Do-it-yourself bathroom chip repair

In detail: do-it-yourself bathroom chip repair from a real master for my.housecope.com.

What to do if there is a chip in the bath? Often this happens during repairs, a tile or a hammer accidentally falls at home or at an object. Or during transportation, a new bathtub will hit a wall or a door jamb and a piece of enamel falls off. It's a shame.
But whatever it was. Trouble happened. How to remove a chip? I don’t want to enamel a bath because of one chip, and even more so to put an insert or buy a new one.

It must be soberly understood that partially repaired chips on the bathtub with repair kits will, although not much, but still differ from the rest, the factory coating of the bathtub enamel. Many shades of white. It is impossible to choose perfect shades in halftones. This is one of the reasons why our masters do not want to take on such work. The second reason is durability. Unfortunately, no matter how hard you try, with a local restoration of a chip in that place, the bath will not be so strong. Almost the original strength is guaranteed only by the complete restoration of the bath with acrylic, or at least with enamel.
But still, for those who want to repair only a chip at all costs, we will give a recommendation, and for complete openness, we will post it here.

In the first way you buy ready repair kit which includes everything for repairing the chip (putty, sandpaper) and subsequent painting (aerosol can with special enamel).

In it you assemble the repair kit yourself for sealing a chip in the bathroom (using car putty, acetone, etc.) by purchasing the necessary materials in ordinary household goods stores.

In it you Order a service to repair the chip along with the subsequent restoration of the enamel in the entire bath. The method of complete removal of a chip in the bath. So that there is no trace to be seen.

Video (click to play).

Domestic products are rich in inventing all sorts of kits for "home-made" ones. And demand, as you know, creates supply.
The proposals of Russian manufacturers may not be of the worst quality, but due to the lack of any control and intelligible certification, they do not inspire confidence.
Perhaps those who believe in the altruism and honesty of our businessmen can look for similar analogues. In this article, I will cite the most respected manufacturer of household bath restoration products, which produces a kit for self-repair of chips in bathtubs under the Cramer brand. Cramer Company German company dealing exclusively with products for repairing defects in plumbing.
So meet. Set “Keramik-Email-Acryl Repair-Set”

the putty mixture itself (pictured is an iron jar and a plastic tube).
Spatula, for mixing putty with hardener.
Sandpaper, 2 types for acrylic (gray) and for enamels (brown).
Well, spray with special enamel. Suitable for covering ceramic, enamel and acrylic bathtubs.

We take it all out of the box and proceed to repair the chip, if you are interested, the instructions are below under the spoiler.

First of all, we clean the chip.
We didn’t just wash it with washing powder, but carefully clean all the dirt from there, if there is rust inside, then we also remove it. It is advisable to fill the cleavage site with Sanoks toilet cleaner and wait until its active components slightly “corrode” the cleavage site.
After washing with Sanox, degrease the chip with plain baking soda, and dry.
If there is Acetone at home, do not regret it and treat the chip with it.

The contents of the can (putty) and the plastic tube (hardener) must be mixed with each other in a ratio of 30:1.
In order to make it easier to understand, measure the putty the size of a walnut, and the hardener the size of a pea. Depending on the size of the chip, measure half a nut and a pea each.
Keep in mind. In this case less hardener is better than too much.
After thorough mixing, evenly apply the mixture to the chip.

Wait half an hour, and clean the putty with sandpaper. There is no special advice to give here, just make sure that you do not feel the transition between the bathroom and the putty with your fingers. As the builders say "flush". Use gray sandpaper if you have an acrylic bath, brown if you have an enamel bath.

Here, too, I think everything is clear. From a distance of 15 - 20 cm. Spray the spray on the chipped area. It is better if you use a stencil for this.
Do not try to paint over the chipped area in one “pass”, spray the aerosol at intervals of 1-3 minutes. Layer by layer.
When you stop distinguishing colors between the bathroom and the chip, this means the end of the repair.
After 2 hours, the bath can be touched by hand. And the enamel will dry completely after 48 hours. But keep in mind, the instructions require you to use the bath only after 4 days.

