Over time, the bath loses its former aesthetic appearance. It may turn yellow, become rough. Sometimes cracks or chips may appear on the surface. Do not rush to throw out the bath. It is possible to restore its appearance. To do this, consider and select the appropriate methodology. The advice of experts will tell you how to do the restoration of the baths with your own hands at home. They will be discussed later.
The need for restoration
Before you consider the recommendations on the restoration of the bath with your own hands for beginners, you need to understand why do such an action. After all, you can simply replace the old bowl by choosing a suitable product in the plumbing store. In some cases, according to experts, it is still better to work hard, restoring the coating of the bath.
This, for example, is true for an old cast-iron bowl. Many modern bathtubs cannot compete in terms of durability with this type of plumbing. Steel and acrylic bowls for this indicator are far behind. In any case, it is worth thinking about restoration, if at the moment there is no required amount for the purchase of a solid, but expensive bath. Do not buy cheap bowls. They will require replacement faster than you expect. Therefore, do not save on the purchase of high-quality plumbing. It will pay off during operation.
While the owners are saving up money for a quality bath, the old bowl can be restored. It is also worth considering that dismantling and removing a cast-iron product is quite problematic. Such a bath weighs a lot, so you will need to hire workers. This entails additional costs. In some cases, you will generally have to break the old plumbing into parts right in the apartment. Because of this, a lot of construction debris is formed.
You can also do your own restoration of acrylic or steel bathtubs. Follow the instructions of the manufacturer of the surface repair agent. Only by properly performing the restoration procedure, you can create a beautiful and durable top layer that will cover all the bumps and hide the yellowness. The life of the bath in this case is significantly extended. Repair work in the bathroom can be postponed until better times. Restoration will require minimal investment.
Enamel coating
If there is a desire to restore the effective appearance of the surface, you need to do the restoration of the bath with enamel with your own hands. On sale are special formulations that need to be selected correctly. There are enamels designed for cast iron, acrylic and steel bowls.
It should be noted that applying a similar composition to the surface of the bath will differ from the coating created in the production environment. So, in the manufacture of plumbing, enamel is applied to the surface, and then processed at high temperatures. Therefore, the protective layer is strong and durable. Do not expect that after the restoration of the baths with your own hands at home, you will be able to get the same result.
Let the enamel coating created by your own hands be less durable, but for a certain period of time (set by the manufacturer) it will still serve. During this time, you can raise funds to buy a quality new bath.
Enamel coating not only gives a spectacular appearance to plumbing. It prevents the destruction of the bowl under the influence of mechanical, thermal, chemical factors. As a result, the surface becomes resistant to detergents, temperature drops. It is less likely that it will become covered with cracks, chips will not appear on it if the owners accidentally drop a shower watering can or a weighty soap box into it.
If the appearance of the bath has noticeably worsened over time, damage to the layer created in the factory should be repaired as soon as possible. Otherwise, rust may appear, which indicates the destruction of the metal of the bowl. Under the influence of moisture, unprotected metal sections undergo corrosion. To avoid such sad consequences, it is necessary to restore the surface in time.
Enamel recovery methods
How to make a bath restoration with your own hands? To do this, select the appropriate technique. For an acrylic, cast-iron or steel bowl, suitable materials must be selected. There are three main methods for restoration of the bowl.
- One of the most popular approaches is to use plumbing acrylic. It is also called a bulk bath. The surface of the bowl in this case is treated with liquid acrylic. Do-it-yourself bath restoration in this case is quite simple and quick. Liquid acrylic is a special paint. You can choose any shade in accordance with the color scheme in the interior. This will harmoniously fit plumbing into the existing design.
- The second technique involves the use of a special liner made on the basis of acrylic. Such a product can be purchased at a specialized store. But more often, such inserts are ordered directly from the manufacturer. In this case, the additional part will exactly match the configuration of the bowl. This is especially important if the owners had an irregularly shaped bathtub installed.
- The third method involves the use of enamel paint in the restoration process. This is a special plumbing fixture. It has special characteristics, which allows you to process the old bowl quickly and efficiently.
Preparation of tools, materials
To perform the restoration of the old bath with your own hands, you need to prepare special tools, purchase the necessary materials. It is necessary to purchase a special kit designed to restore the bath. This kit may include different components. Most often, it has a special enamel, as well as a hardener. Experts recommend choosing kits, which also include special means for preparing the bath.
You need to change into work clothes, which will not be a pity to stain with a coloring composition. If you work carefully, you can do just an apron. Be sure to use a respirator and protective gloves when processing the bowl.
From the tools you need to prepare a brush, roller, in order to apply the coloring composition to the surface with an even layer. In the process of preliminary preparation of plumbing, sandpaper is used. In order to prepare the bowl for applying the enamel layer more quickly, you need to use a grinder or drill with a special nozzle. In this case, the processing of the inner surface of the bath will occur faster.
Among other things, you need to prepare acetone, primer and rags. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of funds for restoration. It is better to choose the compositions that need to be applied with a roller or brush. If a spray can is purchased, it is used to treat only a small defect. If you use an aerosol to restore the entire bowl, the result will be unsatisfactory. The layer is uneven, inhomogeneous. Because of this, the appearance of the coating will be much worse.
