Bathroom Resurfacing FAQs

NOTHING! They are all terms used to define the same thing.
 

Basically, they refer to applying a new surface over an existing surface. The existing surface might be a bath, basin, or tiles. The new surface is usually a paint of some sort that is being sprayed on to the existing surface.
 

Over the years, we have come across people using house paints, two pack car paints, industrial paints, and other combination's, to try and re-surface a bathtub. None of these products were ever designed for bathtubs and as a result they tend to eventually fail, some lasting a little longer than others depending on the usage of the bathtub.

Over the years, bathtubs have been constructed from various surfaces. The most common of these is cast iron, pressed steel and recently fiberglass.
 

Cast iron and pressed steel bathtubs have a vitreous enamel coating over them. Vitreous enamel is basically a powder that covers the bathtub which is then fired in an oven at temperatures exceeding over 1000 degrees. This causes the powder to turn to glass and becomes a very hard substance which is ideal for the punishment that bathtubs have to go through.

A Bathtub has to withstand an enormous amount of pressure that very few other surfaces in your home would be subject to.

In the middle of winter, the surface temperature of a bathtub can be particularly cold. When you turn on hot water to use the bath first thing in the morning, the surface temperature changes rapidly as the bathtub surface heats up. And then the reverse when you finish using the bath.

It is this constant expansion and contraction that a coating has to be able to withstand if it is going to have any hope of surviving for any length of time on a bath.

In addition to this, there is also the punishment a bathtub receives from the different products that we use to clean ourselves with, e.g. shampoos, conditioners, soaps, bubble baths, bath oils, etc. And when combined with body fats they can form a very corrosive agent if left on the bath surface for any period of time. We all know how hard it is to scrub off the ring around the bathtub after you let the water out; especially if you leave it for a few days before you clean it.

And then there are all the different products we use to clean bathtubs. All these contain many different chemicals that can do a lot of damage to a bathtub even if it has never been resurfaced.

Even water that is left to lie in a bath, unable to drain away, will damage the surface of a bathtub over a period of time. Dripping taps can stain the surface of a brand new bath over a period of time.

Bathroom Werx manufactures their own unique enamel coating specifically designed and formulated to withstand the above pressures a bath has to endure.

We have over twenty years of experience in this business and our Enamel Coating for Bathtubs and Tiles has a proven track record that enables us to guarantee it for SEVEN YEARS on whatever surface we apply it on.

If your bathtub has chips in it, or rust around the outlet, or areas where the surface is worn to the metal; then these areas must be repaired first before any re-surfacing work takes place.
 

The re-surfacing will only last if these areas have been repaired first.

A re-surfaced bath using the Werx enamel can be expected to last as long as the original surface on the bath. We back this up with a SEVEN YEAR written guarantee.

It is not necessary to replace the bathtub. There is no need to disconnecting plumbing, remove tiling, or any of the mess and inconvenience involved in removing and replacing a bathtub. The Bathroom Werx process has been specifically designed to be done in your home so that the work on the bathtub can be done in about 4-5 hours, and you can re-use your NEW bathtub 24 hours after we have finished. No hassles, no fuss, no mess!

The actual product used to resurface baths, tiles, basins and even benchtops varies dramatically from one company to the next. The basic process includes the following:

• the surfaces are cleaned and prepared
• any damage is repaired
• the new coating is applied

Resurfacing gives bathroom fixtures a bright, shiny finish that looks like new. It saves fixtures and fittings from being dumped when they're perfectly serviceable, but in need of freshening up to extend their life. Re-surfacing is about half the cost of replacing tiles, baths and basins.

Bathroom Werx can mix colours on-site to match other bathroom fixtures if required or you can choose you own decorator colour. So you can virtually have any colour you like.

Tile resurfacing might seem too good to be true, and it does have a few limitations. While you can replace dated colours, you can't cover up embossed patterns (you'll still be able to make out the pattern in certain lights). So, if you don't like the pattern, re-tiling is really your only option. However, it is often the colour of embossed tiles that is the problem and not the pattern itself. If this is the case then resurfacing is the perfect option.

Chipped and cracked tiles can usually be repaired with filler but, if the damage is extensive, some re-tiling will be necessary.

Resurfacing also covers grout lines, which some think is a good thing as it leaves less space for grime and soap to accumulate and makes cleaning easier. It also stops mould and mildew growing in the grout.

Any enameled surface, whether it's new or has just been resurfaced, requires extra care to maintain its shiny new appearance.
 

Most companies would recommend only using mild detergents to clean enamel surfaces.
 

Cleaning Grandma was right; kerosene is probably the best product to keep your bathroom looking bright and shiny. Unfortunately it stinks, so if you don't like the smell, you'll have to use another product.
 

Most Bathroom manufacturers do not recommend that you use abrasive cleaners as they scratch surfaces as they clean and are best avoided - stick to mild detergents and other soft liquid cleaners.
 

The alkaline properties of soap make it the enemy of shiny surfaces. It can eventually eat through glaze so invest in a soap dish and make sure the bath is rinsed out after use to avoid that dreadful bath ring.
 

Avoid any activities that are likely to chip or scratch the surface of the resurfaced bath and basin. It's not a good idea to strip down your motorbike in the bath or bathe the dog in the basin, though you might be surprised how many people do.