By the way, with this set you can hide a chip not only in the bathtub, they can repair chips in the sink, washbasin, and even, as the manufacturer claims, on the stove.

In order to clean the chip from dirt and the so-called “soaps” (a thin layer of fat from dried soap, shampoo), we need a detergent.
We buy one of the most budgetary funds "Sanoks" its price for August 2016 is about 50 rubles. It contains oxalic acid, corrodes rust well.
Plain, baking soda.
Acetone.

It is to her that you will close the chip in the bath. There are no fundamental requirements for it. If there are only a couple of chips on the bathtub, then it is better to choose a smaller tube and preferably the lightest color so that the dark color does not show through the new bathtub enamel. (cost 50-90r.).
There is an opinion that fiberglass putty keeps temperature better. Personally, when we close up chips in the bath, we use just this one, but such putty is also a little more expensive.

Sandpaper, take the cheapest. It does not require special quality, it is needed to grind the putty “flush” with the bathroom, and it is soft. To repair one chip in the bathtub, a couple of leaves will be enough. One is 80 grit, the other is a little smaller. It makes no sense to take moisture-proof paper, take a simple one. (18-20 p.)

Bath enamel

Bath enamels come in different volumes, naturally, to seal one or two chips, you do not need a liter jar of the Reaflex50 type or a bucket of “liquid acrylic”. So go to the plumbing store and ask for enamel to repair chips. They are sold in small tubes, just enough for 3-4 chips. For clarity, a few of these sets in the photo below:

Among the presented enamels, the company's enamel is considered the best. “Rust-Oleum” “Tub & Tile” (on the photo it is green on the right). True, and the price of this set is about 900 rubles (this is in the Moscow Leroy Merlin).
How to putty a chip and paint over it will be shown below.

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The only drawback of these two methods of repairing a crack or chip in the bathroom is that no matter how hard you try, the chip will still be visible. Not much, but still noticeable. Below you can see a couple of photo examples, as far as it can be seen:

In the photo above, the chip was repaired with a repair kit with spray enamel. The first thing you can see is that the chip itself is well puttied, another thing is that the color of the enamel did not match the color of the factory coating of the bath. From this it is clearly visible.

In this photo, the bathtub was painted over with enamel using a brush. Everything is exactly as in the first photo. The color of the enamel did not match the factory color of the enamel. And this happens almost 9 times out of 10.That is why we recommend this method only to those people who make a bath for yourself. That is, they are responsible for their work.
If the bath is new, or you are a master and you need to hand over the object, then this method will absolutely not suit you, because it will be noticeable. Only the third and last method can help you - read about it below.

Photo one: So. There is a bath, chipped on it. The chip is big, dirty. Something must be done with him.
First of all, we wash everything from dirt and rust. We clean it so that the inside of the chip is as clean as possible. Pour a little Sanox inside the chip and clean it well with sandpaper. After that, rinse well with water and soda (extinguish the acid so that its particles do not remain under the layer of putty.

The chip was washed. Ok let's dry.
There is time - rinse the chip abundantly with boiling water and wait until the water evaporates and the chip dries, if there is a hair dryer, dry it with it - save time.

Now dry the putty. 20 - 30 minutes and the putty will be ready for stripping

It happens that the first time the putty is not leveled perfectly, but “grooves” remain in it. This is not scary, just apply another layer of putty.

Remember, the smoother you sand the putty in the bathroom, the smoother the place will be. Which means it won't be noticeable at all.

In the end, we cover the entire bathroom with a new layer of enamel. Exactly all. Only this method guarantees the absolute “evenness” of the color.

Each bath cannot last forever, over time, various kinds of problems and troubles form and it is necessary either to change the bowl or to cope with the damage on your own. But, as often happens, finances do not allow buying a new font, because a chip in the bathroom, cracks or rusty spots have to be fixed on your own.

