Restoration of an old cast-iron bathtub: pros and cons. Bath restoration with liquid acrylic is a quick and inexpensive method How to cover a cast iron bath with acrylic with your own hands

The unpresentability of old plumbing is not a reason to replace it. There are several effective and inexpensive enamel restoration methods. In order for the renewed "jacuzzi" to serve for several more years, it is necessary to adhere to the restoration technology and follow the basic recommendations for the care of the bath cover.

Restoration of an old bathtub: choice of method

A new snow-white bath loses its attractiveness over time - the surface becomes rough, gloss disappears, yellowness and smudges appear. There is a need to replace plumbing. However, a full renovation and purchase of a new bathtub is a costly undertaking. It is much easier to independently restore the coating of steel or cast iron.

There are three most popular methods for renovating an old bathroom:

processing with two-component enamel;
"Bulk bath" made of acrylic;
installation of the liner.

Each of the methods has its own characteristics.

Bath enamel- an affordable restoration option that effectively removes roughness, yellowness, rust and minor scratches. Enamel will not work in the presence of large defects: peeling of the coating, the presence of chips and deep scratches.

The main advantages of covering an old bathtub with enamel are:

low cost;
the enamel layer does not hide the volume of the bath;
to carry out the restoration, it is not necessary to dismantle the siphon and the tiles on the sides of the bowl.

Disadvantages of the method:

with poor-quality enamel application, brush marks may remain;
drying time - 3-4 days;
does not mask large damage;
the service life of the coating is up to 5 years.

Bulk acrylic it is applied to the walls without a brush by uniform flowing off. The use of liquid acrylic has several advantages:

the updated bathtub will not turn yellow over time;
the coating is resistant to household chemicals and corrosion;
the material is suitable for the restoration of various baths;
no smudges form on the surface;
restoration does not require dismantling the old bath;
acrylic does not allow air to pass through, so the coating turns out to be smooth without air bubbles;
long service life - about 15 years;
the acrylic coating is resistant to mechanical damage and chips;
high thermal insulation of acrylic retains heat, and water does not cool quickly.

Arguments against the "pouring bath":

before processing, you will need to dismantle the drain;
acrylic repeats the factory irregularities of the bowl;
the coating does not tolerate very high temperatures;
long drying period - 4 days.

Important! When using low-quality glass and non-compliance with the finishing technology, bubbles may form, which will subsequently lead to deformation of the new coating.

Installing the acrylic liner in an old-fashioned bath - the most expensive way to restore. As a rule, the insert is made to order according to the parameters of the plumbing. It is not advisable to carry out such a restoration method on your own - installation errors reduce the service life and ease of use of the bath.

Advantages of a "bath in a bath":

quick installation;
the ability to hide chips and other defects;
the liner is characterized by all the positive characteristics of acrylic: smoothness of the coating, heat capacity, unpretentious care.

Disadvantages of this recovery method:

high cost of the liner;
before restoring an old bathtub, you will need to remove the tiles adjacent to the plumbing;
reducing the useful volume of the bowl;
the difficulty of doing the work yourself.

A step-by-step guide to enamel your bathtub

High-quality enamel is the basis for the durability of the bath

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of enamel. Experts recommend using specially designed tools:

Required tools and materials

To carry out restoration work, you should prepare:

an electric drill and a nozzle (brush) for cleaning the old coating;
abrasive;
oxalic acid;
two-component enamel;
surface degreasing agent;
a brush for applying enamel with a width of 7 cm - it is better to choose an inventory of medium hardness with natural bristles;
respirator or gas mask;
masking tape, polyethylene;
cleaning powder.

Surface preparation

Before restoring an old bathtub at home, you need to remove the old coating:

The procedure for treating the bath with enamel

After degreasing the bath, you can start applying the enamel. The work can be conditionally divided into several stages.

As a rule, to achieve a lasting result, you need to apply 3-4 coats. Installation of piping and operation of the bath is possible in 4-5 days.

Important! It is advisable to carry out the restoration in a warm dry season. For the period of drying, the windows must be opened. Children and pets should not be in the room.

