How to Repair a Crack in a Bathtub

Most bathtubs are crafted out of porcelain. Although porcelain is a smooth surface and perfect for holding water, it is not immune to damage. If a hard object falls on the porcelain bathtub, it is sure to crack. But you can patch the crack rather than rip out the tub and replace it.

Things You'll Need

• Towel
• Hair dryer
• Sandpaper
• Tungsten carbide cutter
• Paint brush
• Epoxy resin
• Emery board
• Ground coat enamel

Instructions

1. Take a towel and dry out the area around the bathtub crack. The crack needs to be completely dry before you can begin patching it. Consider running a hair dryer up and down the crack to remove any water.

2. Remove any rough spots in the crack. If the crack if fairly jagged, take a tungsten carbide cutter to smooth out the edges. Slide the tool into the crack and rub the edges as if you were using an emery board. You can buy the cutter at a home improvement store. You can use an emery board or sandpaper if the crack is small and you don't want to use the tungsten carbide cutter.

3. Take off any small edges with sandpaper.

4. Remove any small pieces of sanded porcelain from the bathtub that may have come clean when you softened the crack. You can use a damp towel for this, but make sure to dry the area completely.

5. Fill the crack in the bathtub with epoxy resin. Most epoxy comes in a tube so you can just squirt the epoxy directly into the crack. Allow the epoxy to dry for 12 hours or so.

6. Paint on the ground coat enamel. Make sure the enamel color matches the rest of your bathtub. Use smooth strokes to apply the enamel. Allow it ample time to dry. When it does, the damaged area should match the rest of the tub perfectly.

References

• Repair Bathtub Cracks and Chips