Most homeowners choose to reglaze their bathtubs rather than buy a new one. Why? Because when done correctly, competent bathtub refinishing can make a tub seem as good as new. Additionally, using this method, your clients may keep their tubs in place without replacing the current flooring, tile, fixtures, or other features. The surrounding surfaces are covered with masking tape and held in place during repair.
There are several factors to take into account while refinishing a bathtub. In the sections below, we’ll go over seven simple steps to ensure that your next tub reglazing project is a huge success.
Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace
Ensure your workplace is correctly set up before beginning your bathtub repair endeavor. In addition to taking all required safety procedures, you must cover any surrounding surfaces. Turn on the bathroom fan, open a window, and use an industrial fan to expel the air from the area outside to guarantee sufficient ventilation.
Step 2: Remove Caulk
First, take off the overflow plate above the tub drain. Use a utility knife to make an incision in the caulk where it connects to the surround. The caulk may be removed with a putty knife.
As it begins to loose gently. (Don’t worry if black marks appear throughout this process; they could be removed afterward.)
Necessary: You must use a silicone digester to remove the residue if the caulk you’re removing contains silicone. If you don’t, your tub reglazing project will be damaged.
Step 3: Clean the Bathtub Thoroughly
Before being refinished, a tub must be thoroughly cleaned. First, scrub it with a scouring pad and powder. Using a razor scraper is an excellent method of removing soap scum from surfaces. Look at the area under the soap dish since debris will probably gather there. Finally, because the drain is where tub reglazing failures occur, pay close attention to it.
Step 4: Repair Any Damage
Before completion, a bathtub’s surface has to be perfectly smooth. Therefore, any cracks, chips or other damage must be corrected beforehand. To do this, line the bottom of the tub with masking paper and then apply filler over the defects with a putty knife. Make sure the filling is completely dry before sanding. This operation will need to be repeated several times to get the desired outcome.
Step 5: Sand the Tub
The surface has to be sanded when the tub has dried thoroughly. The cover may be manually sanded using an electric orbital sander and 120-grit sandpaper. It would help if you continued to use your respirator throughout this time. To remove the, use a wet paper towel to dust and debris after sanding the whole tub. Be careful to wipe away from the drain and toward the rear of the tub. Applying lacquer thinner or a detailing product is the last step.
Step 6: Apply Masking Tape
The next step is to cover the tub’s tile and surrounding floors with masking tape. Additionally, tape has to be applied on the drain (clip any excess so it doesn’t obscure the glass). Cover the faucet and showerhead with a rubber glove or other suitable barrier to prevent drips from damaging the tub reglazing process.
Step 7: Apply Tub Reglazing Product
You are ready to glaze the artwork after you have finished steps one through six. Read the instructions thoroughly since each bathtub refinishing product is different. After the tub has dried for several hours, the masking may be removed. However, take care to complete it slowly. If not, dust could fall and stick to the tub’s surface. After 24 hours, repaint the bathtub with caulk. At the 48-hour mark, you may complete the project by replacing the overflow cover.
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To hone your tub reglazing skills, Wilmington Tub Reglazing offers all the tools you want, including workshops on bathtub refinishing. To learn more, get in touch with us at any time.
