Bath Re-Enamelling

[Deleted member 18243]

Are these bath re-enamelling businesses any good?

My old iron bath is quite stained now, and the enamel around the plug hole is nearly all worn away and rust is showing through. I don't want to get rid of it though, it's been a great bath and still is; better than a plastic one any day.

Has anybody here got experience of re-enamelling? Is it any good and how much does it cost?

 

[Madrab]

I've used the Tubby kit on 2 old cast bath's. It's all in the prep, a really clean dust free area and attention to detail and the results were excellent .

 

[Cgas]

Aside from madrabs experiences I know someone whose had it done by a so called professional and within a few months it was back the same, and also had a family member had it done to no avail lasted a little longer and the bloke even come back and refunded part payment. Obviously they've done/prepped it incorrectly...

 

[Cgas]

I've used the Tubby kit on 2 old cast bath's. It's all in the prep, a really clean dust free area and attention to detail and the results were excellent .

Just out of curiousity are you madrab with the RS's and STs?

 

[jj4091]

A cast iron bath cannot be re-enamelled in situ. The companies that do it use cellulose or similar paint & spray it on. That is what the Tubbies kits are but you roller it on yourself. As Madrab says the results depend on the preparation but no matter how well you do it it will need redoing after about 3 years because of the extreme conditions. Research should show you that a new cast iron bath is about the same price as having it properly re-enamelled, but for either option the bath has to come out which is difficult because of the weight of the things.
I just respray ours every 3 years or so.

 

[Madrab]

Yup, should have been specific, the tubby system is a paint on enamel coating, rather than a powdered enamel coating that is then heat cured in an oven as an original enamelled bath would have been done.