How to Acid Etch a Tub
When your bathtub was first installed, it had a shiny ceramic finish that protected its surface from minor damage and stains. Over time, however, your bathtub can lose its protective finish, leaving you with a stained and pitted tub basin. While you cannot replace your bathtub's original ceramic finish, you can resurface it and improve its appearance. Acid etching the tub roughens its surface — ensuring that the new finish you select properly adheres. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Long pants
- Rubber or latex gloves
- Protective eyewear
- Respirator
- 10 percent hydrofluoric acid solution
- Stiff-bristled scrub brush
Instructions
-
-
1
Ventilate the bathroom as much as you can. Open windows, open doors and turn on fans. Acid fumes are potent and toxic. Using acids in an enclosed space with no protection or ventilation can be deadly.
-
2
Put on long sleeves, long pants, rubber gloves, protective eyewear and a respirator.
-
-
3
Pour a generous amount of 10 percent hydrofluoric acid solution into the tub basin. Spread the acid throughout the entire tub with a stiff-bristled scrub brush, making sure that all areas are completely covered in the acid solution. Let the hydrofluoric acid sit on the tub's surface for the amount of time the manufacturer recommends — typically 10 to 15 minutes.
-
4
Open the drain. Rinse out the tub with cold water.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Don't stay in the bathroom while you wait for the acid to work. Set a timer in another part of the house to go off when it is time to rinse out the bathtub. This ensures that you are exposed to the acid fumes as little as possible.
Keep children and pets away from the bathroom during the tub etching process.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