But first you need to figure out what types of problems exist and only then think about how to remove a chip in the bathtub, close up a gap or hole, and in general, what you need to have on hand “just in case”.

Bathtubs are cast iron, acrylic, steel, wood, glass or made of natural / artificial stone. But if wood, glass or marble are practically inaccessible for restoration on their own (this is an exclusive product and it is best not to spoil the bowl), then the first three types of bowls are the most popular. We will deal with them.

Enamel chipping. This is the most common problem and does not require the greatest effort. But the main thing is to prevent the growth of the gap and repair it immediately.
Rust. It can appear on almost any surface, regardless of the material.
Scratch. Most often found in cast iron and acrylic bathtubs. Acrylic scratches are more terrible, as they come in different depths and can lead to a break in the walls or bottom.
Split. This is the "trouble" of acrylic bowls with too thin walls or bottoms.
Through hole. It happens in all types of fonts, but if chips and cracks can be repaired with your own hands, then in case of holes, only professional restoration or an insert in the bath will help.

It is quite easy to get a chipped enamel on the bathroom, a slight physical impact (especially in the case of steel bowls) and now a piece of the coating has already flown off. If you do not close it immediately, you can get further corrosion of the material and, as a result, damage to the entire bowl.

Advice! It is especially important to repair the chipped enamel of an acrylic bathtub! Any cavity instantly leads to the penetration of moisture into the material and the subsequent destruction of the font.

It is best to entrust the repair of bath enamel to professionals, especially when it comes to steel or cast iron bowls. But if repairing chips in the bathroom seems simple to you, you can do it yourself. So, how to repair a chipped bathtub? There are many options:

Install the finished acrylic liner. This option is suitable if the enamel in the bathroom did not just break off, but the hole turned out to be too large to be repaired with improvised available means.

Advice! Inserts in the bath can be of any size and shape, sometimes this method turns out to be financially more profitable than restoring chipped enamel with varnish or paint.

Repairing a chip with a porcelain patch.
Repair damage with dry whitewash and glue.
Dot enameled bowl.
Complete replacement of the inner layer of the coating by pouring acrylic.

How and how to fix a chip in a small bathroom? You can choose the first two options.

Porcelain patch is an old-fashioned way that can be applied to any type of bowl. First you need to collect fragments of a cup or plate made of porcelain in a color that matches the bath cover.
- degrease a chip on an enamelled bath (you can use gasoline);
- clean the area with sandpaper;
- grind porcelain into powder;
- apply epoxy glue to the resulting damage to the enamel;
- powder with porcelain chips and level with a spatula.
Advice! This method is ideal not only as a repair of chips in the bathtub, but also if the enamel has simply worn off. It must be remembered that the epoxy hardens in 2-2.5 hours.
- Dry whitewash and BF-2 glue are mixed to a paste-like mass, and after sanding and degreasing the chipped area, the paste is applied with a brush. But there is another option, how to restore chipped enamel:
  - smear the place with a thin layer of glue;
  - powder with whitewash, level;
  - repeat the operation of leveling the layer of new enamel to the level of the general coating.
  Applying paste and cleaning the surface before painting
  Advice! Each subsequent layer of glue and white is superimposed only on the dried previous one. At the same time, at least 70-100 hours are required for final drying.
  - A scratch on an enamelled bath, the size of which is large enough, is repaired by spot enameling using special tools. These are the so-called "enamel restorers" sold in the plumbing departments. Multifunctional and easy to use, the compositions are able to cope with large cavities, if, for example, not just a chip, but a hole has formed on the inner surface of the bowl.
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  Important! Having such compositions at home, you will definitely know how and how to fix the enamel of the bath, and even how to repair a scratch on the stove, washing machine and other household appliances.
  - degrease the sanded place of the chip and allow to dry;
  - apply the enamel with a brush and distribute as thinly as possible;
  - Apply another layer of enamel and let dry again.
  After that, you need to give time for complete drying (about a day) and rinse the bath bowl with hot water.
  
