DIY cast iron bath repair

In detail: do-it-yourself repair of cast-iron bathtubs from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

A cast-iron bathtub is a thing of long-term use. But over time, even the highest quality coating loses its visual appeal. Changing a cast iron bath is troublesome, so the question arises, how to repair a cast iron bath?

Of course, repairing a bathtub is quite laborious and requires patience. However, many people prefer to carry out a restoration rather than change the bathtub to a new model. There are three main ways to restore the appearance of your bathtub. Consider each of them.

Preparing a cast iron bath for repair

To complete the work you will need:

Drill with attachment for removing old coating.
Oxalic acid.
Composition for surface degreasing.
Enamel.
Brush for applying enamel.

The work is performed in the following sequence.

The surface of the bath is cleaned from the layer of the old enamel. The easiest way to do this is with a drill with an appropriate attachment.
If there is scale on the surface, remove it with oxalic acid.
The surface is thoroughly cleaned from dust and degreased.

To make it easier to collect dust, cover all surfaces in the bathroom with old newspapers or sheets.

Hot water should be taken into the prepared bath and kept for ten minutes. Then drain the water and wipe the surface thoroughly and let it dry well.
Prepare the enamel by mixing the main component with a hardener.
Apply the first layer of enamel to a dry bath surface. Let it dry for 20-30 minutes.
Apply the second and third layers, remembering to allow time to dry.
The last fourth layer is fortifying. After its application, the repair can be considered complete.

Video (click to play).

It will be possible to use the bathroom after applying the enamel no earlier than three days later.

Sanding the bath and applying new enamel

It allows you to change the color of the bath at your discretion, selecting the desired bath enamel shade.
The work can be successfully completed independently, even with modest experience in construction.

The disadvantages of this restoration method are much greater:

The method is laborious, a lot of dust is formed in the process of cleaning the enamel.
The resulting coating cannot be compared in strength to enameling in the factory. The restored bathroom will need to be handled with extreme care, but in this case, the new coating will last no more than 20 months.

Bath repair using acrylic liner

To complete this work you will need:

Sanitary acrylic insert to fit the size of the bathtub.
Two-component assembly foam or special mastic.
Silicone sealant.

This recovery method is one of the simplest and most effective. To implement it, you should purchase an acrylic bath insert.

A good result can be achieved only if the acrylic liner is of high quality. Therefore, when buying, you should definitely require the presentation of a certificate.

Repair procedure:

First, prepare the insert by making drain and overflow holes in it.
The space near the holes made are lubricated with a sealant.
The liner is secured in place with two-component foam or special mastic.
The foam should be applied evenly over the entire surface of the liner, otherwise voids will appear in which the acrylic will bend.
The consequence of such a flaw will be the imminent appearance of cracks.

The advantages of this method:

Bathtub restoration can be carried out easily and quickly enough.
Provided that a high quality liner has been used, the bathtub will be able to serve for a long time.
The surface of the acrylic liner is smooth and shiny, it is resistant to wear and does not fade during use.

The disadvantages include the need to carry out work before finishing the walls in the room. Otherwise, you will have to beat off the tiles located around the perimeter of the bath.

Bathroom renovation using liquid acrylic

To carry out the restoration in this way, you will need a special composition - liquid acrylic, which is sold under the brand name "Stakril". In fact, this method is similar to enameling a bath, but the material consumption is an order of magnitude higher, which means that the layer of the new coating will be thicker. Due to the use of a modern hardener, the material spreads evenly over the surface, so there is no need to distribute it manually.

When using this method, as with applying enamel, careful surface preparation will be required. It will be necessary to thoroughly clean the bath from the old coating, degrease, wash and dry it.

Acrylic coating, unlike enamel, is not applied with a brush, but is poured over the surface (hence the name of the method). Pouring begins from the upper sides, then the walls in the lower part are processed and, last of all, the bottom.

When performing this work, it is required to disconnect the bathroom drain and place a container under the drain hole into which excess material will drain. This ensures that the acrylic is applied evenly.

The coating layer will be about 6 mm. It will be possible to use the bathroom 3-4 days after the completion of the work, since the new coating should have time to dry well.

The disadvantages of this method are its laboriousness, but the coating is of higher quality and more durable than when using enamel. This coating is more resistant to mechanical damage, and a wide range of colors of the Stakril material allows you to choose the shade of the bath to your taste.