How to renovate a bathtub with acrylic

Bath glass restoration technology is in many ways similar to enamel treatment. Surface preparation is carried out in the same way as in the previous method. Next, you need to dilute liquid acrylic:

Add the hardener to the container with acrylic and mix well.
Leave the composition for 10 minutes and mix again.

After cleaning the bath and preparing the glass, the plumbing is restored:

The drying time of the glass depends on the composition of the material and the air temperature in the room.

Insert insertion is the fastest way to restore

If there is significant damage, re-enamelling or acrylic treatment may not give the expected result. So that you do not have to remove the old bathtub, the restoration will have to be done with an insert.

To select a finished or order a pallet, you must correctly take five measurements:

full length - the distance between the edges of the sides of the bath;
inner length - maximum length inside the bowl;
the width of the container near the drain;
the width of the bath in the back area;
bath depth - to calculate above the drain, place a flat bar across the bowl and measure the distance to the bottom.

Installation procedure:

Important! Installation of plumbing piping must be done very carefully. An overtightened tightening bolt can cause the liner to crack, and the accumulation of water between the coatings is a consequence of insufficiently strong fasteners.

When performing a complex restoration of plumbing, it is advisable to replace the legs of the old bathtub. A ready-made kit can be purchased in a store or you can make a support from metal profiles yourself.

Correction of minor defects in the bath

Single defects of the bathtub can be locally masked without resorting to a complete restoration of the plumbing. The recommendations of specialists will help to restore damaged areas in a short time.

Through holes. It will be possible to seal such a crack with epoxy resin, and apply a reinforcing mixture on top. To restore the bathtub, you need a special repair kit.

Chips and scratches... Defect elimination procedure:

Treat the area with a rust converter, then clean the surface with powder.
Degrease the surface with acetone.
Coat the chip with a car putty and sand it.
Paint over the area with paintwork.

Cleaning the bath without damaging the coating

Careful attitude and regular cleaning of the bath cover will help maintain the aesthetics and attractive appearance of the plumbing. It is enough to follow simple tips:

Enamel and acrylic coatings are susceptible to abrasive substances, so a “mild” cleaning agent must be selected. It is important to exclude detergents that contain ammonia, powder, chlorine, acetone and other aggressive components.
After cleaning, the surface must be rinsed with plenty of water.
It is not advisable to bathe pets in the bath - sharp claws can leave visible scratches. Do not put metal basins and buckets in the bowl.
A dangerous enemy of acrylic is rust on the mixer and metal parts of the plumbing. The acrylic surface absorbs yellowness, which is very difficult to remove later. Therefore, you should not allow the formation of limescale and often wipe the plumbing dry. Water should not drip from the tap - the drain hole will quickly begin to rust.

A full bath restoration is a rather complicated process that requires certain skills from the performer. In the absence of experimentation, the probability of errors is high. It is better for novice craftsmen to use the method of bulk acrylic for restoration.

The bathtub, no matter what material it is made of, is aging gradually. Over time, its enamel becomes not as snow-white as it used to be, the surface of the product loses its smoothness during operation, becomes covered with small cracks or chips.

All these traces of heavy use lead to the deterioration of the appearance of the washing container, and it becomes unhygienic to use it. However, you shouldn't immediately run to a plumbing store to buy a new bathtub, because restoring a bathtub with your own hands, even at home, can increase its service life for a long time. In this article, we'll show you the most effective ways to restore cast iron and steel acrylic models, and when they can be applied.

How do you know if a bathtub needs repairs?

Some types of bathtubs can be successfully operated for several decades, keeping performance at a high level. However, with intensive use, the washing container loses its original appearance after 5-7 years of service. Bathtub restoration at home is carried out if it has the following defects:

Note! As a rule, the service life of the bathtub is several times longer than the service life of the enamel. The enamel coating is the most vulnerable part of the washing containers, which wears out, cracks and turns yellow over time. The good news is that the top of the hot tub is fairly easy to restore.

Which bathtubs can be restored?

Homeowners often wonder if their old bathtub can be restored. To assess whether repairs are possible, and what kind of bath restoration kit is required, you need to assess the nature and amount of damage. It is believed that the maintainability of the model depends on the thickness of its walls. The main conditions for restoration are considered:

No rust. If there are foci of corrosion on the surface of the hot tub, they must be removed with a rust converter.
Lack of through holes. If there are no through holes in the bowl, then all surface damage can be repaired with acrylic or enamel.
High-quality surface preparation. In order for the result of the restoration to last longer, it is necessary to prepare the surface of the font for work: level, clean, degrease.

