The question of how to paint a bath with your own hands is asked by many people. This simple and accessible event will allow you to quickly update the look of your bathroom without purchasing a new bathtub.
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Before we tell you how you can update an old bathtub with your own hands, we will study the preparation process in detail. This stage is the most important and the durability of the new coating depends on its quality. Preparation includes a number of works, including degreasing and cleaning - without this, the new paint will lag behind the surface in just a couple of months.
Do-it-yourself cleaning of an old bathtub
How to paint an old bathtub - step by step
Step 1: Degreasing
During water procedures, a fairly large amount of fat is washed off from the human body, which has left through the pores. Fat settles on the surface and over time eats into the material - it is unlikely that it will be possible to remove it from there by simply washing the bath. Therefore, you need to devote a lot of time and effort to degreasing. First of all, you need to wash the bathtub with a good dish detergent. Apply your chosen product to old enamel or cast iron and let sit for half an hour. During this time, the components in the detergent will dissolve the fat layer. Be sure to rinse off the remains of the product with hot water and repeat the treatment again.
Step 2: stripping
Scrubbing serves several purposes: it helps to get to the residual grease that has set in the surface and provides a roughness to the bath, so that the paint will adhere perfectly to the bath. In addition, with the help of it it is quite easy to remove traces of rust, which often appears on a cast iron bath. For stripping, we need a grinder or a drill with a fine fraction attachment.
Why is it better to use a drill? This tool is less resourceful, not as powerful as a grinder, thanks to which a beginner who decides to paint a bath with enamel or acrylic with his own hands will have less chance of scratching or deforming the coating. Scrub the bath until it becomes evenly matte. Rinse off the remnants of old enamel with a shower and rinse the surface again.
Step 3: the final stage of preparation
In the last step, remove the siphon and process the overflow and drain holes with fine sandpaper. Rinse the surface again with detergent and rinse off the remaining dirt with plenty of water by placing a large container under the drain. Leave the product overnight to completely dry the surface. And finally, once again walk through the bath with acetone to remove the remaining fat.
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In stores today you can buy special bath enamel in aerosol cans. We advise you not to purchase such material - it is not too durable. This coating will last at least one year. To obtain a high-quality and durable coating, it is necessary to purchase a two-component polyurethane enamel. We have compiled a list of the three most famous manufacturing companies and their products:
- Dulux - special enamel for renovating old bathtubs;
- Tikkurila - a set containing a moisture-resistant primer and paint;
- Jobi is a paint that is not afraid of moisture and damage, a renewed bath can be washed even with a brush.
Enamel for renovating old bathtubs
You need to paint at least in two layers, even better in three. Moreover, for each new layer, you need to prepare a new portion of paint. Mix the ingredients in accordance with the instructions and get to work. Do not forget that after 1.5–3 hours after mixing, the paint will be unusable. Take this into account and prepare the necessary portions in the right amount. Before applying a new layer of enamel, be sure to wait until the previous one is dry. In addition, dried enamel must also be degreased.
- To prevent dust and small dirt from getting on fresh paint, before carrying out work, close all doors and windows in the apartment tightly - do not open them for at least the next day to avoid deformation of the paint due to changes in temperature and humidity levels.
- To renew your bath paint, use with natural bristles. If you can handle the spray gun, you can use it.
- It is better to apply the paint from the sides to the bottom so that there are no streaks.
- Leave the bathtub to dry for 7-10 days after finishing the work.
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Not everyone wants to paint an old bathtub with enamel and they choose the method of restoration using bulk acrylic. There is nothing complicated here either. First, we carry out the preparatory work, which we described above, and then we simply pour acrylic along the sides of the bath - the liquid, flowing down the surface of the bath, will fill all the flaws of the old cast-iron bath. Anyone can update a bath with acrylic, but the method has some drawbacks. For example, acrylic adheres very poorly to old enamel. It is fixed to the surface due to its roughness and its one-piece construction.
Pouring acrylic on the sides of the bath
As soon as you scratch the new surface, it will begin to deteriorate - gradually the water will begin to wash off the new layer from the bathtub, tearing off the hardened acrylic in whole pieces.
To minimize such risks, it is worth covering the product with two layers of acrylic, and the thicker the layer, the more difficult it will be to damage the material.
Now you know how you can renew the old coating in the bathroom - we showed you step by step the process of preparation and painting with enamel. To some, the renewal process may seem complicated, but if we are talking about a bath that has already become obsolete, then you definitely will not make it worse.
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