Do-it-yourself bath chip repair

In detail: do-it-yourself bathtub chip repair from a real master for the site 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:

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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.

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.
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  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.
  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.
  
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  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:
  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.
  
  The cause of mechanical damage to the bathtub coating can be for various reasons, but most often chips appear from sharp blows to the surface of sanitary equipment. Usually, all kinds of shelves with cosmetics are placed above the bathroom. A small blow from an accidentally dropped jar of cream is enough - a chip is guaranteed. It is quite possible to repair a fresh chip on our own. In this article, all the subtleties of self-repair and restoration of bath enamel.
  No matter how carefully the owners use the bathroom, over time, various damages occur on the surface of the enamel. You have to try to eliminate unpleasant stains, enamel chips, scratches and other damage on your own. In the ideal case, replace the damaged bathtub by purchasing a new one. Before making a radical decision on the issue of replacing old plumbing, you should carefully study the problem of damage that has appeared; in some cases, you can deal with the disaster on your own with minimal funds. So, the types of damage to the enamel of bathtubs - let's get to know the problems closer.
  
  Manufacturers produce baths made of cast iron, steel, acrylic, glass, natural and artificial stone and wood. In case of damage to the surface of the bathtub made of glass, wood or stone, it is almost impossible to repair chips and cracks on your own, in other cases, repairing the bathtub with your own hands is quite affordable. The most common bathtub damage is enamel chipping. With such damage, it is important to repair the chip as soon as possible. Rust formation - any bath coating is not immune from this trouble.
  
  Scratches occur most often on classic cast iron or acrylic bathtubs. Scratches that appear on the surface of an acrylic bath are especially terrible, deep damage can lead to the destruction of the bowl and a break in the bottom. Acrylic bathtubs with thin walls and a bottom are especially prone to splitting.
  
  Through holes in the walls and bottom - these damages are typical for all types of bathtubs, it is quite difficult to repair such damage on your own, such a case requires serious professional restoration.
  
  Chips of enamel on the surface of the bath happen even from small mechanical influences. The danger lies in the rapid destruction of the bath from corrosion (especially characteristic of steel bowls). Measures not taken in time can lead to damage to the entire bath and the need to purchase new plumbing equipment, which requires a lot of investment.
  
  Advice! Acrylic bathtubs require immediate repair if chips occur. Water entering the acrylic product contributes to the very rapid destruction of the bowl.
  
  There are many options for repairing chips with your own hands. One of them is the installation of a standard acrylic liner. The liner can be used with a significant area of damage to the surface of the bath.
  
  Manufacturers produce inserts of different configurations, it is also not difficult to choose the required size. With this method of repairing baths, it does not require large expenditures of time and money, the labor intensity of the repair process is low.
  
  If the chip in the bathroom is small, it is quite possible to do applying a porcelain patch. For restoration work, you will need fragments of porcelain dishes that match the tone of the bath surface. First you need to degrease the chipped surface using gasoline for this. After degreasing the surface, the area should be cleaned with a thin emery cloth. Porcelain shards should be carefully ground into powder, achieving uniform porcelain powder.
  
  Coat the chipped surface with epoxy adhesive. On top of the glue, apply a layer of porcelain powder, rubbing to smoothness with a spatula. A perfectly repaired surface using porcelain will gain strength no earlier than after 2 to 3 hours. This method is used for scuffs and small scratches that have arisen.
  
  The second way to repair damage to bathtubs is to apply dry white mixes with BF-2 glue. The ingredients are mixed to a paste. The fat-free and sanded surface of the bath is covered with the prepared composition using a brush.
  
  There is another whitewash repair technology that helps repair damage to the bathroom:
  - Cover the cleavage site with a thin layer of BF-2 glue, which is previously degreased with gasoline and treated with sandpaper.
  - Apply white powder to the adhesive layer and level with a spatula.
  - After drying, apply a new layer of glue and white, repeating the operation as many times as necessary until the new enamel layer is completely leveled to the level of the general coating.
  Advice! Subsequent layers of glue and white can be applied after the previous layer has completely dried. The patch gains strength in 100 hours.
  
  Small scratches on the enamel are eliminated by applying special tools, while spot embedding of the surface is practiced. "Enamel restorers" are special tools that can be purchased in the plumbing departments. With their help, it is easy to eliminate dents, small cracks, scratches and scuffs on an enamelled bath. With the help of enamel restoration tools, you can repair the surface of any household appliances that have damage.
  
