DIY cast iron bath coating repair

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

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.

Video (click to play).

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.

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 basically 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 relatives, 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.

Over time, the bathtub loses its attractive appearance. Smears and traces of rust appear, the gloss disappears, and it becomes rough to the touch. Everything suggests that it is time to change the old bathtub. And these are not small expenses. In addition, when replacing a bathtub, you cannot do without repairing the entire bathroom, and small costs will turn into medium, if not large. But there is an alternative - do-it-yourself bathroom restoration. There are a large number of materials on the market with which you can independently update your bath with proper quality.

There are now three methods for restoring old bathtubs:

1. Restoration of the enamelled bath surface.

2. Restoration with liquid acrylic.

3. Restoration by installing an insert.

Cast iron and steel enameled baths are the most common types of baths in our apartments. They are produced in accordance with GOST 18297-96, which has been in effect since 1997. According to this GOST, the baths are guaranteed for 2 years. But as practice shows, the enamel on them lasts no more than 10 years of use.

Enamel on baths in the factory is applied quite simply. First, the outer surface is heated red-hot, then enamel powder is sieved onto the inner surface and kept for some time to sinter the powder with the metal. Heat the outer surface again until the powder is melted. The result is a smooth, glossy enamel finish. It is clear that at home this method of restoring a cast-iron bathtub, as well as a steel one, is not suitable.

The wear of the enamelled surface occurs as a result of the influence of two factors:

Use of cleaning agents containing abrasive powders or substances with chlorine impurities.
The use of chemicals when cleaning water supply networks.

As a result of many years of exposure to these factors, the enamelled surface of the bath becomes thinner, becomes rough and begins to rust.

Do-it-yourself enamel restoration is a fairly simple process. It consists of two stages: surface preparation and applying a new layer of enamel.

You will need the following tools and materials:

electric drill with a nozzle in the form of a grinding wheel;
abrasive powder;
sandpaper;
rust converter (for example, "Tsinkar");
degreaser (for example, "Nefras");
lint-free napkin;
natural bristle brushes or spray;
respirator and gloves;
enamel, preferably two-component (enamel plus hardener).

A very important stage. The more thoroughly the bath surface is cleaned, the better the new enamel layer will be.

sprinkle the old enamel with abrasive powder and clean it off with sandpaper or a grinding wheel mounted on an electric drill;
treat the areas affected by corrosion with a rust converter, let it stand for half an hour, then sand it with sandpaper;
wash off enamel and crumbs with water;
thoroughly treat the bath with a degreaser with a lint-free cloth;
fill the tub with hot water and let it warm up for 10 minutes;
drain and wipe dry with a lint-free cloth; make sure that there are no fluff or other foreign elements on the surface.

according to the manufacturer's instructions, mix enamel and hardener in a certain proportion and mix thoroughly;
apply the first layer of enamel with a brush or spray;
withstand a certain period of time according to the instructions;
apply a second layer of enamel.

This concludes the process of restoring an enamel bathtub with your own hands. It is advisable to withstand at least a week before using the bath. This is how much time it takes for the full polymerization of the enamel.

The service life of the new enamel will be about 6-8 years.

This method of bath restoration appeared relatively recently, thanks to the emergence of a special material - glass.Stacril is a two-component acrylic material specially developed for bath restoration. It is acrylic itself and a separately supplied hardener. When acrylic and hardener are combined, the polymerization process begins, and when applied to the surface, the composition turns into a high-quality acrylic film with a thickness of 4 to 6 mm.Stacril has three remarkable properties that help it quickly and effectively restore a bathtub:The optimally selected viscosity coefficient of the glass helps to effortlessly make an acrylic coating 4 mm thick on the walls of the bath and 6 mm on its bottom.2. FluidityThe flowing effect allows the glass to envelop the surface of the bathtub on its own and lay down evenly.3. Delayed polymerizationThanks to this quality, you can calmly and relatively comfortably carry out work on the restoration of the bathtub, without fear that the acrylic will harden too quickly.After polymerization, the acrylic surface has mechanical and impact resistance far superior to the acrylic liner or enamel layer.The technology of restoration of baths with liquid acrylic is even simpler than the enameling process and consists in the following:This stage does not differ from the variant of restoration of the enamelled surface. Repeat the same steps. Then disconnect the siphon and place a container under the bath drain where excess acrylic will drain.

