take a refinishing company typically 2-3 hours to complete from start to finish.  You would then have a 24 hour 'drying' period for the enamel to set.  After 24 hours, you are safe to use your bathtub as normal.

A respectful company carrying out bathtub reglazing understands that not all enamel bathtubs are white, and therefore they should carry a variety of colored enamel chemical paints with them.

An even cheaper option for you is to carry out the refinishing task yourself.  You would have to buy a 'bathtub refinishing kit' which normally consists of two-part paints prepared specifically for restoring enamel surfaces of an old bath, sink or basin.  These kits typically cost you around $150 for white and standard colors, custom colored kits are a little more expensive.

However, you must make sure that you are fully aware of what is involved, you have all the right tools and equipment and that you wear health & safety clothes since you are using dangerous and toxic chemicals.

This is the process of how you would carry out bathtub refinishing DIY style:-

Bathtub Liners / Inserts

An alternative to painting your enamel bath is to use bathtub liners or bathtub inserts.  These are a shell-like covering that fit into your tub.  However, they don't actually cure your scratched or rusty bathtub, they merely 'hide' the damage.

The bathtub liners also have a tendency to crack easily and then you are back to square one. The only advantage of bath liners is that they are easy to install and cost less than a full 're-enamel'.

Summary

Depending on what method you have chosen for a bathtub refinishing job, depends on how long your 'newlook' tub lasts.  If you are extra vigilent and make sure that you keep it dry in between uses and that there are no constant dripping taps, then this will help extend its life.

A well-done bathtub refinishing job, with your own good follow-up care, could afford you up to 15 years with your new tub.

So for the sake of spending $400 on a professional company or $150 on a DIY kit, can literally save you hundreds of dollars by not buying a new bath but you will have the 'look and feel' as if you do have a new bathtub. 

Thankgoodness for bathtubs and their refinishing process!

Tip:
If you don't fancy all the fuss of a refinishing process, why not buy an acyrlic bathtub instead?  You can get some fantastic designs which look just like old fashioned enamel clawfoot bathtubs, but at half the price of cast-iron tubs.