What To Know About Upgrading A Bathtub

Contents hide

If you’ve googled diligently you already know you can buy a brand new tub for about $300.00. Which sounds awesome right? And perhaps a little too good to be true because what they don’t tell you is that this is just the tip of the iceberg. With that you’ll also need to consider the costs of demolition, landfill fees, and a contractor, just to name a few expenses. And et’s not even think about the potential plumbing issues that could arise during the project because just doing the math is enough to make your head spin!

If you don’t have the time or money to replace your tub (like most consumers these days), there are other options available to you for bringing life to an aged bathtub. Thats right, you don’t have to be stuck between a rock and a hard place and get the results you’ve been dreaming about. These options include…

tub relining
bathtub refinishing
bathtub casting

Tub Lining

We’ve all seen that kiosk in the mall advertising the perfect solution to your outdated bathroom, the acrylic liner. This is a viable solution to updating your old bathroom without ripping anything out. It tends to be a bit more expensive than resurfacing because you are essentially buying a one-of-a-kind, custom made shell to cover your tub. Hiding your old surface by covering it with something else is essentially their goal. You would think that once you cover up your old tub you’d never have to worry about it again, but unfortunately for a lot of people liners can actually lead to bigger problems. For instance, if the caulk fails and water gets between your liner and old tub then you could have a GIANT rust problem you don’t even know about. Your best bet is to monitor the current condition of your original tub instead of covering up its problems.

^ A bathtub after the liner has been pulled.

^ The same bathtub after the tub under the liner was resurfaced.

Tub Refinishing

While some people refer to refinishing as a “really nice paint job,” professionals who understand the difference refer to the substance as a “coating.” The best way to describe it is that the surface hardens, it does not dry. Also refinishing, resurfacing, and reglazing are all the same thing! Resurfacing doesn’t just mask the problem like liners, it repairs minor damage, stops rust in its tracks, and is the best long-term solution. And almost everything in your bathroom can be resurfaced making it the perfect accompaniment to your partial remodel.

^ A bathtub with some surface damage before refinishing.

^ The same bathtub after the chip repairs and refinish.

Tub Casting

This option is the best of both worlds: tub refinishing & tub relining! It has the ease and price point of refinishing with the longevity of a liner. Each tub casting service is unique to your specific tub and is guaranteed for ten years (twice as long as most refinishing warranties)! The odorless and dust-free application process allow for the technician to be in and out of your home with as little of a disruption as possible. And our tub casting service only takes a few hours to complete, meaning you’ll have full use of your bathroom the next day!