we prepare the acrylic mixture according to the manufacturer's instructions;

slowly pour the finished mixture onto the upper edge of the bath, as soon as the stream reaches the middle, we begin to smoothly move the stream of glass around the perimeter of the bath;

when the circle is closed, we repeat the procedure, starting from the middle.

The pouring restoration process must take place continuously, for this you need to take a glass container of a suitable size. It is not worth saving - it is better to pour out a little more acrylic than it will lack, the excess will go into the container under the drain hole.Acrylic polymerizes, depending on the type, from one to four days. Choose a glass glass with a longer drying time, in which case the acrylic surface will be of higher quality.The restored bath will have a service life of about 20 years.

Tikkurila's Reaflex ensures high adhesion of the secondary enamel to the base of the bath. The material is liquid, therefore it is necessary to apply at least 4 layers. Only with this technology will it be possible to block the yellowness. Each subsequent layer is applied after the previous one has dried.

Advice. Experts recommend choosing the color of the enamel in accordance with the original tone. You have to understand that you can repaint a white bath in almost any color, but you won't be able to change the shade of a dark bath to a light one.

To carry out restoration work, you should prepare:

an electric drill and a nozzle (brush) for cleaning the old coating;
abrasive;
oxalic acid;
two-component enamel;
surface degreasing agent;
a brush for applying enamel with a width of 7 cm - it is better to choose an inventory of medium hardness with natural bristles;
respirator or gas mask;
masking tape, polyethylene;
cleaning powder.

Before restoring an old bathtub at home, you need to remove the old coating:

Cover the adjacent tiles with polyethylene and glue them with tape.
Moisten the surface of the bath and sprinkle with an abrasive powder.
Sand the old coating with an emery cloth or grinder.
Wash off dust and soap suds.
Treat the coating with oxalic acid. Neutralize with soda acid.
Pour hot water into the bath and leave for ten minutes.
Drain water and wipe dry. To speed up the drying process, the bowl can be heated with a powerful hairdryer.
Chips and potholes should be treated with automotive filler. After the layer has dried, sand the base with sandpaper.
Vacuum the surface, wipe the coating with a cloth and degrease with solvent.
Remove the shower hose, cover the taps with foil.
Dismantle the siphon and drain.
Place a container under the bathtub at the drain point into which the enamel will drain.

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After degreasing the bath, you can start applying the enamel. The work can be conditionally divided into several stages.

According to the paintwork instructions, mix the hardener and the base until a uniform consistency is obtained.
Before using the brush, you need to check the quality of the bristle attachment by running your hand over it several times - it should not crumble. It is advisable to soak the brush in water for 24 hours before applying the paint.
Soak the brush into the enamel, immersing it half the length of the pile.
The staining order is from top to bottom.

As a rule, to achieve a lasting result, you need to apply 3-4 coats. Installation of piping and operation of the bath is possible in 4-5 days.

Important! It is advisable to carry out the restoration in a warm dry season. For the period of drying, the windows must be opened. Children and pets should not be in the room.

Bath glass restoration technology is in many ways similar to enamel treatment. Surface preparation is carried out in the same way as in the previous method. Next, you need to dilute liquid acrylic:

Add the hardener to the container with acrylic and mix well.
Leave the composition for 10 minutes and mix again.