Remember that the result of the restoration primarily depends on the quality of the enamel or acrylic, as well as on the preparation of the bowl surface for repair.

Re-enameling

Re-enameling is the restoration of bathtubs with your own hands by applying a new layer of paint and varnish to the inner surface of the product, which is made at home. For this, epoxy enamel is used, applied to the surface of the bowl with a roller, brush or spray gun, in several layers. The features of this recovery method are:

Important! Restoration of cast-iron or steel baths by means of re-enameling is carried out with the help of moisture-resistant epoxy enamel, which has a low resistance to mechanical damage. Therefore, the result of restoring the appearance of the washing container in this way lasts no more than 5 years.

Restoration with liquid acrylic

The best way to carry out home restoration of bathtubs is to fill the inner surface of the bowl with liquid acrylic. Acrylic is a modern polymer, resistant to external influences, having a smooth and shiny surface after hardening. It has a thick consistency, but spreads well, therefore it is applied to the surface of the container for washing by pouring. The features of the "filling bath" technology are:

To perform either a steel bath with liquid acrylic, you need to purchase a restoration kit, which consists of a base, hardener, sandpaper to sand the chips and a rubber trowel to smooth out and remove bubbles.

Bath repair with acrylic liner

A universal tool with which you can quickly and easily repair an old cast iron or steel bathtub is an acrylic insert. An insert made of light, thin, but durable acrylic is inserted into the bowl, covered with a special adhesive, and then filled with water, which acts as a press. It takes only 1-2 days for the glue to dry and secure the insert in place. This restoration method has 3 drawbacks:

Remember that even heavily damaged bathtubs with a lot of chips, cracks and even through holes can be repaired with an acrylic insert of the right size and shape.

Video instruction

Liquid acrylic is a modern material with which you can perform a high-quality restoration of a bath with your own hands. Consists of a base, which has a sufficiently high density, and a hardener. It can be used for the restoration of steel, cast iron and acrylic bathtubs.

Materials and tools

To restore the bathtub, you will need bulk liquid acrylic, sanitary ware cleaners and degreasers, and soda. Please note that liquid acrylic is sold in containers designed for bath sizes - 1.2, 1.5 or 1.7 m.

You need to prepare a tool for work:

grinder;
drill;
whisk nozzle;
pliers;
sandpaper of various grain sizes;
rubber spatula;
respirator;
vacuum cleaner;
sponge;
gloves;
torch.

When using a drill to sand the bath surface, you will need a special attachment.
Note: a building hair dryer and a stationery knife will be useful for removing non-factory enamel if the bath has already been restored to it.
You also need polyethylene to protect the floor and walls (you can use rags or newspapers).

Bath preparation

The appearance and service life of the applied coating will depend on the quality of preparation. The overflow and drain are removed first. A grinder or a drill with a grinding attachment must carefully treat the surface of the bath. For this, sandpaper for rough work 40-N or 32-N (according to GOST 3647-80) is used. Emery will help remove water deposits as well. The surface after sanding must be rough to ensure good adhesion of the liquid acrylic.

Note: non-factory enamel previously applied to restore the bathtub can be removed with a utility knife after heating with a hairdryer.

The bathtub needs to be cleaned and the debris left behind. Then the surface is treated with a sanitary ware cleaner - the poured agent must be spread with a sponge over the entire surface of the bath, including the installation site of the removed overflow.

The bath is washed once more and left to dry. After drying, proceed to the next important stage of work - degreasing. Soda is poured into the bath and carefully rubbed over the entire surface with coarse sandpaper.

Perhaps degreasing will need to be carried out not once, but two or three times. You have to work with gloves. Then the bath is thoroughly washed with a stream of water from the shower.

Remove the siphon before starting the next step.

The siphon installation site must be cleaned, degreased and rinsed from soda residues.

