How to Update a Bathroom Tub

Refinish your bathtub for an instant update to your bathroom.

Purchasing a new bathtub can be expensive, but you can update the bathtub in other ways without breaking the bank. Instead of completely remodeling the bathroom, refinishing your bathtub can increase the visual appeal of your bathroom. Although refinishing a bathtub can be time consuming, the finished project creates the look of a new bathtub at a fraction of the cost. Before you call a professional to do the job, consider embarking on this project yourself.

Things You'll Need

• Flathead screwdriver
• Goggles
• Gloves
• Respirator mask
• Utility knife with new blade
• Painter's five-in-one tool
• 220- or 240-grit sandpaper
• Scrap cloths or rags
• Plastic smoothing tool
• Painter's tape
• Plastic tarp
• Compressed air sprayer

Instructions

1. Purchase a bathtub refinishing kit. These kits are available at many hardware stores.

2. Remove all of the hardware and gaskets in your bathtub with your flathead screwdriver.

3. Put on goggles and gloves. Wear clothing that covers your arms and legs. The chemicals used to reglaze your bathtub can irritate your skin.

4. Remove the caulk from around the bathtub. Use a utility knife with a fresh blade to cut around the caulk and remove the caulk with the hook end of a painter's five-in-one tool.

5. Clean the bathtub using the chemicals from your kit. Scrub the tub with 220- or 240-grit sandpaper.

6. Rinse the tub thoroughly. Let the bathtub completely dry before moving on to the second step in the cleaning process.

7. Scrub the second chemical on the bathtub with the sandpaper as you did in Step 6. This removes any soap or oil residue.

8. Remove the primer reducer from the kit. Wipe the primer on with a rag.

9. Apply the filler and smooth out with the plastic smoothing tool. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for it to dry.

10. Sand smooth with the 220- or 240-sandpaper. Reapply the primer reducer.

11. Cover areas you do not want to glaze with the plastic tarp and secure with painter's tape.

12. Mix the two epoxy-based chemicals that make up the base coat. These chemicals can be found in your refinishing kit. Carefully follow the directions on the kit for proper mixing directions.

13. Apply the base or primer coat with the compressed air sprayer. Wear your respirator mask because the fumes are toxic.

14. Apply one to three coats. Allows 30 minutes between each coat. The number of coats and time between each coat may vary depending on manufacturer's directions with each kit.

15. Reattach the hardware and gaskets when the coats are dry.

References

• Handy American: Don't Replace That Old Bathtub