How to Repair Porcelain Bathtubs

Porcelain bathtubs are beautiful and durable. These tubs are engineered to last the life time of the home but on occasion, may become chipped. When porcelain chips, the chip can become larger and larger, resulting in a crack. Such a crack compromises the integrity of the bathtub, making it unusable. Fortunately, porcelain bathtub chips can be patched to save the fixture and avoid having to replace the entire tub.

Things You'll Need

• Hair dryer
• Tack cloth
• Porcelain filler
• Plastic putty knife
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Porcelain glaze
• Art paint brush

Instructions

1. Rinse the porcelain tub out with warm water, concentrating on the damaged area. Dry with a hair dyer and tack cloth.

2. Apply porcelain filler to the chip using a plastic putty knife, overlapping the damaged area slightly. Let it dry for 30 minutes or as long as directed by the manufacturer.

3. Sand the filler with 220-grit sandpaper to make smooth and flush with the rest of the porcelain tub. Wipe down with a tack cloth thereafter.

4. Apply porcelain glaze of the same color as your bathtub with an art paintbrush. Allow the paint to dry overnight before using your porcelain bathtub.

References

• "Porcelain Repair and Restoration"; Nigel Williams, Loretta Hogan, Myrtle Bruce-Mitford; 2002
• "Mrs. Fixit Easy Home Repair"; Terri McGraw; 2001