Does anyone have any experience with refinishing a bathtub and where to get the specialty paint? Back at home we have these DIY kits called Rust Oleum ( http://m.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-...0519/202246270 ) but I went to Jumbo the other day and all they could offer was a spray paint specialized for minor fixes for the bathtub.
The washroom in the apartment I am moving to is extremely outdated and has a pink tub!! So I'm wondering if anyone has done this project on their own or if hired a contractor, what does it cost?
I'm guessing you are renting, so remember, you will have to hand back the place in the same state as you received it. If the bath was pink you'd have to return it pink.
Technically, its as indicated in the "etat des lieux", and signed. Meaning, if it was pink but you forgot to mention it in the document, well, you are screwed.
Which is why it's important to inspect everything properly, and write it down in that document when moving it (there's a grace period to inform of additional findings at the beginning of the tenancy).
Also, "back in the same state" is moderated by the lifetime of items, such as if it was a sink over 40 years old, and it was in good state when you move in, it's "dead" and no longer on the tenant's concerns.
We'll be looking to do this in a planned new property next year - have found suitabler products in French and German DIY shops, so assume they're also available in CH. We'll also be painting over tiling in the same colour schemes, rather than ripping everything out and starting over.
It looks like a relatively straightforward DIY job, but of course it won't be reversible, so if you're not the owner and you screw it up then it could be a problem.
As for why - someone in the previous thread said "baths are cheap", but the cost difference between painting a metal tub and getting it replaced with a new one would be well into 4 figures, so it's definitely worth a shot. And if you factor in tiling as well, which may be needed if you rip out an old bath that's been tiled around it, then you could be looking at several thousands for even a modest sized bathroom.
I did the DIY tile paint as an emergency moving-in fix, but it's no good for a long term job - now peeling around the edges because it doesn't stick to silicone, and it scratches easily.
I think there are more professional 2-pack solutions, and of course for a refitting you would remove the silicone and reseal over the paint, but I'd be very cautious without a decent guarantee.
I woudn't expect a guarantee as such, but yes, we'll be very careful about properly preparing everything, and choosing the more 'professional' products.
At the end of the day, though, it's likely that we'd be looking to remodel them in a few years anyway, so it is only a stop-gap solution. Just that we'll be adding a couple of extra bathrooms and a new kitchen in the short term, so wanting to limit up-front expenditure. If the finish is good enough to leave permanently then I'll consider it a bonus.
Same here - it's certainly much cheaper and quicker, and ours went from unbearably unbelievably dark to quite bright, and as it's not our "public" bathroom it'll do until we replace it next year.