# Anyone ever paint bath tub?



## PrecisionPainting (Feb 3, 2009)

I got an old 60/70's looking bath tub of course which is a very nasty green, What type of product could you use on it if any?


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## daArch (Mar 15, 2008)

Although never having done it myself, I do know people who have recoated an old tub with an epoxy made for this. You can imagine the protection needed to protect yourself and the family. 

You do know there are quite a few companies that specialize in this ?


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## PrecisionPainting (Feb 3, 2009)

yea i know a guy that comes on new construction sites and fixes the tubs, and plus dont feel like messing with that stuff due to the family thanks for the info


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## Josh.08 (Apr 5, 2008)

I painted a nasty blue bathtub in December. They make an Epoxy Kit at Lowe's just for this. It comes with Cleaner, Gloves and 2 Cans (Aresol) of Epoxy. It is available in Multiple Colors. 

Make sure the area is well ventilated.... again well ventilated. Clean the tub using the cleaner, dry the tub with an old towel, mask any and everything in the general area off and then spray it on. They provide some pretty good directions in the box. 
3 Coat Process, but the 2 cans is more than enough..

You cannot use the tub for 3 days if my memory serves me correctly.


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## JCM (Jan 6, 2009)

I have done this 3 times on 2 tubs. Nothing but problems, I helped a friend do this on his rental and I did this on a job. Both did not hold up. It scratches very easily. If I had to do this on my house I would buy the insert well before I epoxied it. This is some of the nastiest stuff I have ever worked with. Runs, Orange peels, stinks, headaches, and dose not hold up worth the sh!t not to mention the $$$. Garbage is what that stuff is. just my 2 cents.


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## cande (Apr 24, 2008)

XIM makes something for this and their products are usually pretty good. Here is a link. http://www.ximbonder.com/products_detail.asp?id=80


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## timhag (Sep 30, 2007)

Had one dude caulking a window from inside a bath tub


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## sage (Apr 29, 2007)

I've done 2 with the XIM, they have held up just fine. No abrasive cleaners are to be used on this product and 48 to 72 hour wait before using tub. I actually brushed them very quickly and carefully; lol!
VENTLATION is super important!
Sage


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## JNLP (Dec 13, 2007)

timhag said:


> Had one dude caulking a window from inside a bath tub


I miss seeing him. I might give him a call this week. Let him hold your material money so we can go have a good time again. Ohhh you gotta post that in the biggest mistakes thread. :laughing:


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## Primer Guy (Apr 20, 2007)

XIM Tile Doc is a reliable product for this. As with all painting prep is critical. 1. Ventilate per instructions. 2. Clean- soap scum left on the surface is the leading cause of failure. 3. Customer needs to be out of bathroom for 72 hours.

Unlike other products out there Tile Doc is a 2 part acrylic modified epoxy. It does not continue to fail when scratched. There are a lot products out there that will fail pretty easily when exposed to hot water at temperatures of 140 degrees or more.


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## traditions2 (Feb 4, 2009)

midwest chemicals aerospace primer and porcelain enamel 1000 are the best stuff on the market for this. Unbelieveable holding power and flows like a dream!!!!!!!! Use a basic hvlp gun. So easy a cave man can do it. I warranty my tubs for five years.


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## bikerboy (Sep 16, 2007)

http://www.integritycoatings.com/integritprod.htm

http://www.napcoltd.com/training.asp

http://www.topkote.com/

http://www.tubking.citymax.com/page/page/207910.htm


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## Andyman (Feb 21, 2009)

I've refinished many tubs. I would HIGHLY recommend XIM Tile Doc sold at SW. Make sure it is a porcelain, cast iron, or other hard NOT flexable surface or it will crack. Clean the soap scum very well, ACID ETCH the surface, and HVLP spray on 2 coats. Ventilation is a must. Let it sit for 2-3 days.


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## onthecoast (Mar 4, 2009)

I've never done this, but growing up my parents had a landlord that kept repainting the bathtub because he was too cheap to have it replaced or refitted. It was awful.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Used XIM Tile Doc at an old house of mine & at my parents house. Prep, prep, prep! It needs to be clean! Sprayed it with my HVLP & looked great.


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## Masterpiece (Feb 26, 2008)

Yeah, I've seen that epoxy spray kit at Lowes and was wondering if it's nothing more than a comparable can of Tile Doc and a can of cleaning agent, though I'm curious what they use for a cleaning agent in the kit. Either way, you'd still have to rinse it before painting.