The faucet and shower are covered with a bag and fixed with tape - water should not get on the applied layer of bulk liquid acrylic until it dries completely. The tiles and shelves above the bathroom are cleaned of dust particles with a cloth. Do not allow sanding dust to get on the acrylic.

After completing this stage, the bath must be thoroughly dried with a hairdryer. Particular attention is paid to the places where water can collect: the joints of the tile and the bath, under the side, which is installed at the junction of the tile and the bath. It is better to remove the sidewall and carry out the restoration of the bath without it. The cement joints at the junction with the bathtub are well dried with a hairdryer.

To eliminate defects in the factory enamel (cracks, chips), a fast-drying automobile putty is used.

The composition is stirred and applied with a rubber spatula to the damaged areas, after which it is allowed to dry.

While the putty dries, cover the floor under the bathroom and the tiles at the joints with polyethylene or newspapers, which are fastened with tape.

So when pouring liquid acrylic will not spoil the floor and wall tiles.
After the putty dries, these places pass with fine sandpaper. A vacuum cleaner removes dust particles from the bath.

A degreasing agent (acetone) is used to wipe the putty of cracks and chips. It is also necessary to wipe with acetone the places where the overflow and siphon are installed. A container is placed under the drain hole (you can use a cut plastic bottle). Excess liquid acrylic will drain into this container.

Coating

After the completion of the preparatory work, they begin to prepare the liquid acrylic. A hardener is added to the material in parts and thoroughly mixed using a drill with a whisk attachment.

It is necessary to achieve complete mixing of the two components, not forgetting about the material in the corners and at the bottom of the can with liquid acrylic. Otherwise, the applied acrylic layer will dry unevenly. Stir the composition for 10 minutes.
Important! Do not forget about the pot life of the finished mixture, which is indicated on the package. During this time, you need to completely complete the work.
Before pouring, the composition is allowed to stand for 5-10 minutes. For work, you will need a plastic container into which acrylic is poured. A cut and well wiped bottle of hardener can be used. The work is performed with medical gloves.
Note: the addition of a color paste will allow you to obtain the desired color of the composition. Color paste by weight should not exceed 3% of the total mass of the composition.
The composition is poured along the perimeter of the bath from top to bottom.

Sinking lower, they help themselves with a rubber spatula, with which acrylic is rubbed into the surface of the bath. Having achieved full coverage with liquid acrylic, the spatula makes zigzag movements along the bottom of the bath. Then the composition is leveled with even movements from the wall towards the drain.

The bath is left for 5 minutes. The light is turned off and, using a flashlight, the surface of the bath is checked for defects or irregularities (smudges) that need to be leveled with a spatula.

Important! When mixing the composition, air bubbles could form. To remove these bubbles, the surface of the bath is blown with a hair dryer at low speeds with quick movements.
After 10 minutes, using a flashlight, the surface is checked again. The bathroom can be used 24-48 hours after it is completely dry. Until then, the bathroom should be closed. The drying time of the composition depends on the technical characteristics of the material and the temperature regime in the room.
Note: Some modern liquid acrylics take 12-16 hours to dry.

Outcome of work

As a result of the work done, you will receive a fully refurbished bathtub with a beautiful appearance, which is guaranteed to last at least 10 years. After each use, the bathtub must be washed with special acrylic care products, dishwashing detergents or liquid soap.

Pros and cons

Advantages of bath restoration with liquid acrylic:

long service life;
beautiful appearance;
smooth surface;
excellent performance characteristics, primarily mechanical strength;
the possibility of re-restoration in the future.

After restoration, a bathtub will practically be in no way inferior to a new bathtub.
The disadvantages of this technology include:

a long time it takes for the surface to dry completely;
specific smell when applying and drying liquid acrylic;
the need to buy bathroom care products.

Tricks at work

A high-quality bath surface will be obtained when the composition is applied in an even thick layer. Acrylic should flow down on its own. Determine the middle of the side slopes by eye and pour the second portion of the composition onto them. The remaining material is poured to the bottom. This will cover the entire surface of the tub with a thick layer of acrylic.

Every home craftsman can update his bath. This will take a little patience, materials and tools. Whatever is said, don't believe it: restoring a metal bathtub is not as difficult as the professionals paint it. One has only to start, and you yourself will become a connoisseur of the process!

