4 Common Problems With Tub Resurfacing & Their Solutions
Successfully resurfaced bathtubs are nearly impossible to discern over brand new tubs. And resurfacing can save you hundreds, if not thousands, on your bathroom remodel. But it is important to know, not every job turns out perfectly because not every bathtub refinishing professional is experienced.
Keep an eye out for these imperfections in your finish…
Bubbles
If air becomes trapped in between individual layers of coating, bubbles can appear. This is sometimes due to the coating not curing properly, but it could also happen if the refinisher does not strip the tubs’ old finish prior to resurfacing. A bathtub will only need stripped if it has been previously resurfaced, even with a DIY kit. Some signs that you bathtub has been resurfaced before include peeling, chipping, or flaking especially around the drain or soap dish area. It is important to completely remove, or strip, the old finish off of the tub so the new surface can bond to the original substrate. Failure to strip a previously resurfaced tub can result in bubbles in the finish or eventually premature coating failure. And stripping your tub can be dangerous business due to the hazardous chemicals often found in stripping agents. Ask your refinisher if any of their products contain methylene chloride before making a hiring decision.
Solution: Make sure your resurfacing technician strips the tub if it has been done before. Or wait 24 hrs for the coating the cure properly and do not let water come in contact with the tub during the curing process.
Fading
Fading can occur if the refinish coating is mixed too thinly, or just an incorrect mixture of materials. It is also caused by not allowing proper curing time or using improper cleaners. If the coating was mixed too thinly before application then some of the original surface will show through, hence the fading. In other cases where abrasive cleaners are used, such as Comet or Ajax, the tub fades because the cleaners are sanding down the finish. The gloss is usually the first to go, but if there is a continued use of abrasive cleaners then fading is also a possibility. Harsh abrasive chemicals are not to be used on refinished tubs.
Rough Texture
A refinished bathtub should feel smooth to the touch. But if your refinished bathtub has a texture that feels rough, pointy, or like sandpaper (and you didn’t have a non-slip surface applied) this could indicate that the surface wasn’t sanded or cleaned properly before the coating was applied. It could also be that dust and debris got trapped in the finish. Because it is impossible to ensure a dust-free environment in the bathroom in some cases dust particles settle in the finish during curing. Some slight imperfections are normal but too much can be uncomfortable. Give your refinishing professional a call if your tubs coating is uncomfortably rough, in most cases this issue will fall under warranty and can be repaired in a short amount of time.
Solution: The refinishing process is not dust free to make sure the refinishing technician sands the tub down and cleans the tub multiple times during the process. Try cleaning the tub with a product from their recommended cleaners list, sometimes the dust will rinse off the tub with no need for a return visit.
Sticky or Tacky Feel
If the newly refinished bathtub feels sticky or tacky after the required cure period, avoid using the tub. The sticky feeling indicates that the coating did not cure properly and may need to be resprayed. This can occur if the resurfacing materials aren’t mixed properly or the coating is reacting to a cleaning agent or chemical. This is not a common occurrence if the refinishing professional is adequately trained on the proper mixing ratios for the materials. However, if it does occur the best policy is to keep your hands off the tub.
Our Process Graphic
Had my tub reglazed, a few small bubbles appeared, also the tiles around the tub are gritty, and the floor tiles have marks that are very hard to remove. Can you advise me on what I can use for these problems? Thanks, Linda
why bubbles are comming in bath tub inside finishing area why please let me know
The bubbles could be caused by a solvent reaction or the original surface not being adequately prepped. I would recommend contacting the original company who resurfaced your tub, they should be able to return to touch the areas that are bubbling.
The tub in my apartment was stripped this morning and will be finished in 2 days. The apartment staff say I can use the tub tonight for a shower but I find that hard to believe since there are now holes in it where they took parts out. I also am not sure if we should even be in there since the whole bathroom was covered with a powder that gave me a headache after only being in there for a minute or two with the fan on. do you have any answers that could help me with my concerns.
Sure, we would be happy to help! If the tub was just stripped and awaiting a refinish it should be ok to use (although ugly) in the meantime. However, if there are visible holes in the tub then it may be wise to hold off on using the tub until those are repaired, just to avoid water damage. And the powder you are seeing in your bathroom could be remnants of the old coating that was stripped off the tub. Since this was not our company who is completing the work it is a little difficult to determine their method of stripping and/or what kind of chemicals they are using. Either way, they should not have left that powder or sanding particulates in your bathroom. Also, some people are more sensitive to chemical odor than others so if you are experiencing discomfort it may be beneficial to relocate until the project is complete.
I will not call the contractor back who did my tub because he just keeps making matter worse…i need to know how to clean my bathroom now that he has left the residue all over …i need something that will clean up the overspray residue..would you recommend something for me to use…IT WOULD BE MUCH APPRECIATED….
Lacquer thinner should be able to remove any overspray from surrounding surfaces, like the floor or toilet.
Had fiberglass crack repaired and area reglazed 3 days ago. Repaired area higher than the rest and overspray doesn’t blend. Very obvious repair and house going on the market in 7 days. Help!
