Whether you’re thinking about hiring a professional or bold enough to attempt restoring your bathtub alone, a modern refinishing or reglazing can upgrade your bath to like-new condition, while also helping to better protect it against mold, mildew, and more.
Unlike complete removal and replacement projects, refinishing generally saves significantly more time and money. When deciding to move forward with a bath restoration like this, a quick overview of what you can expect is laid out here:
Set Up
Before your bathtub resurfacing project can begin the area is adequately prepared. All of the surfaces in the immediate area need to be protected and all appropriate safety measures taken. The best way to ensure proper ventilation is maintained is to run the bathroom exhaust fan, crack a window, and point an industrial fan out of the opening.
Remove the Caulk
Next, the overflow plate above the bathtub drain needs removing. Then strip away all the caulk that touches the border using a utility knife. Note that if the caulk you are trying to remove includes silicone, a rubber digester must be used to get rid of the silicone residue. If you skip these steps, the tub reglazing process will not turn out well.
Clean the Bathtub Completely
Scrubbing the bathtub inside and out using some scouring powder and a pad before reapplying the finish is helpful. You may also discover that using a razor scrape is an effective method for removing soap scum.
Being certain to thoroughly clean the space beneath the soap dish, as that can be water pools and bacteria develops. It’s also important to pay special attention to the drainage area since this is the part of the tub that cracks and chips the most often throughout the reglazing process.
Repair Damage
The bathtub’s surface must be completely smooth before beginning the reglazing process. This necessitates the immediate repair of any chips, cracks, or other damage that may have occurred. To do this, the base of the container is lined with masking paper, and then a putty knife is used to spread filler over any imperfections you see.
Before beginning to sand, the filler should be dry. This procedure will have to be carried out several times to attain the desired results.
Sand the Bathtub
After the tub’s surface has been allowed to dry fully, it must be sanded either by hand, or by using an electric orbital sander equipped with sandpaper that has a grain of 120. During this stage, a respirator must be worn at all times.
After sanding the tub in its entirety, use a damp paper towel to remove the accumulated sand and dust, careful to wipe in the opposite direction as the drainage, towards the rear of the bathtub. Ultimately, you’ll need to detail the item with varnish thinner or a finishing compound.
Apply the Masking Tape
Next, you’ll want to protect the tile surrounding the tub and the flooring next to it by masking it off. Taping over the drain is another option for masking it; be sure to remove any leftover tape before applying the glaze, so as to not interfere with the process. Placing a rubber glove, or another barrier of a similar kind over the nozzle and shower can prevent drips from derailing the process of your refinishing project.
Apply the Tub Reglazing Product
After finishing steps one through six, your bathtub surface is prepared for the glaze to be applied. Refinishing bathtub products may be removed from the tub after a few hours. Avoid rushing this part of the process however, as it can lead to dust settling over the tub’s surface. Caulk the bathtub once more once it has rested for a day. After forty-eight hours, your overflow cover can be exchanged.
Conclusion
Reglazing your bathtub is cheaper and faster than purchasing a new one, and saves you from having to pay to have your old tub removed, which usually means hiring a junk removal agency to pick it up, take it away and dispose of it.
Hiring certified professionals with over 20 years in business from family-owned and operated Supreme Bath Refinishing to reglaze your bathtub can extend its life, save you money, and elevate your space. Learn more about turning your finishes into art or call to schedule your free estimate today!
