Sunday, September 17, 2017

Get A Bathtub Resurface Before Tossing Out A Gem

By Betty Brown


These are great days for anyone who dreams of their own home improvement projects. Some couples desire nothing more than to find an ancient old house, grown over with vines and forgotten for decades, so they can turn it into a dream home. For anyone in this market, they just might come across what looks like a junkie, old claw-foot tub, but a bathtub resurface is truly all it needs.

Porcelain was the standard material for tubs and sinks for many years. In the construction boom of the 70s and 80s, this material gave way to cheaper acrylics and fiberglass. In fact, most people do not even know that their tubs are made of acrylics, and many still use the term porcelain when referring to bathtubs and sinks.

The weight of the old tubs was unwieldy, as they were really made of cast iron and the porcelain was baked on. In homes with second-story baths, this can present real problems with the tub sagging and becoming unstable, even unsafe over time. The acrylic garden tubs were first introduced by the manufactured housing market, and eventually became standard.

As people tend to shower more often than lounging in a hot bath these days, the demand for tubs has lessened somewhat. In fact, many newer homes are fitted with a tub in the master bath, but only a shower in any additional bathrooms. If one is shopping for a one-bedroom apartment, they may need to ask if there is a tub, or merely a shower, before they sign their lease.

With home improvement being a popular concept, many people will replace these old tubs and sinks with acrylic Jacuzzi tubs. In fact, getting a kit that fits over an existing tub/shower combination just might save a lot on a refurbishing budget. With this push to make everything new, many of these antique tubs have been tossed, left in the yard, or otherwise forgotten.

Any time one finds an older, metal tub in a home they come to own, they may want to find out what it is worth. In fact, many of these older tubs were built into the walls during prior restorations. Rather than losing this gem, it can be brought back to better than original, and again become the central feature of the bathroom; just as it was in the beginning.

Having an antique tub priced should be a priority for anyone lucky enough to become the surprise new owners. There are services which will sandblast the tub to the metal, then put a coating of newer materials that are even prettier than the ceramic. Should the homeowner be on a tight budget, there are kits available to them which allow them to paint a surface that should match the old tub.

It is a sad time for anyone who foolishly disposed of one of these tubs. In fact, one must wonder if it was actually trashed, or is a wise person working at the landfill tossed in their truck and took it home. The fact is, these tubs are going for thousands of dollars, their value more determined by their size and height than by the condition they are in.




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