The epoxy coating comes in white or a few other basic colors.

The main steps for bathtub refinishing with a kit include cleaning, sanding, and coating the tub.

Warning

Bathtub refinishing kits emit toxic fumes.

Refinished bathtub with white ceramic wall tiles decorated with plants and bath items

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

launch the bathroom exhaust fan while you work.

Place a box fan in an open window to remove gasses.

Wear manufacturer-recommended breathing protection such as a respirator when sanding or applying the refinishing product.

Metal cover over bathtub area thats not being refinished

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Refinishing a bathtub is significantly cheaper thanreplacing a tub.

Technically, bathtub reglazing is a subset of the larger bathtub refinishing process.

Bathtub reglazing refers to the program of the coating itself.

Bathtub cleaned with scrubbing brush and teal rubber gloves

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

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Wear breathing protection, as recommended by the manufacturer.

Remove Hardware

Remove escutcheons and cover plates from plumbing fixtures.

Blue tape and kraft paper masking floor areas in bathroom

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Bathtub spouts can be temporarily unscrewed and removed during refinishing.

Using a putty knife, clean dirt or caulk residue from bathtub openings.

Clean the Bathtub

Clean the tub thoroughly and remove all caulking from the joints around the tub.

Tub surface etched with water and etching powder with black sandpaper

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

If necessary, use a chemical caulk remover to remove all traces of caulk from the surfaces.

Rinse with clear water.

The epoxy coating will be hard to remove, so guard against drips and spills.

Paint roller covered with white primer paint

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Let the patches fully dry before sanding.

Some refinishers are self-priming and do not require a separate prime coat.

Do not prime bathtub surfaces with ordinary commercial paint primer.

Epoxy coating covering paint roller

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Use only the primer included in the kit.

An excellent way to do this is using sticky tape to remove loose lint from the roller cover.

Mix the Epoxy Coating

Blend the hardener or catalyst into the epoxy resin.

Second coat of epoxy painted over bathtub surface with black brush and blue latex gloves

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Work quickly, as epoxy coatings rapidly harden once mixed.

The product label usually tells you how much working or open time you have.

Be prepared to coat the entire tub in one working session.

Caulk applied to corner of bathtub and wall

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Apply the Coating

Apply the coating to the sides of the tub with a roller.

Alternate between vertical and horizontal strokes to prevent drips and roller ridges.

Move to the tub deck (horizontal surfaces), then roll the bottom.

Finish the edges with a sponge brush.

Apply a second coat.

Let the coating dry a full two days of cure time.

Keep the area well-ventilated for at least the first day of curing.

Reinstall the faucet hardware.

Your refinished bathtub is now ready to use.

When cleaning a resurfaced tub,use non-abrasive cleaners, such as mild dish soap, and rinse thoroughly.

Do-it-yourself tub refinishing generally doesn’t last as long as professional refinishing.

If you plan onreplacing your bathtubwithin five years, it’s probably worth it to refinish your bathtub.

The best long-term solution, though, is to replace the bathtub.

It is cheaper to refinish a tub than to replace it.

How Much Does Bathtub Refinishing Cost?HomeAdvisor.