How to Refinish Bathroom Faucets

Bathroom Fixtures

Updating the look of your bathroom can give your home a new, more stylish look. One of the ways to give your bathroom a face-lift is by refinishing the faucets. Giving new life to old faucets that have been servicing your family for years is a project that you can finish in a matter of hours. You don't need a plumber to remove the handles from your sink, your tub or your shower. You do need the right materials, a little instruction and a bit of effort for your bathroom faucets to look like new again.

Things You'll Need

• Adjustable wrench
• Basin wrench
• Oil
• Putty knife
• 220 grit sandpaper
• Spray primer for metal
• Spray paint for metal
• Spray lacquer for metal
• Teflon tape
• Plumber's putty

Instructions

1. Turn off the water supply to your faucets at the shut-off valves. Relieve the pressure in the faucets by turning on the hot and the cold faucets.

2. Remove the hot and cold supply tubes to the faucet with your adjustable wrench. Unscrew the nuts under the faucet with your basin wrench. You may need to use penetrating oil to get the nuts to turn. Make sure you are turning them the right way: remember lefty loosy, righty tighty. Remove the nuts and scrape away the old plumbers putty with a putty knife.

3. Remove the faucets, dry them, and place them on newspaper or plastic in a well ventilated area. Sand every inch of the faucet surface using a 220 grit sandpaper. If you miss a spot, the paint will not adhere to the faucet. Wipe the sanded faucets with a damp cloth and let them dry completely.

4. Spray an even coat of metal primer over your faucets and let it dry to the manufacturer's recommendations.

5. Spray an even coat of metal paint on the faucets and let it dry to the manufacturer's recommendations. Spray a second coat of paint and let it dry.

6. Spray a coat of lacquer topcoat for metal and let it dry. Then spray another layer of topcoat and let it dry.

7. Wrap all of the inlet fittings of your faucets with Teflon tape for a tight seal before reconnecting the hook-ups. Reconnect your faucets, applying plumber's putty as needed for a tighter seal. Turn the water back on and make sure you don't have any leaks.

Tips & Warnings

• Refinishing vintage porcelain, fiberglass or cast-iron fixtures may need special products, so research your options.

• All spray paint is not the same. Buy spray paints specifically designed for metals only. This will make a difference in whether your faucets remain painted.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Refinishing Bathroom Fixtures