Bathroom supply store “New Bathroom Style” believes the service life of the bath cannot be eternal. Over time, its surface becomes unusable. This is especially true of old cast-iron bathtubs. But not all owners are in a hurry to change them for new ones because the quality of some modern options leaves much to be desired. In this case, the solution to the problem may be the restoration of enamel. Is the skin worth the inserts, and what is required for this? The article is devoted to these issues. If you need unique bathroom vanities or 24 Inch or 36 inch bathroom vanities, welcome our web bathroom supply store and make your choice.
DAMAGED SURFACE IDENTIFICATION
Some surface damage is immediately noticeable and does not raise questions about the need for repair. This applies to obvious cracks and chips in the enamel. Most often, rusty metal already appears through them, which has succumbed to corrosion from constant interaction with water. Some damage is not always perceived as a disadvantage and is regarded as a raid.
This applies, for example, to yellow stains that any cleaning agents cannot remove. Another option for non-obvious surface damage is its roughness. This means that the destruction process is already taking place, leading to pores’ formation. If nothing is done, then over time, large areas of enamel will begin to chip off since the metal under them will rust.
CHOOSING THE METHOD OF RECOVERY
Due to such shortcomings, not only the bath itself but the entire bathroom loses its appearance, so it is important to determine as soon as possible how exactly the bath surface will be restored. Among the main ones are aerosols, bulk baths, and acrylic overlay. The first option involves using a special composition, which is applied from a can to the damaged area. This method of restoring the bath is local and temporary. This is due to the instability of the paint’s surface after hardening. The procedure will have to be repeated periodically. In some cases, the coating on the bath may last several months or several days. The second way to repair a bathtub is better, but it will require more effort and money. Several types of compositions are used for its implementation in the repair of the bath. The first bath repair material is an acrylic-based composition. It is also called liquid acrylic.
It is excellent for restoring bathtubs that do not have deep cracks or potholes as they cannot fill them. In some cases, it is allowed to use putty on problem areas, after which the composition is already poured. This composition is safe for human health because no harmful substances are released. You can use it without any special restrictions at home, simplifying the repair process. The second version of the composition is two-component. It is also often used to renovate a bathtub. The substance is based on epoxy resins, which can create a thicker film on the bath’s surface. Before use, the two components must be mixed. The amount of hardener when repairing the bath must be added according to the manufacturer’s advice since the “life” time of the solution during which it can be applied will depend on this. Such a composition can fill large potholes and cracks without prior puttying. When using it during the bath repair, it will be necessary to ensure personal safety with personal protective equipment and high-quality ventilation in all rooms. Unlike the previous version, the finished surface has less strength. Note! The last bath repair composition is used less frequently. This is due to the high cost of the product and the long period required for its polymerization. Sometimes the whole process can take a week.
RESTORATION PROCESS
The quality of the finished surface of the bathtub will directly depend on how correctly the preparatory stage was carried out, so the restoration must begin with it.
PREPARATION
First, for a quality repair of the bath, you will need to provide access to all its nodes. This means that you will have to dismantle the metal or ceramic border, which can be installed at the junction with the wall. It will be necessary to dismantle the siphon and other elements on the bath at the preparatory stage since it will be necessary to process all surface parts. The next step is to clean up the plane. This can be done by hand using coarse sandpaper, which will take a long time, or using a grinder. A drill or grinder with a special nozzle is also suitable.
The stripping process must remove rust from the bath, so problem areas should be given special attention. Another reason for sanding is to create a rough surface. This is required to ensure better adhesion of the reducing agent to the bath’s surface. When stripping, the main thing is not to overdo it so as not to leave deep scratches. At this stage, puttying of problem areas is also carried out. The final preparation stage is cleaning the bath from contamination with ordinary water and detergent. After that, the surface will need to be degreased. You will need to fill the bath with hot water and leave for half an hour. The water is drained, and the surface is thoroughly dried. For this, a building or regular hairdryer is suitable. Various sponges and cloth are not allowed so that no hairs remain.
FILLING BATH
The algorithm for applying different compositions is practically the same, so it makes sense to consider the general principles for applying compositions to the bath surface. The first step is to mix the applied substance well. If we are talking about a two-component composition, the hardener is added to the main container and thoroughly mixed with a wooden handle. Sometimes this may take more than 10 minutes. It would help if you did not rush. A construction mixer is also not suitable for this procedure because its speed is too high, and a large number of bubbles can form in the process, which will affect the quality of the bath surface.
Advice! Before applying the composition to the bath’s surface, the drain hole can be closed with a cup or put a cup under it so that the excess flows into the container. It is not worth applying acrylic or a two-component composition from the container where mixing was performed. It is better to use a plastic cup of half a liter to do this. At the same time, when picking up a two-component composition, it must be additionally mixed inside the cup to make sure that the hardener is completely dissolved.
The substance from the cup must be carefully poured onto the bath’s surface. It is necessary to start from the sides so that the substance is independently evenly distributed over the entire area. It is better to do this with a bright flashlight in your hand. In this case, it will be possible to identify areas where the applied layer is thinner quickly. It is enough to use a rubber spatula to make it thicker, which usually rubs the seams between the tiles.
The bulk composition is collected at the bottom of the bath, so it can be lifted from there with a spatula and applied forcibly to the missing areas on the bath walls. This must be repeated until the desired layer is obtained. In this case, it is worth remembering the period during which the composition is still in a liquid state. When the surface is completely covered, it is necessary to leave the bath to dry for the period specified by the manufacturer. In some cases, after complete polymerization, before use, it is necessary to take a full bath of hot water for half an hour. The entire bathtub renovation process is also shown in the video below.
OTHER REPAIR METHODS
Aerosol repair of the bathtub surface is easier and faster than other options. In this case, the preparation is carried out only for the damaged area and not for the entire surface of the bath. Enamel is applied from a can or brush. You can use the bath after complete drying. The liner method is a rather interesting solution for bathtub renovation.
Its essence lies in the fact that an acrylic overlay is made according to clearly defined parameters that correspond to the parameters of the repaired bathtub. It is impossible to make it at home so you will need the help of specialists. It is glued to the tub with low expansion foam when it is ready. After that, all technological holes are cut out. The bath is filled with water to ensure sufficient pressure until polymerization occurs. The process can be seen in the video.
SUMMARY
As you can see, repairing a bathtub is not too complicated and can be done independently. It would be best to be especially careful with two-component formulations and solvents. The ideal option is to use a special respirator to filter the air. Do not stay indoors with fumes for longer than a certain period. This may lead to poisoning.
