This type of bathtub has been around since the 70’s-80’s. They are made by pouring a resin into a mold, then adding a clear coat polish to the finished side. These bathtubs tend to be very thick and heavy, and often have a distinct random swirl pattern, which has become rather out-dated. Most of our refinishing on these tubs is due to discoloration or permanent staining, but they can get chipped or scratched. They are also prone to temperature damage called crazing, which can resemble tiny hairline cracks that look like parched, cracked soil. We can easily repair these small surface cracks. However they may also develop large structural cracks. If you do have a large crack or if you suspect there is a crack due to leaking, then we may have to do an inspection to determine if bathtub refinishing is an option.

Fiberglass is the second most common type of bathtubs. They are fairly light and they come in a very broad range of sizes and shapes. Fiberglass tub repairs are usually done to fix a chip in the bathtub or fix a hairline crack in the tub. We can usually seamlessly patch a fiberglass tub, but a crack in fiberglass bathtub may be a little tricky. If the crack has been there for a long time and was allowing water to leak through, it may have damage the structural supports under base of the tub. If too much of the structural material is lost, then there is a risk for total failure if repairs are performed. This level of damage is hard to tell without a closer on-site inspection. You may be tempted to use a DIY tub reglazing kit to do a cracked bathtub repair. But it is a good recipe for a disaster. You may wish to avoid the professional bathtub refinishing cost, but if your DIY tub repair fails, you could be dealing with major water damage. Also our fiberglass bathtub refinishing is designed to restore your bathtub to a like new finish in just one day.

These tubs are one of the most common bathtubs used in guest bathrooms built since the 1970’s to now. They are cheap, easy to produce, and they are relatively light, so they are easy to install. Unfortunately these factors make them also easy to damage. They are only about 1/8th of an inch thick, so they can be dented quite easily. The porcelain enamel layer is only about 1/16th of an inch thick, which means it can chip and scratch easily. Once the steel is exposed to moisture and air, it will start to rust. Tub reglazing can fix the chipped bathtub and cover surface rust, but in some cases the rust is so extensive that it would be better to replace instead of resurface. We can usually tell if the rust is beyond repair by a picture, though some times the rust is on the underside of the bathtub. If that is the case, then we may not find out how bad it is until after we start the work.

These are the newest type of bathtubs on the market. These can range from very inexpensive to very expensive. The difference in cost is usually determined by how unique the shape and look is and how thick the acrylic is. Since these bathtubs often resemble fiberglass, we may ask for pictures to help us determine what material it is. This is the most common material needing a bathtub crack repair. Depending on the quality of the tub, we may or not be able to resurface it. But in most cases we can repair and refinish the bathtub, which can greatly extend it’s life while saving you the cost of a remodel.

These have been around the longest. They are very heavy, which makes them quite difficult to remove and replace during a bathroom remodel. However, they are also the most durable type of tub and are a good candidate for bathtub refinishing. Since many of these tubs have been in use for decades, there are many reasons that a customer may decide to investigate bathtub resurfacing. These range from surface dulling from years of cleaning with abrasive cleaners, to chipping or rusting, or just wanting a color change to update the bathroom. Our bathtub refinishing technicians are skilled in porcelain tub chip repair, with a full tub reglazing to make it look fresh again. We have also restored a number of antique clawfoot tubs that were cast back in the 1800’s. Porcelain tubs come in two standard types: free standing and alcove style.

BATHTUB REFINISHING