  Now you know how to repair enamel in three ways. But the problem of how to restore chipped enamel is not as difficult as, for example, fixing a crack in the wall or bottom of an acrylic bathtub.
  
  If a piece of enamel has broken off or there are scratches on the enamel less than a mm, then the easiest way is to repair the hole with epoxy glue. For this you need:
  - clean the place where the enamel on the bath has broken off with emery;
  - drill holes (no more than 1 mm) at the ends of the crack with a drill to prevent further cracking;
  - rinse and dry the chip;
  - mix epoxy-based putty;
  - close the crack with an applicator;
  - let dry and sand.
  Advice! If, in addition to the crack, the enamel is chipped, then the chip can be repaired in the usual way. It is important to apply putty in different directions, gluing the crack tightly.
  
  Often a strong mechanical impact leads to the appearance of a hole. And this is more difficult than scratched enamel, since you have to carry out a whole range of work to make not only the repair of chipped bathtubs, but also to eliminate the tear itself. First you need to buy a special kit for the restoration of the bath, it is sold in all departments of sanitary equipment.
  
  So, how and with what to repair scratches and holes:
  1. so that the enamel crack in the bathroom does not grow, drill holes with a diameter of no more than 2-3 mmv at the ends of the segment;
  2. clean the chip with fine sandpaper and degrease with alcohol;
  3. mix epoxy resin (sold together with a bath repair kit) strictly according to the instructions;
  4. a crack in the enamel is sealed with a layer of resin;
  5. a reinforcing mixture is applied on top (also comes in a repair kit) and pressed into the resin layer;
  6. leave the composition to dry completely (according to instructions);
  7. clean the cleavage site with emery and treat with alcohol;
  8. apply the polish that is included in the repair kit;
  9. buff the area with a soft flannel cloth.
  Now you know how to remove scratches in the bathroom, regardless of size, but in order for scratches on the bathroom to never appear again, you need to follow simple and simple tips from professionals.
  
  Of course, if you know how to repair enamel or deal with rust, you can be a little casual about the bowl's finish. But is it worth it to repair chipped bathtubs every year, if it’s enough just to avoid this? So, advice from the experienced:
  1. pick up a soft bath cleaner without the presence of abrasives of any fraction;
  2. do not allow the bowl to come into contact with solid materials (basins, hammer);
  3. do not pour acid or acid-containing preparations into the font;
  4. do not scratch the bowl with sharp objects (at the time of repair, it is better to cover the bath with a soft cloth or bubble wrap);
  5. do not use chlorine and other bleaches;
  6. do not jump in the bath (even a baby can damage the bottom of the acrylic bath);
  7. choose a product with walls that have an acceptable thickness threshold.
  The last point especially concerns acrylic bowls. The fact is that many manufacturers allow thinning of the walls, casting fonts of exquisite shapes. Therefore, it is extremely important to choose a bowl "in the light." If you turn the font in front of a bright light source, it should be uniformly even, without translucent areas. This means that the manufacturer did not save on the material and you are not threatened in the near future by restoring the coating, restoring a chip on the wall or bottom of the bathtub.
  
  Newly installed bathtubs delight the eye with impeccable cleanliness and perfect smoothness of the surface, but intensive use over time leaves visible traces of gradual wear on them. A chip is a defect on the enamel of plumbing equipment that occurs when mechanical impact, point impact or heavy objects fall. Fortunately, the appearance of a chip is not yet a reason to carry out a time-consuming and expensive bath replacement procedure. In most cases, cracks and abrasions on the enamel can be easily repaired at home using available tools and tools.
  
  Enamels on bathtubs are applied at the factory by the electrostatic method followed by baking, so the coating is durable and wear-resistant, it lasts at least 7-10 years with proper handling. A chip on the surface of enamelled bathtubs is the result of mechanical impact or impact that violates the integrity of the top layer of a sanitary ware. If the defect is not repaired in time, it will lead to the following problems:
  Note! The repairability of an enamelled bowl can be assessed by assessing the number and scale of defects and lesions. Repair is carried out if the chips and cracks are superficial, with through holes it is more rational to restore the bath using an acrylic liner.
  
