how to repair cast iron bathtub

The Best Way to Fix a Cast Iron Tub

• Step 1. Clean the tub's surface by wiping it down with a rag dampened with acetone.
• Step 2. Remove surface rust spots by scrubbing them away with a mild, abrasive cleaner and steel wool.
• Step 3. Remove penetrating rust by scrubbing it away with a solution of half muriatic acid and half water, using a rag.

Full Answer

Can you resurface a cast iron bathtub?

Poskin also suggests sandblasting the cast iron tub to prepare it for painting, as this reduces imperfections and achieves a smooth surface. Whether or not your tub has been painted before also matters. Sarah Gibson, founder of the Room for Tuesday lifestyle blog, explains how she resurfaced her cast iron tub. She points out that if the tub had been painted before, it would have needed to be stripped and sanded.

How to refinish a cast iron tub?

• Remove the old drain and trip lever.
• Cut away all the old caulk from around the tub.
• Clean the tub thoroughly with a scratchy pad and any product that has a bleaching agent.
• Rinse well.
• Repeat the cleaning using Lime-A-Way or CLR.
• Sand the tub with a high grit, wet/dry sandpaper (600 grit or more).
• Rinse , rinse, rinse.

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How to clean an old cast iron bathtub?

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heating the walls of the bathtub before cleaning will make it a bit easier to remove dirt and grime.
2. Mix 1 gallon of hot water with 2 tablespoons of non-abrasive cleaner or soap.
3. Using a soft sponge or cloth, gently scrub the surface of the tub.
4. Rinse the tub thoroughly with hot water, making sure there is no soap or cleaner residue left behind.

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What to do with your old cast iron bathtubs?

Cast iron bathtubs can be turned into small water features that beautify backyard designs and add a natural feel to yard landscaping. Coy fish ponds or creatively designed water tanks with plants are nice things that personalize backyards while allowing attractively reuse and recycle old bathroom tubs for outdoor home decorating.

Which is easier to clean, cast iron or glass?

Cast iron fixtures are probably the easiest fixtures to care for, as they have the hardest finish of all plumbing fixtures. The porcelain glaze that is bonded to the iron achieves a hardness very near that of actual glass. We all know that glass, because of its hardness and smoothness is really quite easy to clean.

Does porcelain shine?

Porcelain, when cleaned on a regular basis, will shine like new glass forever. However, many people simply wait too long to clean things as mentioned above. For example, The Kohler Company publishes the following instructions for caring and cleaning of their cast iron products:

Can you paint a tub with epoxy?

Once the cracks are repaired, you can paint your tub using an acrylic polymer coating (designed for resurfacing tubs and showers), available at home improvement stores. Warnings. Avoid letting the epoxy come in contact with your skin or eyes. The epoxy is harmful if swallowed, so keep it out of your child's reach.

Can a cast iron tub crack?

Though seemingly impervious to damage -- considering they weigh between 300 and 500 pounds -- cast iron tubs can crack with age. Because the cost of replacing a cast iron tub can run into the thousands of dollars, it makes sense to try to repair the crack before hauling your old tub off to the dump.

How long does a cast iron tub last?

But says Diane Robbins, co-owner of the franchise that resurfaced Jackie's tub, with proper care and maintenance (nonabrasive and bleach-free cleaners only), a refinished cast-iron tub surface should last 15 to 20 years.

What kind of paint does Scott Ayers use on a bathtub?

Enveloped in a mist of paint, Scott Ayers sprays an acrylic urethane enamel over the bathtub’s damaged porcelain.

How long does it take for urethane to dry?

Using a spray gun, he applies three coats of acrylic urethane enamel, letting each dry for 10 to 15 minutes. With the help of a heat lamp, the finish cures in about one hour; a wet sanding with 1,000-grit paper smooths bumps and rough patches.

Who resurfaced the bathtub in Jackie Metropoulos' house?

That's what Jackie Metropoulos chose to do, and hired Scott Ayers, a technician for the Miracle Method franchise in Ludlow, Massachusetts, to resurface the old cast-iron bathtub in the 1919 house she and her husband, Matt, own in Longmeadow, Mass. Their second-floor bathroom has a mix of old charm and new shine, ...

Can you refinish a built in bathtub?

Refinishing may be the most practical way of restoring a built-in bathtub, but for those lucky enough to have a removable claw-foot tub or cast-iron sink, the dream has long been to give it a new finish that matches the hardness and durability of the old one.

How to clean rust off sink?

Step 1: Remove Rust from Sink: The first step was to clean the sink and scrubbed the rusty parts. I used a toothbrush to clean around and IN the rusty portions, removing any and all loose debris. Food grade citric acid can be helpful to eat away rusted portions without scrubbing, just mix powdered citric acid with a bit of hot water, dissolve, ...

How to protect rusty countertop?

Once your rusty spot has been de-rusted as much as possible, allow the area to dry thoroughly from any water used during cleaning and lay down a layer to protect your countertop.

What happens when metal filler is dry?

Once the metal filler is completely dry (cured?) It’s time to file it down to a smooth finish. Once dry, it’ll lighten in color and look a little something like this:

Can you remove rust from a cast iron sink?

Ideally, you can remove all rust for the “perfect fix,” but if you are just looking to get a few more years out of a cast iron sink with a death wish, you can do your best, leave some rust, and expect to need to repeat this process or replace eventually.

How to refinish a cast iron bathtub yourself

With supplies in hand, we were ready to start refinishing our cast iron tub! In four simple steps we were able to make our tub beautiful again!

1. Prepping the surface

Before starting, your bathtub needs to be REALLY clean. It’s easy to want to skip over some of this prep work, but if you do the finish won’t turn out right. Ours was pretty grungy from over 40 years of use so we had a lot of bathtub cleaning to do!

2. Tape off the area

You’ll want to tape around the base of the tub and up around the sides so you don’t get the product on the floor or shower surround. Be sure to tape off the drain and fixtures, as well.

3. Applying the product

Open the can of refinisher and give it a gentle stir. Brush or roll on (using a lint-free roller) a thin first coat. Trust me on this one – you may be tempted to go thicker for fewer coats but that will cause the refinisher to run and you’ll have a lot of drip marks to deal with.

4. Curing and using the tub again

Once you’ve completed applying the refinisher, your bathtub needs to cure for 48 hours or more (depending on the level of humidity). Once it is fully cured and hard like a porcelain surface you can carefully remove all of the tape.