IIRC, the Tile Doc can was about $14 around here and covered a couple of dozen square feet...


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## TilmaPainting (Mar 22, 2009)

I wouldn't recommed painting a tub, unless it's unavoidable (heritage). The reason most people paint tubs is to cheap out. Cheap renos, hotels, and property management use this to avoid the cost of plumbing, or replacing marble or tile. After it's sprayed (hvlp), it looks beautiful ( "if" it's done well, and even "trained professionals" rarely do it nice ), it doesn't have integrity to the product, it yellows and dulls very quickly. I Used to spray tubs for one of the aforementioned companies, and found it really difficult to "sell the product" especially to private customers knowing they would be unhappy in a couple months. Most tub companies usually shut down and restart under a different name every couple of years, for obvious reasons.


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## Primer Guy (Apr 20, 2007)

Tilma- you are right that most refinishing kits will turn yellow and eventually fail. I saw testing that showed that most if not all of the tub refinishing aerosols from the big box stores fail, discolor, or soften at 140 degrees water temperature. The other big reason for failure is improper prep. Soap scum acts like a release agent for the coating. Beware of urethanes as they fail also and not that durable. XIM's product is a bit different and requires proper prep to get a good result. The kit is a 2 part acrylic modified epoxy. The aerosol is a epoxy modified acrylic. The aerosol will actually give you glossier finish. The kit applied by HVLP will give you a durable finish that will hold up to just about anything.


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## Quaid? (Mar 13, 2009)

so what do the tub factories color the tubs with? there must be a way to get that stuff, cuz it lasts originally?


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## Seth22 (Mar 14, 2010)

*XIM Tile Doc spray can vs. 2-part*

Does anyone have experience with using the XIM Spray can? How would you compare it to the 2-part.

I see Primer Guy says the spray is glossier and the 2-part is durable (more durable?). I was looking for anyone else's reviews or thoughts, or maybe comments from Primer Guy.


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## Masterpiece (Feb 26, 2008)

I never ended up using the kit myself but I would think the aerosol can will produce less mil coverage (thickness) than an equivalent HVLP. Either way, both are designed to work if you follow the prep carefully. I have used the aerosol on a few sinks and they were still looking good a year later FWIW...

I'll let the experts take over....


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## WAGGZ (Apr 2, 2009)

Quaid? said:


> so what do the tub factories color the tubs with? there must be a way to get that stuff, cuz it lasts originally?



My first job after hs was repairing tubs off production line and QC. These are fiberglass tubs that I'm speaking of. But you start with a mold, put a ton of wax on it. Spray it with gel coat, spray it with fiberglass and resin, then let it dry. Pop it off the mold send it to repair. Acrylic tubs are made by taking a sheet of acrylic, I think they heat it then there is a "vacuum" that sucks it onto the mold. Then spray the back side with fiberglass and resin for strength. 

But to do repairs they would send us jugs of the gel coat (very important that it came out of the same batch). You would thin and clean with acetone. Use catalyst and if needed cobalt to make it dry. 

But they would just tint the gel coat like you do paint, I don't know the actual tint chemical used because I didn't work in mixing. But there the cliff notes version for you.


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## WAGGZ (Apr 2, 2009)

The factory is 1.5 miles form home. Still have contacts there so if i need the stuff I got the hook up.


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## Wallnut (May 4, 2010)

I've done this once and couldn't find my car after. enjoy!


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## jm1841 (Apr 7, 2009)

Seth22 said:


> Does anyone have experience with using the XIM Spray can? How would you compare it to the 2-part.
> 
> I see Primer Guy says the spray is glossier and the 2-part is durable (more durable?). I was looking for anyone else's reviews or thoughts, or maybe comments from Primer Guy.



Primer Guy's comments were spot one with my experiences. Usually I sell the aerosol to someone trying to do touch up on a tub that had a nick or something taken out of it. (on a side note, I don't see how a lil paint can make a missing chunk of porcelain blend it, but that's another thread all together). The 2-part is great if you have a cup gun like an hvlp to run it through (clean up your gun fast after application though!), good luck with it if you have to brush it. XIM says brushing is okay, but I doubt you could ever get quality results.


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## johnpaint (Sep 20, 2008)

timhag said:


> Had one dude caulking a window from inside a bath tub


Midget bath tub?


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