The best ways to restore bathtub enamel without involving specialists

Unfortunately, over time, the enamel coating deteriorates: cracks and chips appear, and rusty stains form. To restore the respectable appearance of your plumbing fixtures, lost during long-term use, you can organize the restoration of the bathtub enamel, on your own, without the involvement of specialists. For work, special coloring compounds or liquid acrylic are used. If you don’t want to work with caustic substances, you can solve the problem by installing an acrylic liner. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages - they should be taken into account when starting to work at home.

Why is it necessary to renew the enamel?

In modern stores selling plumbing fixtures, you can find bathtubs made from a variety of materials: acrylic, stone, steel, cast iron. Cast iron products are especially valuable because they have the longest service life. Such products can last more than fifty years and are always easy to restore. When talking about the possibility of restoring the enamel coating, they mean cast iron or steel products with thick walls.

During operation, the following changes may appear on the enamel:

• yellowness in the area of ​​the drain hole from frequent contact with water containing large amounts of iron;
• chips from impacts or other mechanical impact;
• cracks and roughness from the action of powder cleaning products.

Restoring the damaged enamel coating is necessary in order to return the product to its original appearance. In addition, using a dirty bathroom is unpleasant and unhygienic, because harmful microorganisms linger in the cracks and fungi form. In addition, if restoration is not started on time, rust will completely destroy the product.

Of course, you can buy and install new plumbing. But this often requires disassembling half of the bathroom, which is not always possible.

The technology for restoring enamel coating has several significant advantages:

• low cost;
• no need for dismantling;
• work can be done alone.

When starting work, you should remember that you cannot use the product until the coating has completely dried. This usually happens 7-10 days after painting.

Restoration methods, their advantages and disadvantages

Work on the restoration of the inner enamel layer of the bathtub is carried out in three ways:

• application of enamel;
• applying liquid acrylic (glass);
• installation of a special liner.

Each of the techniques has both positive and negative sides.

Enamel painting

Typically, enameling is carried out at the manufacturing stage in industrial production conditions - the process begins with sharp heating of a metal workpiece and application of a protective enamel coating. You won't be able to do this on your own. However, there are special compositions that allow you to carry out work without heating. For example, “Random House”, “Epoksin-51” or “Epoksin-51S”, “Reflex-50” and others.

Pros:

• low cost;
• ability to choose a shade;
• maintainability of the new layer.

Minuses:

• change in original color due to exposure to cleaning agents;
• the coating is short-lived, will last no more than 5 years;
• the restored coating does not tolerate treatment with abrasive substances.

How the coating will perform in operation depends on compliance with the mixture manufacturer’s instructions and care when carrying out work.

Liquid acrylic

The technology based on the use of liquid acrylic is known as a “fill bath”. It consists of treating an old worn surface, cleaned in a special way, with a layer of glass.

Pros:

• the composition dries quickly (24 hours);
• the new layer does not change color;
• no strong smell;
• low cost.

Minuses:

• you will have to remove the siphon before pouring;
• glass does not hide unevenness;
• Special skills required.

A coloring composition called “STACRYL” is applied in an even layer to the damaged bathtub coating. The work is very difficult and requires experience and special skills.

Acrylic insert

This technique involves placing an acrylic insert inside the bathtub. Such a restoration will cost a pretty penny, because the price of the liner is slightly less than the cost of a new product. In addition, it is almost impossible to buy an insert of non-standard sizes.

Pros:

• quick installation;
• long service life (20 years);
• smooth surface without roughness.

Minuses:

• high price;
• the internal volume of the product decreases.

Using an acrylic insert will allow you to restore a product with the most complex damage and repair even through holes, which is impossible when working with enamel or liquid acrylic.

Instructions for restoring enamel

In order for the bathtub to last as long as possible after repair, it is necessary to properly prepare its interior and follow the regimes for applying and drying the coloring composition.

Preparing for work

Before you start painting old plumbing fixtures, you need to properly prepare both the room and the coating inside the bowl. Since you will need to clean off the destroyed paint layer, you cannot do without dust. Therefore, small-sized furniture and household appliances are removed from the bathroom. If this is not possible, protect items from dust with plastic film.

Restoration work is carried out wearing a respirator and rubber gloves.

The surface for painting is prepared as follows:

1. The surface is cleaned manually using coarse sandpaper or an angle grinder. It’s good if you can completely remove the damaged paint layer before applying the primer. It is important to ensure that the metal becomes absolutely smooth.
2. Rusty stains are treated with a rust converter. You can also use oxalic acid by mixing it with water to form a thick paste. The cleaning agent is applied to the stained area, and after 20 minutes it is washed off with water along with the remnants of the old paint.
3. For degreasing, use gasoline or acetone.
4. Pour hot water into the bowl and leave to warm up for 15–20 minutes.
5. Carefully wipe the inner surface of the product with a cotton rag. It is important that the coating is completely dry and free of stuck threads or lint.

You can use a hairdryer or fan to dry at this stage.

How to restore the surface with enamel?

To make the new bathtub coating as smooth as possible, the surface must be treated with a primer before painting.You can do without this procedure, but then the new coating will not be very smooth and will not last as long.

The work is carried out in several stages:

1. Using a rubber spatula, apply a layer of primer to the cast iron surface and leave until completely dry, after which it is cleaned with fine sandpaper.
2. Three or four layers of paint are applied alternately with a roller or brush. Before applying a new layer, be sure to wait for the previous one to dry. Drying time depends on the material used for painting and is indicated by the manufacturer in the instructions.
3. At the end of the work, the completely dry surface is wiped with a solvent, which will give the product a glossy shine.

To consolidate the result, after 3-4 days you can treat the coating with any polishing agent.

How to update a bathtub with liquid acrylic?

Liquid acrylic (stacryl) consists of acrylic and a hardener. When applied to a cast iron surface, this substance forms a strong film 6 mm thick. The viscous fluid mixture has the property of delayed polymerization, thanks to which you can carry out work without rushing and without fear of rapid hardening of the acrylic.

Restoration with glass acrylic involves the following steps:

1. After cleaning the internal surface of the sanitary ware is completed, you need to remove the siphon and install a container under the bottom to collect the flowing paint.
2. The acrylic mixture is prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. Pour liquid acrylic from the farthest corner, moving evenly in a circle. Do not smooth out sagging or remove bubbles - they will disappear on their own during drying.
4. Acrylic that has accumulated at the bottom can be carefully smoothed out with a spatula.

The acrylic mixture polymerizes from 1 to 4 days.The longer the polymerization period, the stronger and more durable the coating.

If the restoration work on the sanitary ware is carried out carefully and fully complies with the instructions, the service life of the new bathtub will be at least 20 years.

How to repair a bathtub using a liner?

Restoring an old bathtub using an acrylic liner can be called the most expensive and at the same time the simplest technique. It is enough to get an insert of a suitable shape and size and install it yourself.

The work comes down to several stages:

1. the inner surface is degreased with acetone or gasoline;
2. try on the liner, checking how accurately the drain holes fit together;
3. if necessary, trim the edges of the insert;
4. the inner surface of the bath and the outer surface of the liner are coated with assembly glue;
5. combine both parts, seal the joints with silicone.

At the end of the work, the bath is filled with cold water and left for a day, after which the product is ready for use.

Without a doubt, restoring damaged bathtub enamel will cost much less than purchasing and installing a new plumbing product. For those who are not financially constrained, you can purchase and install an acrylic liner. Restoration using enamel or liquid acrylic will require more time and effort, but will significantly save the family budget.