No matter how we try to carefully handle the bathroom, but over time, chips and small cracks begin to appear on a snow-white surface, the coating turns yellow. Traces of rust appear. In order to restore the bath to its former appearance, it is not at all necessary to change it; you can update the enamel coating yourself.
Advantages and disadvantages of painting an old bath yourself
The content of the article
- Advantages and disadvantages of painting an old bath yourself
- The choice of paint for the bath
- Necessary tools
- Surface preparation
-
How to paint an old bath at home
- Chipping elimination
- Enamel spray protection
- Painting procedure
In order to color your favorite bath, choose a dye for the metal surface.
This method has its advantages:
- large color gamut;
- low cost - in comparison with the services of specialists;
- the possibility of self-repair;
- rapidity;
- lack of smell after drying;
- glossy surface.
But not without flaws:
- Before painting, it is necessary to arm yourself with a grinding machine and clean the entire surface;
- if the bath is old, then you will first have to spend time to treat it with a composition to protect against fungus;
- after this treatment, you will have to wait at least three days.
What will we paint? You will have to find a suitable dye and only then get to work.
The choice of paint for the bath
Naturally, before taking a can of paint from a shelf, it is necessary to study all the positive and negative aspects of various products. This information will allow you to choose the best tool, which will turn a cast-iron or other bathtub into a real masterpiece. Various types of paint available:
- epoxy based;
- in the form of an aerosol;
- acrylic;
- alkyd.
As the name implies, the basis of epoxy enamel is epoxy resin, in addition to which the kit includes a filler and hardener. Enamel adheres well to different types of surfaces and when hardened it becomes strong and smooth. Enamel is not afraid of exposure to chemicals. It can be used to cover bathtubs made of cast iron and steel.
The following negative aspects can be distinguished:
- dries for a very long time (comes to a week);
- environmentally unsafe;
- sensitive to mechanical stress;
- does not last long;
- unsuitable for restoration of chips and dents;
- turns yellow from time to time.
Aerosol dyes are well bonded to the surface. They are produced in the form of cylinders, which greatly simplifies the coloring. It dries quickly enough (thirty minutes is enough), but the dye is short-lived. It is likely that after two months of operation will have to be painted again.
Acrylic dyes are called differently. On the shelves of stores you can find "latex enamel", "liquid acrylic", but all these are two-component polyurethane coloring compounds.
If you strictly follow the technology and apply the coating correctly, then it will last at least ten years. Acrylic coatings are the most popular at present. They have a glossy surface and do not emit any smell at all. Among the shortcomings: it is expensive, dries long enough, if scratched, it begins to collapse and exfoliate.
Reference! Alkyd dyes should not be used for independent restoration. They do not have good technical indicators.
Necessary tools
Before starting paint work, you need to check if all the tools are in stock. You will need funds to remove rusty spots, you also need to take care to close the entire surface in contact with the bathtub from enamel. Should be prepared:
- Electric drill. With its help, you can remove hard deposits. The best option is a lightweight drill so that it does not burden your hand.
- Sandpaper. It will be needed with both large grain and small. Coarse grains will get rid of pollution, and fine grains will be ground.
- A circle of rubber for grinding. It is convenient for them to grind in those places to which it is difficult to get close.
- Means for removing fat. With them, the paint lays down better and does not exfoliate. Suitable solvents or acetone.
- Tassels. Choose good brushes so that the villi do not fall out.
- Protection. When working, it is necessary to protect the respiratory system, since the enamel is quite toxic. You will need rubber gloves for your hands.
- Scotch. We will close the surface with enamel to them.
- Construction mixer. It’s easier for them to mix the paint. A drill with a special nozzle is also suitable.
- Dye. Take it with a margin. Let the excess be better than not enough during operation.
Surface preparation
It is time to prepare our bathtub for an upgrade. The better we do this stage, the longer the updated surface will last. Remember: even enamel bought for fabulous money will quickly peel off if you are too lazy to prepare the bath for processing or do it inappropriately. We do everything in order:
- We examine the general condition of the surface. Based on what we saw, we select the sequence of actions. First of all, it is better to use sandpaper - it will not only clean the entire surface, but also smooth out irregularities.
- We set the eightieth skin on the grinding wheel and grind it. This removes hard deposits. Do not use force; it’s better to walk several times in the same place.
- We get rid of the formed garbage. Here a vacuum cleaner or soft cloth will help us.
- We polish the bottom with the hundredth sandpaper. We don’t touch the walls; we use adhesive tape for them. Once finished, remove the garbage again.
- Degrease the surface.
How to paint an old bath at home
Staining itself also consists of several stages.
Chipping elimination
Chips must be fixed first and foremost. After all, no paint can equalize the difference in height. In addition, the coloring composition is intended for application to enamel, and not on a metal surface. 
To fix the chip, you can take the putty that you use for your car. This tool is recruited in portions on a spatula. Work only with a rubber spatula. Metallic may leave scratches. We apply with an even layer, if we see microcracks - we clean the tip of the knife.
When this is done, it is necessary to protect the entire adjacent surface from enamel spray.
Enamel spray protection
In order not to eliminate the splashes of paint later, it is better to spend time protecting the surface. We take masking tape and glue them all the space around the perimeter. We cover the floors with taps and taps.
You can do otherwise - take technical petroleum jelly or solid oil and lubricate everything. No enamel will bother you. We process with a thin layer, and then we easily wipe everything with a cloth. Now you can paint. To be sure of the result and preserve the enamel, we arm ourselves with a brush.
Painting procedure
Why is it better to use a brush? With it you can get a layer of the same thickness. In addition, reduce material costs, and the hardening process will take a minimum of time.
Follow this algorithm:
- We mix the base and hardener - we do everything strictly according to the instructions. No need to knead a lot at once. The instruction recommends spending a serving in fifty minutes, which you cannot do with a large volume. After fifty minutes, the composition hardens. Use a mixer during mixing. It is not necessary to set large revolutions in order not to get a lot of air bubbles.
- We take a container with a coloring solution and pour it on the sides and sides of the bath. We are waiting for everything to drain. Where it doesn’t work, we put a brush into the work. The width of the brush should not be more than five centimeters.
- Dip the brush one third in the dye, remove the excess. And we begin to paint the surface inside. Keep the brush slightly inclined or perpendicular to the walls of the bathtub.
- Work from the top and move down. If smudges appear, remove them with horizontal movements.
- The layer needs to be made two millimeters thick. Do not repaint. Lastly, clean the bottom of the bath.
After completing the work, remove the jar away so as not to overturn it.
Do not put a lot of paint on the brush. Carefully check the thickness of the layer. All your actions should be unhurried and thorough. Otherwise, it will turn out not the restoration of the old bath, but an extra reason to buy a new one.