  Please note that the time spent on preparing for repairing chips directly depends on the degree of old damage, so it is better to repair bathtub enamel immediately, without waiting for significant pockets of rust to appear.
  
  If the chip on the surface of the enamel is fresh and not yet “overgrown” with rust, it can be repaired using improvised means without resorting to large-scale restoration. Of course, the result of such a restoration will last less, but the costs will be many times less. If the bathtub is over 15 years old, and in addition to chipped enamel, it has lime and yellow deposits, it will need a larger repair.. In simpler cases, you can use one of the following methods:
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  Experienced craftsmen believe that the timely repair of damage to the enamel coating of containers for washing with the help of available improvised means, subject to careful preparatory work, can protect the product from further destruction, as well as the spread of rust.
  
  A much more stable, long-term result is obtained if the enamel layer of the baths is restored using special tools. The set for sealing cracks includes: a special moisture-resistant putty, enamel in the form of an aerosol, a spatula, fine-grained sandpaper. To use them to eliminate defects on the surface of the bowl, you need:
  Please note that it is recommended to use the lightest shades of putty to seal cracks in the surface of enameled bathtubs, as dark tones can show through the paint layer.
  
  A chipped enamel on a bathtub is not the most common, but a very annoying defect. He will be an eyesore to the owner until he finally decides to eliminate him. This is not such a difficult operation that requires special skills or knowledge. Let's take a closer look at how to fix the chipped enamel on the bathroom.
  
  Cast iron bathtubs are covered with acrylic enamel to protect against corrosion, as well as for a more aesthetic appearance. The enamel layer on old bathtubs is small - it does not have protection against mechanical damage. Enamel breaks off at corners that are often rubbed against, or in any other place when struck with a hard object. For example, a steel iron fell into the bath, and the spout broke off a piece of the coating.
  
  The exposed area of bare metal becomes vulnerable to water. Rust, harmful microorganisms or fungi will appear there.
  
  You can quickly find out how to repair a chip, as well as where to get the necessary materials, if you have the Internet at hand. And before you start work, you need to assess the damage. After the assessment, it will become more clear how to remove the chip on the bathtub, what products will need to be used and what to do with the old favorite bathtub.
  
  Read the recommendations of experts before starting work:
  1. Scratches, cracks or small point chips are successfully repaired if automotive putty is used.Putty does not require further processing, so the bath can be used immediately after it dries.
  2. Peeling of the old coating means that it needs to be replaced. If it is a pity to throw away the old bath, because it suits everyone, except for damage to the enamel, then restoration of the bath cover will be required.
  3. Removing old enamel in the bathroom is a rather time-consuming process, you need to prepare for it. Subject to the technology of work and following the instructions, the owner of the bath is guaranteed to receive a good and durable result.
  4. Enamel in a bath that has large or adjacent chips will require the use of polymer enamels, followed by grinding. If the area of damage is significant, then the enamel of the cast-iron bath must be renewed by re-painting or pouring using Stakryl technology.
  Plaque and rust do not form on the enamelled bath, so the integrity of the coating with a layer of enamel must be maintained. A chip on an enamel bath can be repaired by yourself. All the necessary components are sold at any construction market or hardware store.
  
  Sometimes the damage to the enamel is too great. Enamel needs to be completely renewed. Modern technology allows you to do it yourself, and quite quickly and inexpensively.
  
