How to restore a cast-iron bath

With intensive use for a long time, the cast-iron bath coating loses its integrity, as a result, extremely ugly-looking smudges and stains may appear, dirt will get into the cracks, which will lead to the appearance of an unpleasant smell, in general, there is little positive. The situation is further complicated by the fact that the replacement of equipment, which comes to mind in the first place, is a rather expensive procedure, both in terms of labor investment and cash costs. Therefore, knowing how to restore a cast-iron bath will never be superfluous, and in many cases it will allow you to get out of this unpleasant situation with minimal cost. How to do this, and will be discussed further.

Ways of restoration

It is necessary to make a reservation at once that there are several options for the implementation of the task, and each of them has both obvious advantages and comparative disadvantages, which requires a separate consideration.

Acrylic application

One of the main options for redecorating the cast-iron bath can be considered the use of special compositions based on acrylic. This option will have several advantages:

• Easy to apply. Most often, acrylic is applied by a simple filling method on the surface, which allows you to carry out the procedure yourself.
• Durability coverage. Due to the components in the composition of acrylic blends, the layer obtained during the polymerization process is able to retain its performance characteristics for a very long period of 7 to 15 years, depending on the operating conditions.
• Aesthetic appeal. The resulting layer of work, with proper performance of the necessary actions has a homogeneous structure, and the possibility of using different colors and additives allows you to choose the shade of acrylic coating for a particular interior.
• High efficiency. The acrylic composition, which is applied to the surface of the bath, usually has a thickness of about 5–6 mm, which allows it to fill almost any cracks and level quite significant surface defects.
• Performance characteristics. This refers to the absence of an unpleasant odor when applied, which is quite important when using the compositions at home.

As for the minuses, it is possible to distinguish a rather high cost of acrylic compositions and a rather long (up to three days) drying time. Otherwise, this method of recovery of the cast-iron bath is good enough.

Drawing is made elementary. First, the bath surface is thoroughly sanded, washed and degreased. After this, the composition is uniformly poured over the entire surface of the bath from the top sides.

Upon completion, it is better to leave the bath and restrict access to it, since even the smallest motes and particles of dirt will affect the appearance if they get inside the composition before it dries.

Enamel Bath Coating

Another way to renew an old bath is to apply a layer of enamel on its surface. This option also has a number of positive points:

• Relatively low cost. Enamel due to the less complex chemical composition than the same acrylic, has a lower price, which under certain circumstances can be a decisive argument.
• Versatility of use. Here we are talking about the fact that enamel can be applied both to cast-iron baths, and to plumbing fixtures made of steel.
• Short application time.

The negative qualities can be attributed to a relatively small (up to five years) service life, a long time for the composition to dry, the enamel layer, as a rule, has a small thickness, and therefore cannot cope with large cracks and chipped coatings. Among other things, enameled coating, due to the presence in the composition of epoxy resins, tends to change color over time.

Application technology is generally similar to acrylic. The treated surface is prepared, after which the composition is applied. The difference is that the enamels are applied with a brush, and due to the lower layer thickness, it may be necessary to apply the composition in several layers.

Installation of acrylic liner

Another option for the restoration of the bath surface is to install an acrylic liner that will follow the inner contour of the old plumbing element. Here everything is as simple as possible - a suitable liner is purchased and, after surface preparation, is installed inside an old bath with a special adhesive composition. The method is most effective and simple to implement, but it should be noted that it requires careful work as well as partial dismantling of the bath equipment, for example, a drain siphon. Otherwise, the option is quite acceptable.

In conclusion, it should be added that there are several ways to resolve the issue of restoring an old cast-iron bath, and each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. Deciding whether to use any of them or better to replace the bathroom, it is necessary based on their own considerations, skills and capabilities.

Video

The provided video clearly shows how to perform a cast-iron bath restoration: