Porcelain is a white translucent ceramic that's applied to cast iron and then fired in a furnace at over 2200 degrees. It's a lot like firing pottery and setting the glaze. Nobody can re-porcelainize a bath tub in place - period. The tub would have to be removed and sent to the factory to be re-porcelainized.

What happened to the shiny, smooth finish that was on the bath tub?

 The shiny finish was removed either by using abrasive cleaners (comet, ajax or scrubbers) or the bath tub was treated with acid-base chemical cleaners such as Lime Away, CLR or any acid cleaner that you can purchase at your local hardware store.

 The way we cleaned our bathtub was passed down from generation to generation. Great-Grandma showed Grandma, who showed Mom, who showed Me how to clean a bathtub. The process was to wet the tub and shake an abrasive powder like "comet" around the inside of the tub. Then scrub the bath tub clean, rinse, repeat if necessary. Remember after the tub was dry, if you rubbed your hand in the bottom of the bath tub you could still feel the grit left behind? Well that grit is like sand paper. The glossy tub surface was sanded off. We only scrubbed the inside of the tub and not the outside. That's why the shine is still on the outside of most bathtubs.

  The bath tub (in most cases) is as old as the house. In fact it was the first item that was brought into the bathroom and attached to the walls. The walls and floors were built around the bathtub. So it's a huge undertaking to remove the bath tub and replace it; rarely done - if ever. The sinks were replaced and so were the toilets but not the bath tubs.

 To restore the ceramic look to a bathtub requires refinishing, reporcelainizing or re-glazing; all are references to the same process.

 There are many different ways to prepare the bath tub for refinishing. The process that I use has passed the test of time.

The process is:

1. Thoroughly clean the bath tub and remove all caulking.

2. Using masking tape, tape all the way around the bath tub.

3. A high-speed ventilation fan is installed and vented outside. This is done to minimize any odors associated with the refinishing process.

4. We chemically remove all of the glazing from the bath tub (inside and out). This is probably the most important step which a lot of companies skip. This step removes all of the surface glazing from the bathtub, and creates an extremely porous surface which allows the primer to bond to the tub surface.

I'm not sure why some companies skip this important step - it certainly isn't wise!!!

5. After de-glossing the bathtub, the surface is converted to a neutral ph.

6. If there are any chipped or worn areas in the tub we fill and sand them smooth upon the customers request. There is a small additional fee for this.

7. Then drop-cloths are installed on the floor and protective covers are carefully draped over the vanity and toilet.

8. Two coats of a special porcelain primer are applied to the surface of the bath tub.

9. Next Twenty-Eight ounces of top coat mixture is applied to the primed surface (3-4 coats). The number of coats required is determined by temperature and humidity.

10. After the equipment is cleaned and put away, then drop cloths and protective coverings are removed. The area is wiped down, paper-work completed.

11. The bathtub can be used the following day.

 There are companies that state that they apply so many coats of primer and several coats of their top coat. I guess they feel they might gain an advertising edge by leading you to believe that more coats are better. When in fact most bath tub refinishing suppliers recommend the same amount of top coat mixture in ounces to be applied to the bath tub in order to extend a 5 year warranty.

 To keep your bath tub looking great for years to come, do not use any abrasive cleaners. No comet, ajax, green scrubbers, bar tenders friend. A good "rule of thumb" is, If it can hurt your skin, that cleaner should not be used in your house - period. Purchase a cleaner that is designed to gently clean bathtubs and showers. Now that the bathtub has a new shiny surface on it, those spray on cleaners will work just fine. One point here, after you spray the cleaner on the surface, wait at least 5 minutes before you clean and rinse the bath tub. This will allow the cleaner to loosen the soap residue.

 The use of bleach does not clean a bath tub. It will kill mold, make your white clothes white and wreck everything else. Bleach should not be used to clean a bath tub because it is an oxidizer (bad). Using a wash cloth, wash the inside of the bath tub and rinse out. I recommend cleaning your bath tub like your car. When it's dirty - clean it. The surface is smooth and shiny now and will clean easily with minimal effort.

 I hope I have answered all your questions and concerns here about bathtub refinishing. Please call if you have any further questions or would like to schedule an appointment

Mike - the tub guy