Cast Iron Tub Repaint

[Steve Southwood]

Has anybody ever refinished a cast tub? I have seen some DIY kits and just wonder if they are any good.

I have found a local refinisher and will call tomorrow and check his prices.

[Lewis Ehrhardt]

Steve, I've not done mine yet, but I got this from a TOH segment of some pros doing a tub on the show. Hope this helps.


Method for old bathtub or sink restoration

Materials needed:

• Heavy duty rubber gloves
• Air mask approved for acid
• Safety glasses
• Paper towels
• Trash bags for disposal
• Epoxy paint kit (about $30.00) or buy the epoxy paints individually
• Good drop cloth
• Painters tape
• Various grit sanding paper as needed, probably 150-220.
• An HVLP sprayer or use the spray cans supplied in the kit
• An exhaust fan to pull out the fumes
• Hydrochloric Acid

Procedure

• Using heavy-duty rubber gloves, Acid Etch using Hydrochloric Acid

• Leave sit for at least 20 minutes, making sure to spread it over all areas of the tub or sink

• Wipe down with water after acid fully reacts

• Clean up with paper towels and dispose properly

• Use body filler if necessary to fill any dents

• Prime with three coats of epoxy primer using an HVLP sprayer

• Apply top coat of white epoxy paint mixed with hardener

• Use proper air mask and exhaust fan making sure you get proper ventilation

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Steve,
I repainted my tub about 18 months ago when I remodeled my bathroom. I changed the color from pink to bone (almond).

I bought the paint on-line. The kit consisted of 3 spray cans of topcoat and a can of special tack primer. As an additional step, we random obit sanded the existing porcelain coating for additional tooth. However, porcelain is very tough, and to provide a dull finish via sanding is impossible. This is why you must use the special tack primer.

The job came out nice. I don't know how well it will hold up because we never use the tub (we have a separate shower stall). It's important to get good coverage around the drain. If the drain can be removed, all the better.

I've read that repaints don't last that long. With care, maybe 5 years under normal family use. This applies to professionals doing the work also. They use chemical etching agents to prepare the porcelain.

If I were to used the tub regularly, I probably would have bit the bullet and replaced the tub. This is a lot of hard work in an old home. When I remodeled bathrooms, I would break the old cast iron tub apart in-situ for removal, and require that the new tub be acrylic.

Good luck,
-Jeff

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,

I have seen some DIY kits and just wonder if they are any good.

Not really...

Surface prep is critical.
The actual materials and methods used for the final finish aren't.

{FWIW - I refinished an old utility tub in the paint store I worked at using simply an oil based enamel - similar to Rustoleum. It lasted for two decades and still looked like new when I last saw it. I did it simply to emphasize to customers just what I said above.}

Naturally, better materials and good spray equipment will give a better looking finish - but - if the tub isn't etched properly, then it's all for naught.

This is one area where it pays to pony up for a pro to do it.
A pro is going to have all the equipment - plus the experience & (not so trivial) the insurance if the job goes South.

You really only get one shot at it & if it does go bad,,,,,well,,, read Ken's thread about his tub.
His experience replacing his tub is (IMNSHO) pretty typical.

[Steve Southwood]

Thanks for the quick reply's.

Guess a little more info would have been nice. The tub is in my parents house. Pink in color. We were looking at taking it out and replacing, but no luck. Can't find the style they like, in the right size. Went to all the borgs and local stores. Personally I was going to just put a shower only, but they are worried about resale. I will give the pro a call today and get an estimate. See where that takes me.

[Scott Shepherd]

I don't think a pro is going to "paint it", I think it's a recoating process that's superior to paint. I also remember it to be some very nasty hazardous stuff, so it's probably best left to a pro if you want it done to last.

[Lee Schierer]

My mother had her tub redone by a coating process by a local contractor several years ago (must be at least 5 years) It looked great when it was done. It has held up well to one person use; however, her water has a high iron content so the white has been rust stained. I've not seen any actual coating failures anywhere.

In her case replacing the tub would have been a major undertaking since teh room is so small and would have required all the walls and floor to be redone, built in vanity removed, toilet removed etc.

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Lee,
That's typically the case when removing a tub. That's also why many bathrooms are 5 feet wide.

Another consideration is the plumbing. Often the ceiling of the floor below the tub must be removed to install the new tub shoe.

I can't speak of this anymore. It's making my back ache.

-Jeff

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My mother had her tub redone by a coating process by a local contractor several years ago (must be at least 5 years) It looked great when it was done. It has held up well to one person use; however, her water has a high iron content so the white has been rust stained. I've not seen any actual coating failures anywhere.

In her case replacing the tub would have been a major undertaking since teh room is so small and would have required all the walls and floor to be redone, built in vanity removed, toilet removed etc.

Tell me about it! My bathroom is 5' wide. I'm in the process right now. I managed to do it without removing the vanity and the toilet. The toilet will be replaced..as soon as the tile is done I have the new matching one sitting in the bedroom waiting.

My neighbor is a professional painter. He just "epoxy" coated his tub. He didn't want to take the time or expense to replace it. He's not sure how well it will hold up.

[Steve Southwood]

Ok, I heard from the pro. 275 -300 to refinish. I am figuring that ain't too bad. Will get with Mom and see where we go from here.

[Pat Germain]

Before moving to Colorado, I lived in an older neighborhood in Virginia. All the houses were built in 1949 and almost all of them had the original, cast iron tub. Like every other tub on the block, mine was shot. I had heard about the resealing process and asked the neighbors. They all reported the same thing. The epoxy paint looked great for awhile, then just peeled off. Since these houses had only one bathroom, the tubs got a lot of use.

I also called a contractor. He was very honest with me. He told me he'd reseal my tub, but I couldn't expect it to last very long. I asked if the epoxy paint was the only option. He explained it was. There was no other way to reseal a tub while in place.

So, my advice would be to reseal a tub only if you expect it to not last very long. If it does last awhile, consider it a good deal.

I ended up taking a sledge hammer to my tub. I had to cut a hole in the wall to slide in the new unit. But the result was quite nice and well worth the effort.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

A family member did one and it looked like hell.