Metal bathtub: the enamel restoration process

No matter how carefully your household handles the metal bathroom, over time, chips and scratches will appear in which rust will accumulate. It happens that finances do not allow buying a new bowl, but repairing is easy. But everything is in order. Why is it easier to repair a steel bathtub rather than buy a new one:

Dismantling and assembling the bowl takes time;
Wall covering deteriorates;
Money is spent on the purchase, removal of the bowl and other little things.

The restoration of a steel bath does not require such an investment, especially if you use special tools. For example, varnish. In terms of its durability, the product is not inferior to the enamel coating, and its application is simple and easy. If you have the ability to drive with a paint brush or a roller, it means that the repair of an iron bath is almost in your hands.

Important! Choosing varnish instead of paint, you prefer not only strength and quality, but also the absence of odors and a long drying process.

This varnish is sold in specialized stores and has three components, mixed before starting work. The quality of the coating directly depends on the preliminary preparation of the bowl. That is why a very thorough cleaning of surfaces, removal of all limescale deposits, sanding and simple dust removal is required.

Preparing the bathroom bowl for renovation

The repair of metal baths begins with degreasing, rinsing and drying the surface. It will not be superfluous to thoroughly wipe the dust throughout the room (the varnish quickly attracts small particles).
Places of deep scratches, sand the exfoliated enamel, putty with epoxy or polyester.
Close the drain, fill the tub with water and pour in the descaling agent. After the expiration of the prescribed period, drain all the water.
Close the windows, take out all the bath textiles and create an optimal thermal environment, approximately 20-22 degrees.
As soon as the bath has been cleaned and rinsed, it is necessary to remove the drain and overflow components. After, when the repair of the metal bathroom is completed, the accessories can be put in place or completely replaced with new ones.

Important! The mixed varnish composition is "viable" for 40 minutes, and the time for complete drying of the composition is at least 5 days. During the period, the premises must be closed completely, including the windows (at least for the first 24 hours). It turns out that the bathroom cannot be used for 5 days.

If there is only a scratch on the steel tub, you can dilute some of the varnish and cover the chip with a brush. But in any case, this place must be pre-sanded.

Important! After work (varnishing), you can take care of the bathroom as usual: any household cleaners are suitable. In addition, when purchasing a varnish, you do not need to spend money on tools, since the kit includes instructions, a catalyst, a hardener, a tool - everything except the protective tape and bathroom care products.

You need to know that this varnish is available in various colors, and you can choose exactly the spectrum that you like best! It turns out that the restoration of iron bathtubs is not only more practical than buying new ones, but will also help to create a new design for your premises! So, everything is cleaned up, the dust is wiped off, it's time to start repairing the metal bath:

A carefully dried bath is sealed around the edges with tape, and the plumbing fixtures (mixer, fittings) are covered with a film.
Stir the varnish, add the hardener and stir again for at least 3 minutes. Then pour in the catalyst liquid and stir again several times.
Apply the varnish to the surface of the bathtub with a brush. Movement should go both along and across.
Using a roller, distribute the uniformity of the coating, smearing all the edges.

Advice! If the roller does not reach the edge, pick up a brush. It can be used to quickly and easily paint a steel bath.

That's the whole process of applying varnish. After that, you just need to let the coating dry and use it with pleasure! You know how to restore a steel bathtub with varnish, but there are still options.

The article "Bathtub restoration" will help to estimate the labor intensity and costs for each type of bathtub and will advise on the choice of a bathtub at the initial stage.

Paints, varnishes, enamels

And besides varnish, how to paint an iron bathtub? Of course with enamels. For example:

Enamel "Aqualor" is an excellent tool for enamel restoration. Chips can be repaired and the bathtub will serve for at least 5 more years.
Epoxin 51 is a whole line of bath enamels. You can only work with a brush.
Set "Svetlana" is a pasty two-component mixture indicated for the restoration of enamel coatings on metals. In addition, it is used for the restoration of enamel chips, sealing cracks in tiles, porcelain, sinks and other accessories. Not afraid of contact with water. Ensures a flat surface over the entire area.

Advice! If there are small cracks and chips, as well as irregularities, "Svetlana" will just cope with such tasks.