The price of the product for restoring the surface of the bath depends on the composition and manufacturer. If you need to restore a cast-iron or steel bath with enamel, you can purchase an effective, but at the same time inexpensive Svetlana composition. This set costs 900-1000 rubles. Some craftsmen use Finnish enamel Realflex 50 manufactured by Tikkurila. The price of 1 kg of funds is 650-700 rubles.
If you plan to do the restoration of the bath yourself with liquid acrylic, a kit for such a procedure will cost more. A popular product in this series is Plastall products. A set of this manufacturer can be purchased at a price of about 2.5 thousand rubles. The kit includes everything you need for the restoration. There is even a disc that gradually explains how to process the bath.
Acrylic liner can be bought at a price of about 3.5 thousand rubles.
Surface preparation
Wanting to do the restoration of the bathroom with your own hands, you need to consider the phased implementation of such actions. Before applying the appropriate composition to the surface, you need to properly prepare the base. The surface should be homogeneous, roughened and light. Only in this case, the restoration will be successful.
First of all, the surface will need to be cleaned of rust. For this, acid-based products, such as hydrochloric, are used. Such a composition is applied to a dry surface where rust has appeared. After 10 minutes from ugly orange smudges there will be no trace. Such a solution will destroy the old enamel on the bowl. It is important to thoroughly rinse off the surface of the bath.
Oxalic acid is also an effective anti-rust agent. This composition lasts longer, but it is softer, more accurate. To remove rust spots, oxalic acid must remain on the surface for 40 minutes. Then it also needs to be thoroughly washed off.
When the rust can be removed, proceed to the subsequent preparation of the surface. In the process of restoration of the bath with your own hands at home, you need to prepare the foundation before applying the composition. It is treated with a grinder or sandpaper. Particularly need to work out surfaces where there are chips or cracks. They are completely removed before applying the composition.
Dust and debris that will appear during grinding are removed. The base is treated with acetone and coated with a primer. This composition should dry thoroughly (in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions). The bath is heated qualitatively, using a building hair dryer for these purposes. After that, you can proceed to the subsequent processing.
Enamel application
Do-it-yourself bath restoration at home is often done using special plumbing enamel. The procedure takes place in several stages. You need to purchase a restoration kit. Before using it, be sure to study the manufacturer's instructions.
Before applying enamel to the surface, you should familiarize yourself with the manufacturer's instructions. The composition is thoroughly mixed to obtain a uniform consistency. Brush enamel is applied to the prepared surface. Smears can be made both short and long. First, the brush needs to slide on the surface from bottom to top and top to bottom. When the first layer is created, you will need to paint the bath in a horizontal direction. Particular attention should be paid to the areas near the drain holes, as well as to the corners.
The first layer of enamel should dry completely. Then you need to color the bath again. The surface is painted several times until a uniform, uniform color is obtained. If there are dark spots or rust on the base, they appear on the surface of the enamel. Therefore, you need to carefully prepare the surface before applying the composition.
Liquid acrylic
Often the owners install an acrylic bowl in the bathroom. Do-it-yourself acrylic restoration is quite simple. This material has a lot of positive qualities. Most often, glass is used for restoration work in the bathroom, which consists of two main components. The first of them is coloring, and the second is a hardener. This type of acrylic was invented specifically for restoration work in the bathroom.
Without hardener, acrylic could not freeze quickly and efficiently. In the course of their connection, a chemical reaction occurs. The layer gradually hardens, gaining strength. As a result, the film on the surface will be very durable. The thickness of the layer of liquid acrylic is from 4 to 6 mm.
Among the advantages of glass, which is used during the restoration of baths with their own hands at home, experts call the optimal viscosity. This composition is easy to apply to the surface. This substance is moderately fluid. It is able to envelop the surface, creating an even, thin layer. This is the key to the durability of the coating.
Stakril does not dry too quickly, so the master manages to make the appropriate adjustments. The hardened layer is characterized by shock resistance. It is stronger than enamel and liner.
Acrylic application
Doing the restoration of acrylic baths with your own hands, you need to disconnect the siphon. A container is placed under it, where the material will drain. Further, liquid acrylic is mixed with the hardener in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions.
A container of paint is placed on the upper edge of the bath. It is slowly poured into the bowl. The paint container is gradually moved around the edge until the entire surface is filled with liquid acrylic. The layer is then left to dry, which occurs within 4 days. The longer the polymerization period of the composition, the stronger the layer will be.
Application liner
This is the most difficult way to restore a bath. The cost of materials in this case is higher. Only a specialist can install the liner correctly. Only if this material was manufactured in accordance with the particular configuration of the bowl, you can perform the installation yourself.
After surface preparation, the liner and the bath are treated with a special composition. Next, it is installed in the bowl. Cold water is collected in the bath. It needs to be drained in a day.
Reviews
Considering the reviews about the restoration of the bath with your own hands, it is worth noting that the owners of private houses and apartments note the need to use only high-quality compositions. They cannot be cheap.
In their reviews, customers note that it is best to perform restoration using liquid acrylic. In this case, the surface is smooth, durable, and the life of such a bath with a careful attitude is about 20 years.