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Sitting at home after a long workweek, sometimes all you need is a long relaxing soak in the bathtub. Just jump right in! No? Oh yes, that bathtub has been out of commission for quite some time. The stains and the chips from long periods of neglect have left it uninviting. You’ve considered buying a new bathtub, or hiring a professional to undo the years of damage but just thinking about the cost makes your head spin. So, why not do it yourself? Here are some easy steps to refinishing your bathtub, so you can get that nice bubble bath you deserve.
Prep
Before you do anything else you will want to prep the tub and get rid of any anti-slip strips. You can do this is a cleaner and a degreaser. Once you have done that, wash the tub, preferably with an abrasive cleaner. Then you will move on to the first step.
Sand Away
The first step to refinishing, or resurfacing your bathtub is the sanding. You will need 400-600 grit sandpaper to sand away any remaining grime or gloss that might have been left after cleaning. Make sure to use wet sandpaper so that you can wash away the grit while you’re working. Also, by sanding the surface or the tub to rough it up a bit, you’ll get some good adhesion for paint in the next step.
Paint the Tub
Now that your bathtub is rough and ready, mix some epoxy, get that paintbrush in your hand, and begin painting. Here are some things to note for a nice smooth finish. First, make sure to brush in one direction only using thin coats, and leave at least an hour between each layer of paint. You might see some small bubbles rise up to the surface as you paint, but no need to worry, those will disappear as the paint dries. Also be careful not to leave any hard edges between the painted areas. To avoid this, use the brush to lightly feather out the edges as you paint.
Caulk It Up
Once the paint has dried and you have a nice smooth tub, you’ll want to get some caulk. Caulk along the tile walls and in all of the corners around the bathtub. One point of advice from the pros: when using caulk, denatured alcohol does the trick for a quick and mess free clean up!