By applying one of the methods described above, you can successfully repair an old cast iron bathtub. Of course, if you plan to carry out repairs on your own, then doing this work will take time and significant labor costs. However, restoration is still cheaper and easier than replacing a bathtub.

After all, cast iron is a very heavy metal, and it is extremely difficult to transport and mount bathtubs made of this material. If there is no desire or opportunity to carry out the restoration work on your own, you can make an order in companies that are engaged in the restoration of the enamel of old bathtubs.

A cast iron bathtub is a solid, durable plumbing fixture with an almost inexhaustible potential for repairability. If a small crack or chip appears on the enamel surface, it is not at all necessary to buy a new product, which costs at least 10-12 thousand rubles, it is quite possible to restore the appearance and functionality of the bowl by repairing the cast-iron bath with your own hands. In this article, we will tell you about 3 effective ways to restore cast iron plumbing fixtures.

If the enamel has a crack, chips, scuffs, and the bathtub itself turns yellow and becomes rough, there is no need to postpone the repair. In order for the result of the restoration to last longer and withstand mechanical stress, contact with water and temperature drops, it is necessary to carefully prepare the surface for work. The preparatory stage, as a rule, takes more than half of the time and effort spent on restoring the enamel with your own hands. It consists of the following operations:

Cleansing from dirt. The surface of the bath is cleaned of dust and dirt with an ordinary alkaline-based detergent, and then rinsed abundantly with running water.

Important! Before starting work on the repair of plumbing equipment, you need to assess the feasibility of the event. If the damage is sporadic, then you can repair the bath yourself.In case of extensive damage and the presence of through holes, it is better to contact a professional.

A small chip with a diameter of up to 2 cm or a crack is the result of mechanical stress or point impacts; these are the most common damage that can be easily repaired locally with your own hands. It is better to close up such damage immediately after their detection with the help of a special putty and enamel. The technology for sealing chips is as follows:

The area around the chip is cleaned of dirt with a detergent. It is better not to use abrasive products, as they aggravate the destruction of the enamel.

Please note that local repair of chips on the enamel surface gives a temporary effect, only postponing the time of more global events. Aerosol enamels do not hold well, but they are much easier to use.

If there are a lot of chips and cracks on the enamel surface, and rusty and limescale is added to them, it will not be possible to repair the bath with a patch with your own hands. To restore the original appearance of the old, badly damaged cast iron bathtub, staining is applied. Before applying coloring substances, the bowl is cleaned of dirt, the enamel coating is removed, degreased, and then thoroughly dried. The following means are used for painting: Liquid acrylic. Do-it-yourself mixture for painting a cast-iron bathtub consists of two components: liquid acrylic and a hardener. A compound with a thick, but plastic, flowing consistency is applied to the inner surface of the bowl by pouring or using a roller. The painted bath dries for 3-5 days, during which it cannot be wetted with water or touched. The coating turns out to be even, smooth and glossy, it lasts at least 8-15 years, without turning yellow, since the thickness of its layer is at least 6 mm. Image - DIY cast iron bath repair

Note! To paint the bath with your own hands, it is better to use liquid acrylic, since it is applied much easier and smoother than epoxy enamel. The disadvantage of this method is the high cost and long drying time.

If there is not one small crack on the surface of the old bathtub, but multiple chips and deformations, it can be repaired using a special acrylic insert. The acrylic insert is shaped exactly to the geometry of the old bowl, it is inserted inside it, and then fixed with adhesive foam and sealant. The disadvantages of this method are:

High price. A high-quality acrylic insert is expensive, the price of an insert is more than half of the cost of a cast-iron bath.

Limited assortment. It can be difficult to choose an insert for a specific cast iron bath model, especially if it is not one of the standard ones.

The main advantage of the restoration of cast iron bathtubs using an acrylic insert is the effectiveness of the method, because it is used to restore bowls, even if they have through holes. Such an insert will last at least 15 years, for which it will definitely pay off.

Over time, even a very high-quality bath coating becomes inadequate. Permanent stains, streaks, rust, as well as chips, scratches and other damage appear on the surface. And every owner creeps in with the idea of replacing equipment. But this process is very complicated and expensive. In addition, often the old baths were made of cast iron, which makes them very difficult, therefore, even the removal process will not be the easiest. Therefore, many are trying to restore old baths.

