Going Green: How to Patch and Refinish an Old Bathtub

No bathtub can remain new forever. From the first time you use is it, it will start to fade. Nobody likes to bath in an old dirty-looking bathtub, especially when it starts to show some severe wear and tear. When this happens you don’t necessarily need to buy a new bathtub. It is quite common for old bathtubs to develop holes or for the paint to get damaged. You can fix and patch up your bathtub and finally refinish it to its previous sparkling glory.   

Step 1: Clean the Bathtub

Clean the whole tub with a good quality bathroom cleaner, making sure to remove the majority, if not all, of the stains present.

Step 2: Locate The Damaged Areas

If any holes are present, take hold of your measuring tape and measure the holes. It gets quite problematic when the hole is larger than 3 by 3 inches; if that is your case you should consider buying a new tub. If you want to try to fix it follow the subsequent instructions. Put enough body filler to fill the hole entirely, overlapping a bit on the brim. Leave the body filler to dry properly. This usually takes form six to twelve hours.

Step 3: Sanding the Covered Hole

Once the filler has set, use low grit sandpaper to sand over it. Try to make it as smooth as possible, so that it blends in with the rest of the tub. Repeat these steps for all of the holes.

Step 4:  Applying the Chemical Adhesive

Clean the tub properly to eliminate any excess filler. Apply Epoxy all over the bathtub, especially to the damaged areas and leave it to rest for a while before wiping it off. The best way to clean the chemical adhesive to is to stroke it gently with a warm sponge. Once you’ve removed all of the chemical adhesive rinse the bathtub with cold water and dry it using some old towels (or cloths).

Step 6: Resistant Dirt

If there is any damage or dirt left, wipe it off with the steel wool and then sand it using low grit sandpaper until it feels smooth.

Step 7: Applying the Painter’s Tape

If there are any areas which you wish to leave untreated, use the painter’s tape, to cover any areas which you do not intend to paint. Being meticulous in this task will prove very useful since it will effect the overall end result.

Step 8: Applying The Sealer and Painting the Bathtub

Now apply a coat of sealer to the tub and leave it to dry. It doesn’t take much time to dry. If you want to, you can ask the paint store to mix a particular color to the sealer, a color which matches your bathtub. The last thing to do is to paint the bathtub. Apply multiple coats of paint, making sure each time that the paint has dried properly before apply the next coating.

Step 9: Adding Some Ceramic Sealer

Add some ceramic sealer to the bathtub’s extremities to ensure that the bathtub stays waterproof.