Happy to help! We just sent you an email
I want to have my bathtub refinished. It has been refinished about 5 years ago so has to be sanded down again. The company says the finish will be an orange peel finish. They don’t offer a smooth finish. He also says he can put caulk down before he does the glaze and put the glaze on top of the caulk. Does this sound right to you?
Every company has a different process so it is a little difficult to speculate. However, I have never heard of a resurfacing company offering an “orange peel finish” because that would essentially defeat the purpose of having the tub resurfaced in the first place. And since caulk is meant to be replaced every couple of years we do not spray our coating over top of the caulk lines; however, some companies do.
My bathtub was refinished perfectly when the job done. But after turning on the water, it appears the bubbles next day and peel off. What is the cause and how to resolve the problem?
After use with water it appears bubbles and peeling off. What cause it and how to solve it?
We are refinishing a 70 year old cast iron tub with a Rustoleum kit. This tub has shower doors on it, which we are going to remove. The screws will leave holes on the top of the tub and I need to know if we should fill them BEFORE OR AFTER refinishing the tub?? And also, if you can recommend the best product for filling the holes or any small cracks we might find??
Thanks!!
Did our DIY on reglazing the tub – can we lightly sand a run mark? One suggestion was to soak the fine sandpaper first? Do we wait until after the cure? Helpful suggestions appreciated!
Overall the refinish is decent…not great. Except for the front of the tub where I had bad runs. It never dried. After a few hours I hit it with a palm sander and then added more pant. Its a little better but not great. What should I do?
Some my stand up shower is 20+ years old. One day I noticed blisters on the bottom of the shower. It is getting worse. Loaded question what causes this after time(age)? Is it better to get it resurfaced or buy a new shower which I do not have the money for at the moment.
I re-glazed my bathroom sink and followed the instructions to the letter. It has been a week and the finish is still tacky! I don’t know what to do! Any suggestions?
I paid a high price for an old original cast iron tub with claw feet and for this guy to refinish it with Perma-Glaze. this was five years ago. he had to come back two years later for bubbles which broke open. he repaired them in my bathroom and told me it was the cleaning solution i was using which was one of his suggested products. i changed to another one of his suggested cleaners and i again got more bubbles and bigger peels. He came back and totally redid the tub again and told me to change my cleaning solution again. i am getting more bubbles but this time on the top lip on the tub and not where i put the cleaner. i am so frustrated with his job so far. he says life time warranty but every time i call him he gives me a hard time. i wish i knew someone to do it over better or find out what his problem is since i can’t be my cleaner every time. any help i would greatly appreciate.
Sandra, there are no cleaning products on the planet that would cause the coating to fail like that. At most improper cleaners will just stain or discolor the coating. Without seeing pics it sounds like this is either shoddy prep work or improper application of the coating. Either way you have two options…you can deal with your current refinisher knowing that this issue will probably continue to happen. Or you can hire another company to come in and strip the old finish off and resurface the clawfoot in its entirety again. Sorry you are having to deal with this!
i took a fiberglass tub in2002 that had been removed from a house that we modeled in 1997 it sat out behind garage the corners where cracked and handle house was cracking from sun resurfaced those areas and around drain with automotive bondo sanded and applied the bush on type tuff as tile bought it at lowes about $15 back then it is in my master bath and aint had no problems this is 2019 i am a retired master carpenter now thats a indorsment plan and simple
I have my tub re-glazed and there are 2 runs, can I sand them down and polish to get the gloss back?
My bath tiles are dull after spraying. How to I get a glossy look?
I reglazed my tub looks bad runs and pitch. How do I get the reglaze off without hurting my tub
I am repainting my cast-iron bathtub the Rust-Oleum is starting to peel before I have finished my project what do I do
I finished the first coat of the re-glazing yesterday using Rustoleum tub & tile and there are bumps throughout the surface. I had cleaned and sanded thoroughly and finally used a tack cloth before painting. Can I sand down the bumps in a couple of days and put on the second coat? I used a roller with 1/4″ nap for the first coat.
Just had our tub refinished. This is the second time in 5 years do to chips and cracks in the tub. First time the bottom was rough as well…until my husband decided to dump dirty Rug Doctor water down the drain, instead of using the toilet. It took the refinish right off, but no more rough tub.
This time we went with a different contractor. I told him what had happened the last time and asked him if the bottom was going to be rough again. He told me to just lay a washcloth or towel down when we use the tub?!? Also when taking out the drain he punctured the drain pipe with a screw driver, then told us that he would be willing to pay for half of the repair, because the drain was faulty. Which the plumber, that he called, confirmed it was NOT.
He also charged me more because he had to remove the old finish, because it was chipping. Which I was fine with until I read your page. Feel like he should have done a better job. I’m suppose to pay him tomorrow but feel like he should fix how rough it feels first. Also don’t feel like it was ok that I had to pay for the plumber.
Oh no! I’m sorry this is happening to you, but happy that our blog could help. Best of luck with your refinisher!