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  General requirements for repair work:
  - First sand the damaged area, degrease it and dry it completely.
  - Apply the enamel composition with a brush to the chipped area, distributing a thin layer over the entire surface.
  - Re-applying layers of protective composition is allowed after complete drying of the previous ones.
  - After complete drying of the repaired surface, it is necessary to rinse the bath.
  A more time-consuming and responsible operation is the elimination of cracks that have arisen on the surface of the bathtub coating. Repair of shallow cracks (up to 0.1 cm) can be performed in the following ways:
  1. Make repairs using ready-made aerosol enamel, carefully following the manufacturer's instructions for use.
  2. Sealing damage with epoxy glue requires stripping and sanding the damage site.
  - the ends of the crack should be drilled with a drill to a depth of no more than 1 mm in order to prevent the crack from spreading further.
  - wash the chip and dry well.
  - prepare a composition based on epoxy glue, close the cracks with a spatula. After complete drying of the restoration layer, it is required to grind the surface.
  To eliminate a hole in the font, quite serious work is required, which is best entrusted to a qualified specialist. When doing repairs with your own hands, you will need to purchase a kit for restoration work in the bathroom. Consistency and precision in the repair of the bathtub cover guarantees high quality work.
  - To begin with, at the ends of the crack, it is required to drill limiting holes (depth up to 3 mm).
  - Degrease the chipped areas with alcohol or gasoline, clean with fine sandpaper.
  - Prepare the composition of the epoxy resin, strictly adhering to the recipe.
  - Apply a restoration layer of resin to the cracks in the enamel.
  - Apply a second layer of a reinforcing layer (included in the repair kit).
  - Dry the applied layers according to the instructions.
  - Clean the layer with sandpaper and degrease with alcohol. Polish with a polishing agent (included in the repair kit).
  I would like to note that a careful attitude to plumbing will help to avoid the need for repair work. To clean the bathroom, do not use compounds containing abrasive substances. It is required to limit the mechanical effects on the surface of the bath, as well as to avoid contact of the enamel with acids, alkalis, aggressive liquids and chlorine bleach. Do not put basins and buckets in the bath, especially metal ones. And then the bath will last for many years.
  
  The bathroom, like other household items, requires proper care. If it is absent or improperly carried out, the appearance of the bathroom may become worse. In addition, careless handling of it can lead to various kinds of damage.
  
  In order not to buy a new bath, which is often not enough money or time, you can repair the resulting flaws yourself. Repairing chipped enameled bathtubs is a fairly simple procedure that anyone can do.
  
  Depending on the type of bathroom and its material, damage can also be different. The most common are acrylic, cast iron and steel bathtubs. All of them can have similar damage that you can fix yourself. Glass, wooden and marble bathtubs cannot be repaired: such models are considered exclusive, and without the help of a specialist, everything can only get worse.
  
  The most common possible damage:
  - chipped - a fairly common variant of damage. It is better to close it immediately and not wait for it to increase;
  - scratches - this problem is most serious for acrylic bathtubs, as deep scratches can cause the bathtub to split;
  - split – applies only to acrylic bathtubs and may be the result of a deep scratch or too thin bathtub;
  - rust - can be present in almost any bath;
  - hole - defect, the most time-consuming to repair. Only a specialist or a special insert can help here.
  In order to avoid various kinds of defects, it is necessary to follow all instructions for baths. Given all the requirements of the product, you can keep its appearance perfect for many years. Basic rules for the proper operation of bathtubs from professionals:
  - do not put metal and other objects that can damage the enamel in the bath and on its edges;
  - the cleaning agent should be soft, it should not contain any kind of abrasives, and the use of bleaches with chlorine is also unacceptable;
  - if possible, protect the bath from sharp objects;
  - during repair work, the bath should be covered with a thick film;
  - do not use for cleaning or pour substances containing acid on the product;
  - the bathroom itself should have sufficiently thick walls;
  - you can not jump in the bathroom, even a child.
  Such damage appears very often precisely because of non-compliance with the requirements for the operation of the product. The chip that has appeared is very often left without attention, which is wrong. Some people think that it is very difficult to do it, others that it is not worth it. As a result, the chip becomes larger and more and more striking.
  
  Indeed, if you repair the chip yourself, then you still won’t be able to return the original appearance to the product. Bathtubs are made at very high temperatures, and it is not possible to create the same surface at home. And if this procedure is carried out incorrectly, then very soon the patch will begin to rust or fall off altogether. That is why it is important to repair the cracked enamel of the bath with your own hands correctly, taking into account all the little things. The process itself does not take much time and requires only accuracy and the desire to get a good result.
  
