It should be noted that when it comes to enameling an old bathtub, the effect differs significantly from the enamel applied using the industrial method. For a bathtub renovation at home, it’s better to use epoxy enamel that essentially is a paint with improved properties. Its dense texture and resistance to moisture allows it to be used to renew bathtubs.
Cast-iron bathtubs covered with enamel are an invariable attribute of bathrooms of the sample of the Soviet period. Many of them are still present in bathrooms serving residents for decades. They have already lost an appropriate appearance, but not all people are ready to part with cast-iron bathtubs. Stable, durable and sturdy cast-iron material for many people is considered synonymous with reliability, so such bathtubs are still present in the bathrooms, despite its unsightly appearance.
Mostly cast-iron bathtubs are covered with a sort of enamel that has a significant drawback of being very fragile, despite its hardness. Any accidental impact, for instance a bottle falling into the bathtub, leads to cracks. More serious impacts could cause chips and material detachments. It becomes difficult to maintain hygiene, and keep bathtub clean, as the resulting surface defects get corroded by dirt and rush. Moreover, it becomes unpleasant to the touch, in addition to rough and dangerous when chips with sharp edges in bathtub appear. An outdated enamel surface, speckled with small and deep damage, covered with spots and rust, looking sullen definitely spoil the appearance of the entire bathroom, and bathtub renewal can solve this problem.
Bathtub enamel material
In case the replacement of the bathtub is not an option, it is possible to improve the appearance of the one that already is installed in the bathroom. There are different ways to do this, each of which has its own specificities. One of the most common and popular methods is to apply a new layer of enamel to the surface. It allows to get rid of visual defects, restore whiteness and shine.
Prices for enameling bathtub in London
| Enameling | Liquid acrylic renewing | |
| Cost of work | £199 | £199 |
| Operation life |  1-3 years |
 more than 15 years |
| Repeated call | Mandatory |
No |
| Time of work | from 4 hours |
2-3 hours |
| Presence of smell | Yes |
No |
| Solidification time | from 3 days |
from 16 hours |
Additional services
| SERVICE | COST |
If the bath has been re-surfaced before |
£49 |
Dismantle a drain and overflow trim |
£19 |
Drain and overflow trim kit |
£29 |
Color bath (color adding) |
£19 |
Abrasive cleaning baths |
£19 |
Dismantling acrylic liner (bathtub in a bathtub) |
£69 |
If you are located outside of London |
£49 |
How to re enamel a bath with your own hands?
Enameling of the bathtub is not difficult to perform, but, nevertheless, the implementation of each stage of such process requires accuracy and thoroughness. During the work, as well as during the drying period of the surface, it is better for residents to leave the apartment, ensuring that the rooms are well ventilated. Before start working with the bathroom, it’s necessary to disconnect bathtub from the water supply and sewer system.
- Work on enameling a bathtub begins with the preparation of the surface. A master should remove the old layer of enamel, carefully cleaning it until smooth. They usually do this using sandpaper with an abrasive powder, which turns out neatly, but takes long time. If you want to speed up, you can use a drill and a special circle as a nozzle. This move will significantly save time, but add to the hassle of cleaning. In addition, using a drill, you need to take care of eye protection, so as not to provoke injury.
- If there were deep damages on the surface of the bath, you need to clean them thoroughly. At the same time, it is important to make sure that the thickness of the removed layer over the entire area is the same, no depressions or unnecessary relief are formed as the enamel will not be able to smooth it out.
- Grinded surface must be carefully cleaned from dust and small fragments of the removed enamel. The bathtub should be washed and then completely dried, and after all treated with a degreaser.
- Epoxy enamel should be applied to the surface of the bathtub in several stages. For application, rollers or brushes are used, which allow you to distribute the material well, without leaving streaks and inaccurate areas. The first layer, the primer, is applied as thinly as possible, then with an interval of about 20 minutes, you can apply next layers. Numbers of enamel layers can be on average from 2 to 4, but you can apply more at will. It is necessary to remember that the time of complete drying of the treated surface depends on the number and thickness of layers.
- At the end of all steps, you just need to wait until the material is completely dry. After that, the bathtub can be connected to the sewer and water supply. Before using the renewal bathtub for the first time, it should be thoroughly and carefully washed with a soap and a soft sponge.
Advantages of re enameling a bathtub
Coating with enamel is not a new method of renewing the bathtub, and the material itself is well-known and has been tested in practice numerous times. Epoxy enamel is trusted because it is easy to work with, and the end result is always predictable.
Enameling the bathtub is a suitable option in cases when you need to refresh the bathroom without big investment. For example, before renting or selling an apartment;
To cover the bathtub with enamel it does not need to be dismantled, that significantly saves time and simplifies the entire process;
Working with epoxy enamel is not difficult. In case of the maximum possible savings all the work can be carried out even without the involvement of a master;
Nowadays enamel is the cheapest material, with which you can update the bathtub. Enameling allows you to save money when it is impossible to avoid restoration of the bathtub;
With careful use, the enamel layer can last at least 1 year, so you can delay the time of buying a new bathtub and repairing the room.
Disadvantages of enameling the bathtub
Enameling a bathtub is a fairly outdated method of repair, which will help only slightly improve its appearance, but will not dramatically affect the situation.
Working with enamel is not difficult, but the process is quite long. The need to apply several layers and wait for a certain period between them requires a lot of time;
Epoxy enamel is a material with a sharp and pungent chemical smell. Always using personal protective equipment is necessary while working with it. The room should have a constant supply of fresh air. Modern trends in construction and repair exclude the use of such materials, preferring safe and environmentally friendly compositions;
Enameling – the most short-lived updating the bathtub method, existing today. In order for the enamel coating to last at least a year, very careful use and careful handling is necessary. If children or a large family live in the apartment, the result of enameling will not last long;
It’s not advisable to put metal basins and buckets in the enamel bath, drop any objects, or change the water temperature sharply. Enamel is porous, and therefore quickly gets dirty, absorbing dirt and rust. It is advisable to wash the surface after each use in order to preserve its whiteness for a longer period;
Epoxy enamel takes a very long time to get dry. In comparison with other methods of repair, enamel coating takes the longest period of t time from the beginning of work to the moment when the bathroom can be used. On average, it takes about a week for the material to completely dry. For a modern person, the most valuable resource is time, so enameling is becoming less and less popular;
Epoxy enamel is not suitable for leveling the surface of the bath. The material "falls" into the smallest pores and grooves, creating a relief that is noticeable on closer inspection;
Given the extremely short-lived and unreliable coating that creates epoxy enamel, it is simply impossible to consider it cheap and profitable. Slightly saving on the purchase of this material, the owner of the apartment will soon have to spend money again on the restoration of the bathtub;
Epoxy enamel is as brittle as powder enamel, which is applied to cast iron in industrial conditions. But there is a significant difference between them-the factory enamel is much thicker and more reliable, while the epoxy one can be damaged even from the lightest impact.
Reviews
William Stockton
Kathleen Moore
Mike EdwardsBathtub enameling is an outdated repair method that has more disadvantages than advantages. The company "Bath-Repair London" offers a modern service of renewing of bathtubs with liquid acrylic. "Filling bath" takes a leading position among other restoration methods. Liquid acrylic has a long service life at a low cost, affordable even with a modest budget. This material allows you to create a perfect surface, returning the bathtub to whiteness and cleanliness, pleasant smoothness and bright glossy shine. A bathtub restored with liquid acrylic will look perfect for 15-20 years, which makes this method of repair much more profitable than enamel coating.
