Over time, the coating of any bath can become unusable. Restoring it is not so simple. Recently, liquid acrylic for bathtubs has been very popular. This tool allows you not only to return the gloss to any product, but also to remove small cracks and chips. Liquid acrylic restoration is considered the most effective method. This product first appeared on the market in 2009. Liquid acrylic became a real sensation. After all, he has many advantages.
Preparing a bath for liquid acrylic restoration is very easy
First of all, before applying the product does not require heavy preparatory work, for example, the dismantling of the bath. In this case, it is not necessary to carefully remove the yellowness that has eaten into the coating.
To eliminate all kinds of cracks on the old enamel, you can use ordinary putty for cars. In addition, before applying acrylic, you can not remove rust with various special solvents, as well as converters. It is enough to walk along the old layer of enamel with sandpaper.
Little tip
Liquid acrylic allows you to completely restore the surface of the bath. However, to make the coating smooth, you should seriously approach the preparation of the product. After sanding, wash the bath with warm water and detergent.
When buying all the materials necessary for the restoration of bathtubs, special attention should be paid to liquid acrylic. Only long-drying should be selected. Due to the composition of such a mixture, the final coating will be much stronger. At the same time, this acrylic will last longer.
After completing all work, the bathroom should be closed to eliminate any fluctuations in air, insects and dust on a fresh coating. Dry the product after restoration should be at least four days. In some cases, it takes a little longer.
After the restoration of the bath in the room, it is worth maintaining the temperature within 17 - 25 ° C above zero. You can install the overflow and drain siphon only after the new coating has completely dried.
Liquid acrylic: advantages
The most important advantage of this material is the high strength of the coating that it forms. This is achieved thanks to a layer of 6 millimeters. It is worth noting that a product coated with liquid acrylic can withstand even a hammer blow.
Another advantage of acrylic is its low thermal conductivity. Typically, bathtubs are made of steel or cast iron. However, such products have a sufficiently high thermal conductivity. For example, in a bath of cast iron, the water will cool in just 4 minutes by one degree. As for acrylic, this material, on the contrary, does not allow the contents of the bath to cool. Water in a product with such a coating will cool more slowly: one degree in 30 minutes.
In addition, the surface covered with acrylic remains snow-white much longer. Over the years, baths begin to turn yellow. However, products coated with acrylic, longer than others, delight their owners with pristine whiteness. But that is not all. A layer of liquid acrylic is resistant to chemical detergents, which can also be considered one of the advantages of this coating.
Another advantage of the substance is durability. Typically, an acrylic coating is warranted for approximately 10 years. In this case, the product can be used daily. The material does not lose its practical and aesthetic qualities.
How best to prepare a bath
So, liquid acrylic, the price of which depends on some indicators, does not require special preparation of the product before application. However, you still have to prepare a bath. To do this, you should buy a regular cleaning agent, as well as rubber gloves, nozzles for a drill, sandpaper and a spatula. When all the tools are at hand, you can get to work.
Using a brush and cleaning agent, thoroughly wash the bath. This will eliminate stubborn dirt and limescale. Also for these purposes, you can use ordinary baking soda. In this case, the bath will also be degreased.
After that, it is worth removing all the decorative linings on the overflow and drain hole. Place their installation should be cleaned from rust. For these purposes, it is better to use sandpaper. If there is a special need, you can use special nozzles for a drill. This will remove stubborn rust.
In addition, it is worth walking with sandpaper on all the slopes of the product. This way you can easily remove pieces of enamel that have fallen behind the walls. If necessary, a spatula can be used.
If during operation or during cleaning, potholes appear on the surface of the bath, they should be puttied. After drying, all places must be cleaned again. In this case, it is worth using automotive polyester putty or epoxy.
After preparation, the product must be washed with running water. But that is not all. Experts recommend to draw warm water into the bath, and then drain it after 10 minutes. This will allow the material to warm up. This is best done before applying liquid acrylic.
Then the product should be wiped dry and dried. You can use a building hair dryer for this.
We begin the restoration of the bath
Repairing bathtubs with liquid acrylic takes a lot of time and requires patience and accuracy. You can start work only after the coating is ready. Hardener must be added to dishes with a polymer base, and then mix thoroughly. It should be borne in mind that you need to mix the composition for 12 minutes. Otherwise, uncured liquid acrylic will remain on the bath surface.
Pour a portion of the finished mixture, approximately 1.5 or 1 liter, into a separate container equipped with a spout. If this is not, then you can do it yourself. To do this, cut the neck in a regular plastic bottle.
In prepared dishes, pour diluted liquid bulk acrylic. After that, you can proceed to the restoration of the bath.
How to coat the product with acrylic
You should start from the corner of the bath that is adjacent to the wall. You need to create a layer of liquid acrylic of about 5 centimeters. In this case, the substance should flow freely along the slopes of the product to the middle. You need to move along the perimeter of the bath gradually, evenly distributing the mixture. It should flow freely. You only need to move around the perimeter of the bath. In this case, be careful not to overfill.
When the perimeter of the product is completely covered with liquid acrylic, you can not add the mixture to the already restored parts. Otherwise, an ugly smudge is formed. Covering the bathtub with liquid acrylic does not end there.
The next round should start from the middle of the slopes of the product. At the end of the restoration, an excessively thick layer may form at the bottom of the bathtub. It should be leveled with a spatula. You need to move in the direction of the drain. This will remove excess mixture by draining them into the sewer.
It is strictly forbidden to touch the sides of the bath with a spatula. This may lead to a breach of the integrity of the new coating. It is worth remembering that all the influxes will disperse on their own.
Some caveats
Liquid acrylic for baths must be used carefully and very quickly. All restoration work should not last more than 4 hours. During the application of liquid acrylic, do not make long stops and large breaks. Of course, without the experience of such work, the restoration of the bath will take a lot of time. However, it is worth remembering that masters coating products with liquid acrylic takes only a few hours.
User reviews
Today, for the restoration of baths, many choose liquid acrylic. Reviews about this tool are mostly positive. Most people say that their bathtub has acquired a purely white shade. The main thing is to apply liquid acrylic gradually, observing all the rules. In addition, many consumers indicate in their reviews that the coating is resistant not only to household chemicals, but also to mechanical damage. But a decrease in thermal conductivity allows you to bask in warm water longer than usual. Negative feedback on liquid acrylic is a rarity. They are mainly associated with improper application of the mixture.
In a short time without dismantling and exhausting preparation of all surfaces, you can get an updated bath, which is practically no different from a new one.
The cost of liquid acrylic
Liquid acrylic, the price of which depends on the volume of the container and the qualities of the hardener, can be purchased at many hardware stores. It is usually sold in plastic buckets. Moreover, the capacity is at least 3.5 kilograms. As for the hardener, it is sold exclusively in half-liter bottles.
It is worth noting that such a quantity of materials will be enough to cover the bathtubs of any metal 1.7 meters long. As for the cost of liquid acrylic, on average it is 1100 - 1800 rubles per bucket. If you are not confident in your own abilities, you can hire specialists from a company that provides bath restoration services. Of course, it will cost much more: about 3,500 rubles.