How to Change Colors for a Fiberglass Bathtub

You can re-cover a fiberglass bathtub with poor finish in the same color as it was originally.

Fiberglass bathtubs are perhaps the most common type of tub in the modern developed world, as cast iron and porcelain styles fall out of fashion due at least in part to cost. In past decades, fiberglass bathtubs were available in creative colors like powder blue and avocado green; shades most homeowners would now recoil from. If you have inherited one of these beauties, you may wonder if you must replace the entire tub to obtain the new color that you desire. If your tub is otherwise in good shape, a good resurfacing with white or ivory gel coat can give your fiberglass tub a fresh identity.

Things You'll Need

• Bathroom cleanser
• Painter's tape
• Palm sander
• 100-grit sandpaper
• 200-grit sandpaper
• 300-grit sandpaper
• Tack cloths
• Acetone
• Rags
• Gel coat kit
• Plastic container with a lid
• Wooden spoon
• Paint sprayer

Instructions

1. Clean your tub with a bathroom cleanser. Rinse the tub well and let it air-dry for a full day without using it. Wrap the faucet in painter's tape and cover all of the hardware completely with this tape as well.

2. Sand all of the tub surfaces to be re-covered, using a palm sander. Start with 100-grit sandpaper, then use 200-grit and finally 300-grit. When you are finished, you will have sanded the tub evenly three times.

3. Wipe the tub with several tack cloths to remove all of the sanding debris. Apply acetone to a clean rag and rub it all over the tub surfaces. Wait 30 minutes for the liquid to evaporate from the tub surface.

4. Combine the two parts of the gel coat kit in a plastic container with a lid. Mix the gel coat and the facilitating compound well using a wooden spoon. Transfer the fiberglass coating to the reservoir of a paint sprayer.

5. Spray the gel coat onto the entire tub evenly. Apply the first layer thinly and let it sit for 30 minutes. Spray on a second, slightly thicker coat. Let the new color dry for one to two days before removing all of the tape and using the bathtub.

Tips & Warnings

• Ventilate the area where you are working as much as possible.

• Wear proper protective clothing, including a respirator mask.

• Cover leftover gel coat mix and dispose of it securely.

References

• Munro Products/YouTube: Fiberglass Tub & Shower Unit Refinishing
• Valspar Composites: Gel Coat Application Guide: Introduction
• West System; Fiberglass Tub and Shower Repair; Tom Pawlak