The focal point of a wide bath is often its tub, which ought to be pristine and gleaming. If yours is pitted, chipped, or scratched—or sporting an antique color that no longer suits your vogue —you can spare yourself the trouble oneself and expense of ripping it out and replacing it. Options include putting in an acrylic liner for upwards of $ 300, or learning how to paint a bathtub with a particular epoxy .
Wait, can you paint a bathtub?
You can refresh your ceramic, porcelain, or fiberglass tub ’ second discolor and distillery achieve a high-gloss finish using a forte kit out labeled for tub and tiles, often available at family centers for about $ 25. ( See this top-rated Rust-Oleum refinishing kit on Amazon, which has been reviewed by more than 2,000 DIY-minded consumers. ) Unlike your standard home rouge options, which will crack and peel at the come of heat and moisture tubs are exposed to day by day, epoxy boasts bang-up adhesion and durable lastingness once cured. A one-quart kit should be enough to cover the bathtub, but pick up two if you besides plan to paint the surrounding tile. Do n’t want to do it yourself ? Get rid, no-commitment estimates from pro painters near you.
Reading: How To: Paint a Bathtub
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Reglazing the bathtub with epoxy can be a bite slippery depending on whether you choose a one-part ( pre-mixed ) or bipartite ( ready-to-mix ) kit. But with the keep up steps, solitaire, and manage, you ’ ll get a porcelain-like eat up that will last three to five years .
How to Paint a Bathtub
1. Remove old caulk and the tub’s hardware.
ready the tub : start by removing the erstwhile caulk. ( note : If you don ’ t have a particular caulk removal joyride, a spackling tongue or 5-in-1 cougar ’ s tool can sub in here. ) then cautiously remove the drain hardware and any fixtures in the bathtub itself, using the adjust tools and procedures for your situation .
2. Ventilate the bathroom and clean the tub thoroughly with diluted bleach, scrub cleansers, and acetone.
Open the windows and run the bathroom exhaust fan before you begin to clean up any dirt, soap scum, and mildew. First, wash the bathtub with 10 percentage bleach in water solution. Rinse good, and follow with an abrasive toilet cleansing agent like Comet or Soft Scrub. After thoroughly rinsing, wipe a solvent such as acetone ( paint thin would work here, excessively ) over the stallion surface to remove any remaining dirt or cleansing agent remainder .
3. Repair any imperfections along the tub.
Fill any scratches, chips, or gouges with epoxy putty or tub animate product for a like-new coat. Let dry completely and then sand these areas smooth. future, sand the integral bathtub using wet/dry sandpaper : Do one fall with 400-grit newspaper and a second with the fine 600-grit. This will rough up the gloss so that paint well adheres. Rinse the bathtub thoroughly with water and rub it dry with clean towels or rags. Allow the tub to air dry in full, as it must be free of moisture prior to painting. ad
4. Mask surrounding tile and any remaining fixtures.
When prepping for paint, use painter ’ mho tape to protect the tile at tub level and any fixtures around the bathtub that you could not remove in Step 1.
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5. If you purchased two-part epoxy, mix it now.
Make indisputable your room is well ventilated and don your respirator or masquerade ( epoxy paint is actually icky material ). then, prep the rouge included in the bathtub refinishing kit according to the manufacturer ’ randomness instructions. many kits use a bipartite epoxy paint that you ’ ll indigence to combine prior to lotion. If that ’ s the lawsuit, pour each share into one bucket to mix thoroughly, for at least two minutes. The blend phase is all-important, thus don ’ triiodothyronine play debauched and loose with the directions ! then transfer half of that mix into the second container to save for the second coat and cover tightly to prevent it from drying out .
6. Paint the tub in two thin coats, leaving adequate time between them for the paint to dry.
If you know how to paint early surfaces like tile or wallboard, you have some idea of how to paint a bathtub. Start at the crown in one corner and working your way across and down to the other side. Apply in a flimsy, even coating, being careful to smooth out any drips as you go with your roller or brush. Epoxy paint has a self-leveling property, so wear ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate be concerned if you see some bubbles or brush marks—these should disappear as it sets. Allow the first base coat to dry according to the manufacturer ’ second instructions, and apply the second coat in the same way you did the first .
7. Wait at least three days before running water in the newly painted tub.
Epoxy takes time to fully cure, so heed the manufacturer ’ s instructions on drying fourth dimension. Don ’ thyroxine practice the bathtub until the rouge has in full cured—even if it feels dry to the touch, which might be deoxyadenosine monophosphate soon as an hour. once cured, remove the tape, re-caulk the tub, and re-install the fixtures and drain hardware. ad Going forward, maintain the bathtub as you would any porcelain come on, with your choice of cleansing agent. But right now, run yourself a nice, affectionate bath—you deserve it !
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