After cleaning the bath and preparing the glass, the plumbing is restored:

Pour some of the acrylic from the common container into a convenient glass.
Start pouring the mixture from the top corner of the bowl. When the acrylic has reached the middle of the bath wall, slowly move the container. If necessary, add glass to the glass.
When the entire bath is processed around the perimeter, repeat the procedure, starting to pour acrylic from the middle of the plumbing.
Smooth out bubbles or beads with a rubber trowel or brush.

The drying time of the glass depends on the composition of the material and the air temperature in the room.

If there is significant damage, re-enamelling or acrylic treatment may not give the expected result. So that you do not have to remove the old bathtub, the restoration will have to be done with an insert.To select a finished or order a pallet, you must correctly take five measurements:

full length - the distance between the edges of the sides of the bath;

inner length - maximum length inside the bowl;

the width of the container near the drain;

the width of the bath in the back area;

bath depth - to calculate above the drain, place a flat bar across the bowl and measure the distance to the bottom.

Installation procedure:

Preparatory activities:

dismantle the side and tiles adjacent to the bathroom;
remove the lower and upper water drain;
clean old enamel with sandpaper or grinder with an abrasive nozzle;
degrease the surface.
Liner layout:
- put the insert in the bath, mark the edges of the sides and the fixing points of the strapping;
- trim the liner around the perimeter;
- prepare technical holes.
- Installing the acrylic liner:
  - re-degrease the surface of the old bath;
  - apply polyurethane foam around the overflow and drain holes - along the bottom, the distance between the strips is 4-5 cm, vertical stripes at intervals of about 10 cm;

cover the sides with foam around the perimeter;

mount the pallet and press down the liner;

remove excess foam that came out of the drain hole;

install drains and fill the bathtub with water.

Important! Installation of plumbing piping must be done very carefully. An overtightened tightening bolt can cause the liner to crack, and the accumulation of water between the coatings is a consequence of insufficiently strong fasteners.

When performing a complex restoration of plumbing, it is advisable to replace the legs of the old bathtub. A ready-made kit can be purchased in a store or you can make a support from metal profiles yourself.

Single defects of the bathtub can be locally masked without resorting to a complete restoration of the plumbing. The recommendations of specialists will help to restore damaged areas in a short time.Through holes. It will be possible to seal such a crack with epoxy resin, and apply a reinforcing mixture on top. To restore the bathtub, you need a special repair kit.Chips and scratches... Defect elimination procedure:

Treat the area with a rust converter, then clean the surface with powder.

Degrease the surface with acetone.

Coat the chip with a car putty and sand it.

Paint over the area with paintwork.

Careful attitude and regular cleaning of the bath cover will help to maintain the aesthetics and attractive appearance of the bathroom fixtures. It is enough to follow simple tips:

Enamel and acrylic coatings are susceptible to abrasive substances, therefore a “mild” cleaning agent must be selected. It is important to exclude detergents that contain ammonia, powder, chlorine, acetone and other aggressive components.

After cleaning, the surface should be rinsed with plenty of water.

It is not advisable to bathe pets in the bath - sharp claws can leave visible scratches. Do not put metal basins and buckets in the bowl.

A dangerous enemy of acrylic is rust on the mixer and metal parts of the plumbing. The acrylic surface absorbs yellowness, which is very difficult to remove later. Therefore, you should not allow the formation of limescale and often wipe the plumbing dry.Water should not drip from the tap - the drain hole will quickly rust.

A full bath restoration is a rather complicated process that requires certain skills from the performer. In the absence of experimentation, the probability of errors is high. It is better for novice craftsmen to use the method of bulk acrylic for restoration.During the renovation, I want to put things in order everywhere, including in the bathroom. A brand new wall covering, a beautiful ceiling, fresh plumbing ... But there is only one important nuance - an old bathtub with a terrible yellowed and cracked coating, on the surface of which there can be rather terrible black chips. It is not so easy to change this element of convenience in the apartment, as it seems, and it is also an expensive pleasure. But there is a way out. A coating that has lost its appearance can be restored, and quite quickly and cheaply. In this case, it will turn out to be easy to cope without the help of professionals. Restoring the enamel coating of the bathroom with your own hands is quite realistic and does not require frenzied cash costs.

