Can You Paint A Bathtub? Easy-to-follow Instructions

Often the old paint of the bath can get boring, or you have bought a neutral color bath to paint it in the color of the ocean or soft pink. In this case, you will aim to paint the bath with a stain you can buy at a hardware store. Taking the things short, to paint the surface of the bathtub properly, you need:

1. Wash the tub;
2. Remove old sealant;
3. Remove all details and objects;
4. Protect yourself while painting a tub;
5. Apply pickling cream or powder to the bath;
6. Rinse your bath with water;
7. Apply a primer or epoxy to the surface of the tub;
8. Sand the surface of your bath;
9. Prepare the paint for a bath;
10. Paint the surface of your bath;
11. Leave the tub to dry the paint;
12. Reinstall all bathing equipment.

When you want to paint a bath, it doesn’t matter if it is a porcelain tub or if you are painting a fiberglass bathtub. You can do it yourself, stocking up on the necessary tools and paint. The most important thing in painting a tub is to follow safety precautions to protect yourself and close people from the effects of toxic substances on the body. For the period of painting a tub, it is best to take children and animals with one of the adults to the summer cottage.

Also, do not forget to remove everything unnecessary from the bath so as not to stain things with paint. The average period of painting a tub will be about five days. Therefore, consider this fact and think in advance about where you can take a shower while the bathtub dries after the last coat of paint.

The guide will tell how to prepare a bathtub for painting properly, what stain to choose, and how to safely and reliably paint the bath’s surface with the selected paint.

What Tools Are Required To Paint A Bath

For painting the surface of a tub, you will need a range of tools for breathing protection, removing old sealant, and staining it. So, to paint the bath, stock up on the following things:

• Respirator. It is an essential tool that you should use while painting your tub. Choose only a high-quality respirator to provide maximum body protection.
• Sealant removal tools. You can use a spatula, a silicone remover, or a regular scraper to remove the sealant.
• Paint application tools. In this case, you can use brushes, spray guns, or rollers.
• Bath cleaners. It can be bath detergent, sponges, and rags.
• Sandpaper.

Preparing The Bathtub For Painting

Let’s start with preparing the bathtub for painting. Read the instructions and follow the next steps:

1. Wash the tub. Wash your bath with detergents and then use water to remove them;
2. Remove old sealant. Remove any sealant on the surface using a spatula or special sealant remover;
3. Remove all details and objects. Disconnect the faucet, bath drain equipment, and any items near the tub, such as shelves, hooks, and other things. Before you paint your bath, don’t forget to protect surrounding objects and surfaces. Cover the walls with paper, and protect all the surrounding things around the tub so as not to touch them with paint;
4. Protect yourself while painting a tub. Turn on the fan in the bathroom and open the windows. It will help the paint smell disappear as quickly as possible;
5. Apply pickling cream or powder to the bath. Applying a special cream will make your bathtub matte, which will help the paint to adhere better to its surface;
6. Rinse your bath with water. Rinse your tub, dry it with towels, and let it dry completely;
7. Apply a primer or epoxy to the surface of the tub. The next important step before painting your bath is applying a primer of epoxy to it. Apply a primer or resin to the surface of your tub and let it dry completely. Start applying primer to the chips and scratches. Each product may have a different drying time. To find out the exact amount of time required for drying, read the instructions on the packaging of the product. Manufacturers always leave such information on the packaging;
8. Sand the surface of your bath. After the resin wholly dried on the bath’s surface, sand the bath with sandpaper. After that, rinse the bath with water, wipe it dry and leave it for a while until completely dry. It is essential to make sure the tub is completely dry before applying paint.

Applying Painting On The Bathtub

1. Prepare the paint for a bath. First, put on a respirator that protects against inhaling the many toxic substances that make up the paint. Read the instructions for your bath paint carefully. If you have a two-component epoxy paint for the bath, you must mix it before use. If you chose this particular paint, pour both parts into a container prepared for paint and mix the contents thoroughly for several minutes. Divide the prepared paint into two containers. Close one of the paint containers with a lid to keep the paint used for the second coat;
2. Paint the surface of your bath. Apply paint to the tub’s walls using alternating vertical and horizontal strokes. This method of smearing the stain will help you avoid dripping during staining. However, don’t worry if you notice tiny bubbles or brush marks – if you choose epoxy paint, it should be able to self-level after application. Once you’ve painted the tub’s sides, paint the bottom and sand the edges with a sponge. After the first coat of paint has dried, you can apply a second one if you see fit;
3. Leave the bath to dry the paint. In this step, professional house painters leave the painted bathtubs to dry for a few days. After two or three days, check the bath to fix the paint. It is scorched if the paint has been laid down in a dense layer. In this case, the paint does not imprint on the hands and is not washed off with water. We should say that the painting was done correctly, and you can start using a tub;
4. Reinstall all bathing equipment. After complete drying, reinstall the equipment with a faucet, drainer, shelves, and other parts.

Bottom Line

So, step-by-step, you can paint a bathtub, which will please an eye and even promote relaxation after a hard day. Think over all the details in advance, choose the least harmful paint for health and protect yourself and your loved ones while painting the bath. I am confident that you will be able to do everything right.

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