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Bathtub Paint Selection and Application
Refinishing a tired old bathroom is a good way to spruce up your house. Studies have shown that the cost of remodeling is returned to the home owner when they sell their house. While a total remodeling job can be expensive and require expert help, even the do it yourself approach can do wonders for your home's appeal.
One problem do-it-yourselfers face is what to do with their old tub. They can paint and refurbish the rest of the room, which looks fabulous, but only serves to draw attention to an old, scratched or dated tub. This is particularly true when the tub or shower stall is in a period color. This dilemma has three ready solutions.
The first choice is to learn to love it as is. To realize the full benefit of your remodel, however, this is usually not the best choice for home sellers. The second choice is to line the tub, a moderately expensive proposition, but one that requires professional tools and experience. The third choice is painting your bathtub. This project can be successful, but several steps must be followed for a pleasing result.
First, the most important step is to choose appropriate bathtub paint. You need to use paint specifically designed for this purpose, otherwise it will not adhere to the surface. Fortunately, this type of paint is available in most home improvement stores, and is labeled explicitly as bathtub paint or as porcelain or ceramic paint. This paint can either be tinted to the color of your choose, or used as a primer before your apply an overcoat of another type of paint.
Before applying your bathtub paint thoroughly clean the tub in order to remove all soap residues. After the tub has dried, lightly rough up the tub surface with fine grained sand paper. Rinse out all dust and allow to completely dry before painting. Check the label of your paint. If it does not have mildew resistant properties, add some mildew retardant to it. Use a brush instead of a roller to apply the paint. Usually, a second coat of paint is required. Follow the manufactures guidelines for the amount of time to wait before reapplying.
Once the paint has fully dried, your tub is ready for use. The key to maintaining its fresh new look is to care for it properly. Thus, do not use abrasive cleaners or pads, as this will scratch the paint and cause it ultimately to peel off. The painted finish should be durable, but will not last as long as the original tub finish did, as the color was baked on during the manufacturing process.
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