  Preparation is a very important step that should not be missed. The quality of the repair and its service life will depend on its implementation. As mentioned earlier, the chip must be repaired immediately. If this is not done, rust may form and must be removed. If the chip is fresh, then this stage of preparation can be missed.
  1. Rust removal. To do this, you will need such improvised tools as a knife, needles, a screwdriver. They can be used to remove rust. You can also use a special tool to remove it, which is sold in household chemical stores. If it is not available, then a regular cleaning agent will do. After all the manipulations, the chip cleaned of rust must be rinsed well with water.
  2. Remove pollutionyou can also use household chemicals. It must be remembered that such products should not contain abrasives.
  3. After complete cleaning, the repair site is well washed and dry thoroughly with a hair dryer. The surface must be perfectly clean and dry.
  4. Degreasing - a necessary procedure, without which the durability of the seal will significantly decrease. Degreasing is carried out with acetone, then dried again with a hairdryer.
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  On this preparation can be considered completed. All photos and videos of the preparation process can be seen in this article or in the gallery of our website. After that, you can start repairing the chipped bath enamel. This can be done in several ways and using various materials, which will be described below.
  1. The main and most necessary material is auto-putty. It takes a little, and its color should be as light as possible. There is a special putty for fiberglass that will work just as well. Its advantage is heat resistance, but its price is higher.
  2. Sandpaper. It also needs a little, a maximum of 1-2 sheets. It should be small, you can take the cheapest one.
  3. Special aerosol designed for the direct repair of chips. Its color should match the color of the bath itself. The price category does not matter, but if it is possible to choose a better model, then it is better to choose an aerosol with heat and water resistance.
  4. Instead of an aerosol, you can use bath enamel. It will already have all the necessary characteristics.
  5. Abrasive polishing paste. Necessary for the final stage to mask the traces of repair.
  In order not to buy all the components for repair separately, you can immediately purchase a ready-made kit for repairing chips. Such kits usually include the following components: putty, spatula, sandpaper, aerosol and / or enamel.
  
  How to repair a chipped enamel in the bathroom - using a ready-made kit or individual materials - does not matter.
  
  Putty preparation. To do this, you need to mix the resin and hardener, while the resin should be thirty times more. The mass is mixed with a spatula and immediately applied to the chip. At the same time, it must be well tamped. You can put a little more than you need: all the excess can be removed first with the same spatula, and after hardening, smooth out with grinding. If the quantity is not enough, then, most likely, the repair will have to be carried out again.
  1. The mixture should stand for about half an hour to harden. A more accurate time should be written on the packaging of the putty.
  2. Grinding. Each bath coating corresponds to the size of the grinding grain, which must be purchased in advance. The process should continue until the surface is completely leveled. There should not be even the slightest bumps. If an acrylic bathtub is to be repaired, then when grinding places that can be accidentally damaged with sandpaper, it is better to close or seal them for the duration of the repair.
  3. For the convenience of painting and a more accurate and high-quality result, it is recommended to use a stencil. It is cut to the shape of the sealed surface and, if necessary, fixed.
  4. The surface to be painted is re-degreased. After that, you can apply the paint, which should be well shaken.
  5. After painting, the stencil can be left. The paint dries for a short period of time, which should be indicated on its packaging. But it is better to use the bath itself no earlier than four days later. This will ensure the strongest adhesion of putty to the bathroom.
  6. After four days, before direct use, you can polish the repaired enamel chip on the bathroom with a polishing machine.
  7. You can see photos and videos of the chip removal process in this article or in the gallery of our website. Here, professionals will show you how to do everything correctly and reliably. With the help of our photos and videos, it will be much easier to carry out repairs with your own hands.
  Cracks no more than a millimeter thick are repaired somewhat easier than wider ones. This is a little easier than repairing a chipped enamel on a bathtub. All work must be carried out in a ventilated area and using protective equipment, since epoxy putty is dangerous to human health.
  1. The place near the crack is cleaned with sandpaper.
  2. Small holes are drilled at both ends of the crack with a drill to prevent it from spreading.
  3. The repair site is thoroughly washed, degreased and dried.
  4. Epoxy putty is applied with a spatula to the crack itself and the drilled holes. The mixture is leveled, and the excess is removed with a spatula.
  5. After a downtime of 12 hours, you can start grinding. The result should be a smooth surface, on which there must be no irregularities.
  Initially, as in the previous case, the surface is cleaned with sandpaper, holes are drilled, a degreasing and drying procedure is carried out. You can speed it up with a regular hair dryer. Then a piece of construction tape is cut off a little larger than the crack. The tape must be glued to it and smoothed well, removing excess air from under it.
  
  The repair can be considered completed, but only after drying is completed: the glued tape must dry for at least three hours, after which the bath can be used.
  
  A through hole in a bathtub is a serious damage, but it is not worth replacing the bathtub. You can repair it yourself. To do this, the first step is to drill holes at the ends of the damage. If it does not have the form of a crack, then this is not necessary. After that, using an electric drill, the damage site is processed to the shape of a crater. In this case, the metal of the bathroom should be visible. For convenience and better repair, such a “crater” should be as gentle as possible. Now this place is thoroughly washed, degreased and dried.
  
  Epoxy putty is used for sealing. After mixing all the components, the mass is applied to the edges of the hole. After that, it is sealed with reinforcing tape, and another layer of putty is applied on top. This procedure must be repeated until the hole is completely sealed. Dried putty needs to be sanded with sandpaper. After it, the surface should be perfectly smooth. If desired, the surface can be painted with a special enamel or aerosol in the same way as when sealing a chip.
  
  Video (click to play).