Fortunately, even a very damaged enamel coating of the bathtub can be restored, because the bathtub retains its full performance characteristics. Thanks to modern technologies, it is possible to restore the old enamel coating. But is it worth doing?

To understand whether it makes sense to repair your old bathtub, you need to estimate how much it will cost to replace the old equipment and, accordingly, draw a conclusion about the appropriateness.To do this, you will have to add to the cost of the bath the costs of dismantling the old equipment and delivering new ones, as well as lifting and lowering from the floor, in the case of living in an apartment. In addition, installing a new bathtub also costs money, but often, in addition to installing equipment, it is necessary to repair the old wall and floor covering, partially or completely.

Based on the procedures described above, it turns out that replacing the bathtub will entail a partial or complete renovation of the bathroom. Therefore, replacing the bathtub makes sense during the renovation of the apartment. Otherwise, it will be much more profitable to revive the old bath.

Often, the impressive replacement costs are far from affordable for everyone, so we will consider options for restoring an old bathtub. At the moment, there are only three recovery methods:

renewal of the enamel coating by manual application;
applying liquid acrylic (stacril);
installation of a finished acrylic liner.

Before you repair an old bathtub, you should consider each process separately, because they have their own characteristics. But first you need to understand the reason for the wear of the enamel.

Over time, enamel coatings are affected by various factors that contribute to premature wear, but there are main reasons:

poor quality of tap water, the content of corrosive substances and unrefined abrasive particles in it;
the use of abrasive and chlorine-containing substances and materials during cleaning of the bath;
if chemical reagents are often used to clean water pipes, this also negatively affects the enamel.

All these conditions, of course, do not affect immediately, but over time, the enamel coating becomes thinner, rust appears from under it, and the surface becomes rough and unpleasant to the touch.

From this it is easy to conclude how to postpone (alas, inevitable) wear of the enamel as late as possible.

Read also: DIY grinder repair

When the moment of the bath cover becoming unusable has nevertheless come, and the complete replacement of the hot tub was deemed impractical, the time comes to choose one of the restoration methods.

Of all the restoration methods, the application of enamel is the oldest and most widely used method. This method is very similar to painting, except for the material used, because a special enamel is used during the restoration. Among enamel paints for bath restoration, there are two types:

professional enamels for industrial application - they are very liquid and are applied most often by spraying in several layers;
simple enamels for manual application - used for independent use and have a thicker structure, which allows you to apply it with a roller or brush in 1-2 layers.

Among the advantages of this method of restoring damaged coating are:

low cost of application and material;
during repairs, dismantling of equipment, drain and overflow hoses is not required;
no matter which bathtub is cast iron or steel, the enamel is suitable for both types.

Enamel in spray cans is used for local restoration

Unfortunately, this type of recovery has more disadvantages than advantages, among them the following stand out:

the post-repair period of the renewed coating does not exceed 5-8 years;
due to the increased fragility of the new coating, it does not tolerate impacts, which can lead to the formation of chips;
the drying time of the renewed coating of the old bath is 5-7 days;
over time, yellow spots appear on the coating or the entire surface becomes yellow;
since the enamel is not applied in thick layers, the possibility of hiding defects, such as dents, chips, bumps, etc., is excluded.

Do-it-yourself repair of an old bathtub using enamel paint is the cheapest and least quality one, since the updated coating is much softer than the factory one. Therefore, surface care must be gentle.

Tip: Instead of using abrasive cleaners, chemical cleaners or harsh sponges, use a mild soap solution. In addition, it is strictly forbidden to hit the surface with any metal objects and fill the bath with very hot water. A set of water should be started with cold and gradually add hot.

Restoring an old bathtub with two-component acrylic is the newest and simplest method.

Note: Stacril is used as a reducing liquid, which is a two-component acrylic filler used directly for baths. The composition of the liquid includes acrylic and a special hardener, during the mixing of which the material polymerizes.