There is nothing eternal in the sublunary world, this statement also applies to products such as sanitary containers called bathtubs. Their surface becomes dirty yellow, often covered with a network of cracks and takes on an unpresentable appearance. It is extremely unpleasant to use such a font, and it becomes impossible to remove the result of long-term operation by thorough washing even with the use of the most aggressive detergents. Contamination is firmly retained in a multitude of microdamages in the enamel layer, from where it is almost impossible to remove them. The restoration of baths with liquid acrylic in this state becomes inevitable.

What is "Acrylic"

Of course, you can replace the font with a new one, but this event, in terms of labor and money costs, is tantamount to a full-fledged repair. To avoid it, there is only one cardinal way - the restoration of baths with liquid acrylic.

A common household name for a group of polymeric materials based on methacrylic and acrylic acids with the use of a number of polymer additives to give the compositions the desired properties.

The material has been known for over 70 years as polymethyl methacrylate, was developed to replace glass and is known as plexiglass. With the introduction of various additives into the composition, it is widely used for the production of sanitary ware, including artificial stone. The material is lightweight, durable, well processed.

Do-it-yourself bathroom restoration with liquid acrylic

There are many ways to restore a worn-out bathtub surface, including painting the walls with special paints. However, the best results are obtained by using acrylic. Provided the surface is properly prepared, acrylic exhibits high adhesion to metal surfaces and forms a durable protective layer with a thickness of 2 - 8 mm.

Surface preparation

This is the most important step in a bathtub restoration. The main task of such an operation is to clean the inner surface of the font as much as possible before applying a protective coating, this is done as follows:

wash the surface of dirt as thoroughly as possible using mild detergents. This operation is designed to reveal all damage in the old enamel layer, if necessary, to cut deep cracks;
clean up extensive damage to the enamel to bare metal. The main remedy for this is a cloth-based emery cloth. The use of a metal brush with a drill attachment is allowed. The disadvantage of this method is increased dusting with cleaning products. Attention! When using a mechanical cleaning method, you must use a respirator to protect the respiratory system and protective goggles for the eyes;
after cleaning the surface, dust deposited on the walls of the vessel must be removed with a jet of hot water. You can use a sponge or a broom brush. The use of fibrous materials is not allowed, since the fibers cling to microroughnesses on the surface of the walls of the vessel, preventing high-quality coating of the surface with acrylic;
degreasing the inner walls of the vessel. Important! For this purpose, you cannot use any solvents, since the work is carried out in a closed room. It is recommended to use soda, preparing the composition in the consistency of gruel. The work must be performed using a sponge, after cleaning the walls, rinse thoroughly with a stream of hot water. Do not wipe the inner surface of the vessel, but let it dry naturally.

Coating composition preparation

Acrylic bathtub coating is sold in a two-component composition - a base agent and a hardener. Mixing is done immediately before use, when the bath is completely ready for use. This is due to the limitation of the time the mixture is suitable for work. Almost complete polymerization occurs within 40-50 minutes, after which the composition thickens to the point of complete impossibility of its use.

Stirring of the composition should be done with a wooden stirrer with a circular cross-section, taking into account that the uniformity of the substance determines the final quality of the restoration. If desired, you can use an electric drill with a stirring attachment, but you need to set the minimum speed on the device. Otherwise, the mixture may end up on the walls of the room, and not on the object being restored.

Acrylic compounds allow the use of tinting. Such additives, precisely for this application, have been developed and produced for their intended purpose. What tinting can be used is indicated on the packaging with an acrylic composition. The only limitation is the amount of additive - it should not be more than 3% of the total mass of the material. Categorically! Solvents cannot be added to the acrylic coating, this leads to instant deterioration of the composition.

Work order

Before starting the coating, you need to perform several preparatory operations:

turn off the plumbing fixtures, install a flat vessel under the drain hole to collect the flowing composition;
on the walls to which the bathtub adjoins, you need to stick a strip of construction tape;
cover the floor with the hanging walls of the bathtub with newspapers or plastic wrap.

Only after completing these operations can you start mixing and applying the composition.

It is most convenient to apply it with a ladle with a spout, pouring out the composition with a uniform string, starting from the highest point of the vessel.