  If a bathtub owner is tired of a rust stain on a snow-white bathtub and starts looking for information on how to refinish the bathtub surface, then here's what he needs to do before starting the restoration.
  1. Chips on the bath are inspected. If there is rust, then it must be removed chemically or mechanically. If the chipped area has turned black, then most likely bacteria have started in it. In this case, the chip is treated with an antiseptic composition.
  2. If the old enamel begins to lag behind the surface of the cast iron, then before repainting the bathtub with enamel, it is completely cleaned off with a grinder and a nozzle with sandpaper to the metal.
  3. A single chip is also cleaned to bare metal. For this, sandpaper or metal brushes made of thick wire are used. The brush must be used carefully so as not to damage the whole enamel.
  4. The necessary tools are prepared, the necessary component is purchased for sealing chips. It will not be superfluous to purchase a spare plumbing repair kit in case you lose any rubber seal when removing fittings and turning off the bath.
  5. The bath is thoroughly washed with an alkaline detergent and left to dry completely.
  6. When the enamel is completely replaced, the bathtub is disconnected from the water supply and all fittings are removed from it.
  7. The surface of the bath is degreased with an acetone-containing or alcohol-containing agent. After that, the bath is left to dry completely.
  After all these manipulations, the bath is ready to eliminate chips. It must be remembered that the restoration of enamel after preliminary preparation will be done faster and it will last much longer than without it.
  
  Small single chips are well sealed with automotive putty. Such a chip will be almost invisible.
  
  How to fix a chip in a bathtub? Enamel restoration will be different depending on the area and depth of damage. You can do this repair yourself. In extreme cases, you can always resort to the services of specialists.
  
  The repaired chip, if it is made according to the technology and taking into account all the recommendations of the manufacturers, will be barely visible on the surface of the bath. The most common and effective options for repairing chips in the bathroom are outlined below.
  
  Automotive putty is great for repairing chips and cracks due to its properties. The technology consists of five consecutive stages:
  1. Putty is kneaded and left to harden
  2. The chip is re-degreased
  3. A thin layer of putty is applied to the place where a piece of enamel has broken off.
  4. In place of the broken off enamel, a small elevation is formed, which will need to be carefully sanded off after the putty dries.Sanded putty will not chip off because it will not protrude and cannot be hit.
  5. Allow the putty to dry, remove excess putty, and carefully sand the chipped area.
  On the video: painting chips with car enamel.
  
  The plaque on the old iron bath eats in so deeply that it is practically not washed off by anything. If the enamel is not damaged (you just need to update the look of the bath), then you can use the technology of the bulk bath. In this case, the old coating is not removed, but only degreased and sanded.
  
  If, in addition to plaque, there are numerous defects, then one option remains - a complete replacement of the enamel with the removal of the old layer. A bathtub repaired in this way can be used for many more years.
  
  What else to fix a chip in the bathroom? Stakryl is a special restoring enamel based on polymer resin, which is poured onto the surface of the bath and gradually hardens. It turns out a "shell" of acrylic, which covers the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe bath. If earlier chips were covered in the bath and after that small irregularities remained, then a new thick layer of acrylic will completely hide them.
  
  The quality of the finished coating is directly dependent on careful pre-treatment. On the Internet, you can find the consequences of glass marriage, which turned out due to a negligent attitude to work.
  
  Metal bathtubs covered with glass will stop drumming from the jet of water and acquire better thermal insulation properties.
  
  If there is suddenly no special putty at hand, and the store is closed and you cannot purchase a repair kit, then you need to use improvised means. There are folk methods that still successfully repair defects in the form of chips on bathtubs.
  - First way: make a mixture of BF-2 glue and chalk powder. In the place where the enamel has broken off, glue is smeared and sprinkled with fine powder, after which the excess is removed with a spatula. The procedure is repeated until the surface of the chip is equal to the enamel. This is a fairly durable component that will last about 5-6 months. The surface to be restored in this way needs to dry for 4 days.
  - The second way is to use a mixture of epoxy and porcelain chips. The method of application is the same as that of glue with chalk. Cover the damaged area of enamel with resin and sprinkle with crumbs. This is a more durable version of the "patch" that will last about a year.
  Remember that these methods are temporary and must be reworked using factory components. But if you need to urgently restore the chip, then they should be used. But the most effective way is to repair chips with epoxy enamel.