The application process is quite simple. On the previously prepared surface, diluted glass is gradually poured in an even layer, which forms a reliable coating on the surface. This recovery method has the following advantages:

Durability of the coating. If the application procedure and operating conditions of the new coating are competent and thorough, then the service life can be 15-20 years;
Elimination of defects. Thanks to the application of a new coating with a sufficiently thick layer, which is 4-6 mm, most of the surface defects are eliminated. For example, chips, dents, pores, etc .;
Perfectly smooth glossy finish. Since the glass is inherently a rather thick material, it fills in and eliminates various defects when it spreads, an almost perfect glossy coating forms on the surface;
The speed of the operation. Liquid acrylic is very easy and quick to apply to the surface due to the extreme simplicity of the technology;
Absolute security. Stryl does not have strong unpleasant odors, which allows it to be used even in places with poor ventilation. Using this material, you can not fear for the health of your family, even if there are allergy sufferers, the elderly and children in the house.

The disadvantages of this method of restoration include:

Finishing an old bathtub in this way has a long drying time, which is about 3 days. During this period, it is forbidden to touch the bath and, in general, come close, so as not to bring various debris to the surface in the form of dust, water, hair, etc .;
Another disadvantage is the high cost of finishing in comparison with enameling. Although these costs are justified by a longer service life and a more wear-resistant coating.

Renovation of old bathtubs is also carried out according to the "bath in bath" method with the help of a special acrylic insert, which is glued into the old equipment. For the operation, a special glue foam is used, it is applied to the surface of the old bathtub, after which the insert is installed. If all preparatory and repair procedures are performed correctly, then the service life can be 15 years.

Among the positive qualities of this restoration method are:

the strength of the acrylic liner is much higher than that of the enamel coating;
the new surface completely hides all possible coating defects;
yellow spots do not appear on the acrylic liner over time;
this method of restoration allows you to combine all the positive qualities of cast iron and acrylic bathtubs.

Despite all the advantages of this method, there are also disadvantages:

before installing the acrylic insert, you need to disconnect the bath from the siphon, which is quite difficult to do with old products;
in the case when the bath is made of "thin cast iron", which can bend, the installation of the liner is prohibited, since during the bends of the equipment the integrity of the adhesive can be violated and the liner falls off;

Although all restoration methods differ from each other, the preliminary preparation of the surfaces is practically the same. So how to make an old bathtub new and what you need to do this:

First of all, before starting the restoration, the bath surface is completely cleaned, that is, all complex contaminants are removed;
Then all surface defects are smoothed out, namely scratches, bumps of the fossa, and the entire surface is polished. This procedure is carried out using fine-grain sandpaper;
Immediately before application, the resulting dust and debris is cleaned, and then everything is degreased.

Important! Sanding and degreasing increases the adhesion of the material to the surface, and therefore the quality and durability of the finish.

When caring for a bathroom, the use of various materials is strictly prohibited, which include:

Use of any abrasive substances such as cleaning powders. Indeed, scratches form on the surface, and the coating quickly loses its original appearance;
The ban covers household chemicals, which include: industrial alcohol, ammonia, acetone, formaldehydes, solvents and strong acids;
Cigarette stains and small scratches (up to 2 mm) are removed using "zero" sandpaper, that is, the finest;
Cleaning with metal brushes and dry cleaning is also prohibited.
It is highly undesirable in restored baths to wash pets, dye hair and get mousses and varnishes on the surface.

To the question "How to make a new bathtub?" we can responsibly say that everything depends on care, restoration is already a consequence of improper cleaning, which has been going on for many years. Therefore, in order for the bathtub to be as good as new, you need:

The bathtub is washed only with a soft cloth or sponge, which will help to keep the glossy surface perfect for as long as possible;
Rust stains are removed with a solution of vinegar or lemon juice;
For cleaning, a mild cleaning agent is used, which is applied for 7-10 minutes, after which it is removed with a soft cloth and a stream of water;
In whirlpool systems, cleaning is a little different. The bath is filled with water with the addition of a cleaning agent and turned on for 5-10 minutes, after which it is left with liquid for another 10-15 minutes. Then the liquid is drained and everything is washed with a stream of water and with a soft cloth.

If you still have doubts about how best to cover the old bathtub, you should seek the advice of specialists or study their reports. Of course, the choice is up to the owner. If the repair is required as a cosmetic and for a short period of time, in order to make a replacement during the repair, then the cheapest option should be chosen, that is, manual enameling. But when a budgetary but durable coating is required, it is best to use a glass bottle. The latter method is the most expensive and is not suitable for temporary repairs.

So that the question of how to restore an old bath does not arise for a very long time, only high-quality and proven materials must be used for repairs and strictly adhere to the processing technology. You can see the nuances of the technology in the video.