Do-it-yourself enamel bathroom restoration

Before you know how to reanimate an old bathroom coating without completely replacing it, you need to figure out why you need to restore it at all. Why isn't it easier to buy and install a new one?

We restore bath enamel

A new bathroom costs a lot of money, and especially a high-quality cast-iron bathroom. Of course, you can buy an ordinary metal one, but it brings some discomfort to the tenants living in the apartment: filling with water is accompanied by a loud sound that even neighbors hear in thin-walled houses.

The new bathtub still needs to be installed, while dismantling the old one. And this is not as easy as it seems. Such work will entail a large amount of waste, moreover, heavy. At the same time, women will not be able to cope with it - in any case, strong male hands are needed and those who dismantle everything will endure. And probably everyone can just apply a new enamel coating.

Fortunately, the factory enamel in the bathtub is quite durable, and some apartment owners do not even face such a procedure as its restoration. This can be achieved thanks to a special technology by which the application takes place. The bath blank is exposed to strong heating and only then is it covered with a protective coating, that is, enamel. In theory, it can last for centuries, but due to the constant cleaning and treatment of the bath, this does not happen. On the contrary, the bath slowly but surely loses its appearance, the enamel turns yellow and becomes not smooth to the touch, but rough.

Yes, enamel is needed not only for beauty - it also protects the bath from the effects of various aggressive factors (for example, cleaning agents, water of different temperatures). Without enamel, the metal loses some of its qualities - for example, in the place of damage, cast iron will begin to rust, and rust will spread further and further, destroying the product.

Enamel protects the bath from aggressive cleaning agents

Attention! If the damage to the enamel is not repaired in a timely manner, then rust can destroy the entire product or radically change the appearance of the bath.

Of course, it is impossible to create factory conditions in an apartment and it is also impossible to perfectly restore the enamel. But it can still be reapplied, which will help restore a beautiful and tidy appearance to the bathtub. And this - without unnecessary financial and physical costs.

Note! The enamel applied at home on its own will not be able to serve as long as the factory one, but it is still capable of turning your old bathtub into a new one for a sufficiently long time. But you need to handle it with care - it is less resistant to mechanical / chemical influences and is even able to change color due to contact with certain substances.

Bath before and after restoration

In general, there are now the following methods of restoring the appearance of the bathroom.

Acrylic coating - the so-called bulk bath.The interior of the structure is filled with liquid acrylic.
Acrylic liner - sold in hardware stores or made to order. Fits in the bath.
Replacing an old bathtub with a new one.
Enamel coating - simply put, the application of special paint on the inner surface of the bowl.

Acrylic bath liner

In order to carry out restoration work, you will need certain materials and tools:

respirator;
brush, roller for applying enamel;
old clothes or apron;
rubber gloves;
sander or sandpaper;
old rags;
primer;
acetone;
bath restoration kit - simply put, bath enamel.

What is required to restore the enamel

Now on the construction market there is a large selection of various enamels for baths, aimed at both professionals and home craftsmen. At the same time, if you are a beginner, then it is better to purchase the simplest option - it does not require special skills when using. Such enamels are sold both in aerosol cans and in cans (applied with a brush or a small roller).

Bath enamel in a spray can

Note! It is best to use the composition that is intended for application with a brush - it perfectly covers the old coating, it is easy to work with it. Aerosol products are chosen when it is necessary to restore a small chip - in this case, the enamel lays down unevenly.

A bathtub restoration kit usually contains two components - a hardener and the enamel itself. There should also be a preparation that will help prepare the bath itself for painting. By the way, replacing the enamel is a great option for choosing a new bath color. The latter can be painted in blue, red, green and other colors using special colors.