What is Tub Refinishing?

​​Tub refinishing, also known as reglazing or resurfacing is the process of restoring an aged or damaged bathtub surface to a like-new appearance without the hassle or cost of replacement. Technicians clean, scuff the surface, repair, and coat the existing tub by spraying with specialized primers and extra durable industrial topcoats that are not available to the general public due to safety reasons. Professional refinishers typically use an HVLP spray system to achieve high quality results. This approach saves time, money, and waste compared to a full replacement. 

 

Key Benefits

​* Cost savings of up to 70% compared to replacement. 
* Quick turnaround-most jobs finished in a single day.
* Minimal mess or dust. 
* Eco-friendly by keeping the old tub out of landfills.
* Customizable finish colors. 

 

Refinishing Process Overview

​1. Surface preparation: Deep cleaning and abrading the surface for adhesion.
2. Removing trim plates: Remove any removable trim plates such as overflow plates and valve trim.
3. Removing old caulk or silicone: No description needed.
4. Repairs: Filling chips, repairing cracks, and sanding smooth. 
5. Masking: Running masking paper around tub and covering other areas for protection from overspray.
6. Ventilating: The use of a high powered exhaust system placed in bathroom window or exhaust tubes running out of the nearest window.
7. Priming: Applying a specialized bonding primer for lasting adhesion.
8. Topcoating: Spraying on a high-performance, high-gloss, easy to clean finish.
9. Finishing touches: After the tub has dried to the touch, masking paper is removed, trim plates reinstalled, and fresh silicone is applied. 

 

General Tub Repairs

Repairs come in various sizes and types. These include stains,scratches, gouges, chips, holes, and cracks.  Whether it be a basketball sized hole or a 2 feet long crack in the floor, it can most likely be repaired without access to the back of the tub. All repairs are color matched, sprayed, and blended in around the perimeter of the repair area. The goal is to repair the tub in such a manner that no one will ever know it was there. Most repairs have a 5 year structural warranty as well as a 1 year coating warranty, unless it is part of a full reglaze. 

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Inlays for Cracked Tub Floors

Inlays are a permanent solution and my preferred method to repair cracked tub floors or showers. Inlays are a thin piece of material that are custom cut to fit the floor of a tub or shower. They are much for flexible than tub surfaces which makes them nearly impossible to crack or punch a hole through.  They are typically installed in the area where the factory anti-slip is in the floor of the tub. First holes are drilled within that area. 2 part expanding foam is then injected into the holes for support. Next I fill the holes and cracks. Then the inlay gets fuzed to the surface using a 2 part industrial adhesive that permanently bonds it to the tub floor. Then I color match, spray the floor of the unit, and blend up the side walls. I offer custom cut inlays as well as stock inlays. Custom inlays must be measured and then ordered. These typically do what we call wrap the drain. That basically means they extend slightly past the drain with the drain area cut out. Stock inlays do not extend past the drain and come in two standard sizes that fit most tub floor bottoms. I typically keep the stock inlays in stock so that no ordering is necessary.