The top layer of enamel on steel and cast iron baths wears out over time. Unpleasant spots, cracks, chips, yellowness appear on the surface. Of course, such a bathtub can be thrown away and replaced with a new one, but restoration will prolong the life of your plumbing and save your family budget. Image - DIY cast iron bath repair

DIY bathroom restoration

Restoration can be carried out using various methods, including:

application of two-component enamel. The two components are the hardener and the enamel itself. The mixture is applied to the surface like a regular paint;
filling the bath with acrylic (glass). After sanding and thorough degreasing, the bath is filled with acrylic. After 2 days, the updated plumbing is completely ready for use;
bath-in-bath installation. This method consists of installing an acrylic liner that is completely identical to the old bathtub. The insert is attached with glue or foam and allows you to use the restored bathroom for a long time.

Although these methods have their own characteristics, the preparation procedure is completely identical. It is necessary to remove the layer of old enamel and achieve maximum adhesion of the future coating to cast iron / steel.

The following materials and accessories must be prepared:

cleaning powder;
solvent;
cloth-based abrasive paper (for example, P24);
fast-hardening polyester putty for automobiles;
polyethylene, newspapers and masking tape;
vacuum cleaner (or a wide soft brush);
grinder + grinding wheels;
the cloth is clean and does not leave lint;
hair dryer for construction;
screwdriver.

Step 1. We clean the entire surface of the bath with a brush and an abrasive agent (powder).

Step 2. We take sandpaper and clean the bath until there are risks from the abrasive. There is no need to rinse off the cleaning agent when sanding. Instead of sandpaper, you can use an angle grinder with a special attachment. This will greatly simplify the work and speed up the preparation process.

Step 3. After sanding, wash off all the crumbs and soap film well. Etch the bath using oxalic acid. We neutralize the acid with soda.

Step 4. Fill the bath with hot water up to the sides. We wait for about 10 minutes, open the drain so that the water glass, and then wipe the bath with a cloth dry. You can warm up the vessel with a building hair dryer. So the moisture will sooner evaporate and the bath can be further prepared for restoration.

Step 5. We examine the bathtub for major defects, potholes. We apply car putty, and after it dries, we grind it with fine sandpaper. We remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner / soft brush, after which we thoroughly degrease the entire surface of the plumbing with a solvent and wipe it with lint-free napkins.

Step 6. Unscrew the shower hose. We wrap the spout and taps in polyethylene so that drops of water do not get into the bath during operation.

Wrap spout and taps in polyethylene

Step 7. Armed with a screwdriver, dismantle the drain grate and siphon under the bathroom. We substitute the dishes under the drain hole, into which drops of acrylic or enamel will flow.

Strapping diagram. 1 - overflow pipe; 2 - drain pipe; 3 - metal wedge of the support; 4 - floor siphon; 5 - sewer bell; 6 - metal grounding strip

Diagram of the siphon device in the bathroom

Step 8. We seal all surfaces that adjoin the vessel to be restored with masking tape. Cover the floor, a nearby washing machine, and cover the sink with plastic or old newspapers.

We begin the restoration process.

You can enamel not only a bath, but also a shower tray made of steel and cast iron, a washbasin, a kitchen sink. The entire surface of the sanitary ware is restored, as well as individual areas, if necessary.

This method of restoration is short-lived, but quite economical. A painted bathtub will serve you for a couple of years, after which you will again have to think about painting or replacing it.

Note! The enamel has a pungent chemical odor, so all work can be performed only in personal protective equipment for the respiratory system.

Step 1. Open the enamel and hardener. Pour them into a convenient container, mix with a mixer until smooth (see the exact proportions on the package).

Step 2. With a brush, begin to apply the enamel, making first horizontal and then vertical strokes. We carefully paint over the entire bath.

Advice! To prevent bristles from coming out of the brush, soak it in water for one day!

Step 3. Without waiting for the first layer to dry, apply the second. Gently stretch the smudges with a brush.

Step 4. Paint over the bottom of the vessel again.

The bath will be ready for use in about 5 days. Until this moment, it is advisable not to turn on water and prevent dirt from getting on the painted surfaces.

Such a two-component mixture is quite convenient to apply, does not have a pungent odor and has increased strength characteristics. The starch spreads by itself, and a monolithic even film forms on the surface of the bath. At the same time, the starkril does not dry too quickly, which means that work can be done without haste and fuss.