It is desirable that the amount of mixture in the jet allows the walls to be coated from top to bottom in one pass. It is better to give a little more composition, the excess will drain through the drain hole into a pre-installed container. When re-pouring onto uncovered areas, embossed smudges may form. It is unacceptable to level possible irregularities with a spatula, while an irreparable defect of the protective layer is formed.

Drying the acrylic coating

When the walls of the font and its bottom are completely covered with the composition, the work can be considered finished. The time for complete polymerization of the composition is indicated on the packaging of the material and is usually about 3 hours.

At the end of the work, you need to turn off the light in the bathroom and inspect the coating layer in the light of an ultraviolet or LED source. This will help to identify fibers, strands or debris accidentally caught in the mixture or on the surface. They must be removed immediately.

During drying, you must tightly close the door to the bathroom and do not enter it during the entire drying process in order to avoid dust entering the room, which can spoil the restored surface.

At the end of the final polymerization time, it is necessary to carefully cut off unnecessary beads, and then install plumbing fixtures. In this case, do not pinch the joints to avoid cutting through the acrylic layer.

Acrylic bathtub restoration has a number of advantages:

the material in a liquid state qualitatively fills all irregularities and cracks on the restored surface, including through violations of the integrity of the enamel coating. In this case, it is advisable to first seal deep damage with a putty used for body work. Carefully grind the place of repair with an emery cloth (at the stage of surface preparation);
acrylic is pleasant to touch, its surface does not slip underfoot, which is very important for sanitary ware;
the material has low thermal conductivity;
the acrylic coating is wear-resistant, including shock loads;
prevents the development of pathogenic bacteria on the surface;

Particularly shown is the restoration of a cast-iron bath at home, since the dismantling and removal of such a product is accompanied by significant costs, and the strength characteristics of the main material are sufficient for operation for more than one generation.

Acrylic surface care

The result of the restoration with liquid acrylic appears in the form of a new durable surface with antiseptic properties.

Cleaning of the repaired surface should be carried out without the use of cleaning agents that contain abrasive additives or chemically active substances. It is advisable to wipe the clean surface dry with a soft cloth.

In a bath with an acrylic surface, do not soak laundry before washing, and also take salt baths, especially with colored salts.

Alternative ways to restore bathtubs

A fairly popular option for restoring the font is the installation of acrylic liners. This is the option for performing work that you cannot recommend for doing it yourself. The process can be described in the following sequence:

measuring the bowl at the place of its installation;
production of an acrylic insert according to measurements on special equipment in a developed production environment;
its delivery to the address;
installation of the liner in the bath bowl, sealing with special compounds;
connection of sanitary fittings for new bowl sizes.

The shelf life of the liners is determined at 20 years. But the cycle of use of sealants and adhesives used when installing the product is 3 - 4 times less. As a result, moisture penetrates between the bathtub and the liner, putrefactive processes develop with the release of corresponding odors.

The prices for inserts are declared by various contractors in the amount of 4-5 thousand rubles. But it often happens that this price does not include an invitation for a measurer or other work, as a result of which the final price of the issue turns out to be significantly higher. As a result, it is approaching the cost of completely replacing the font with a new one, since, among other things, it is necessary to dismantle part of the tiled walls.

Cost indicators of acrylic coatings

One of the main questions is how much will it cost? The market offers a variety of options for purchasing liquid acrylic. First of all, about the completeness of the sale.

The minimum set of acrylic and hardener: for 1 package they ask from 1700 to 1900 rubles. Improved options (according to the seller - using nanoparticles) are somewhat more expensive when purchased in bulk.

However, it is more convenient to purchase repair kits, which include both surface preparation means and plumbing for the bath after repair. In the widest configuration, such a set can be purchased for 3000 rubles. When doing work on your own at home, this completeness seems to be the most preferable - you will not need to run to the store for every little thing.

Conclusion

Restoration of a hot tub with liquid acrylic allows you to improve living conditions in a house or apartment in the shortest possible time, without resorting to capital costs for repair work. The simplicity of execution allows you to make them yourself with a satisfactory quality. After reading this article, anyone can safely get to work and be confident of success.