They Found A Cast Iron Clawfoot Tub With Some Other Junk. You Need To See This Transformation!
Imgur user spince was at a local salvage yard when they spotted something unique.
Among the other reclaimed materials was a full cast iron clawfoot tub. The couple were starting a DIY basement bathroom renovation and knew it would be perfect.
They paid $150 for the forgotten tub.
It might not seem like it, but it was a steal.
Vintage clawfoot bathtubs can easily cost over $1,000.
The couple called a few bathtub refinishers, but they all wanted $700 to $900 for the job.
So, they decided to do it themselves!
The professionals were planning to sandblast, acid etch, and apply refinishing paint. It seemed like a simple enough process, so they got to work.
Ultra-Strip Paint remover ($50) took the paint off of the old tub.
The paste was applied via paintbrush. This was the result after just one application. (The couple also learned that covering the paste with parchment paper and letting it sit without drying out also helped the process.) The paint remover was lead-safe, too, since it encapsulates the lead instead of turning it into dust (which makes it safer than sanding).
Judging by all of the different colors, there must have been about 5 layers of old paint.
Scraping the paint and goo off (which must have been so satisfying).
Original tub markings (with “Made in the USA” the only legible section).
Once the majority of the paint was scraped off, they sanded the tub and used acetone to wipe off the dust.
Then, they covered the tub’s underside with Rustoleum Metal Primer Paint.
Once the primer dried, they painted the tub with Rustoleum Appliance Paint (enamel finish, dries hard).
They cleaned the tub’s feet, primed them, painted them, and attached them to the tub.
The interior of the tub also had a lot of imperfections that needed sanding.
The orbital sander removed most of them, but the chips in the porcelain remained.
Thankfully, products like Bondo exist.
He applied the Bondo with a flexible putty knife. Once cured, the excess material was sanded away.
Finally, it was time for the bathtub refinishing paint.
The product he used was Munro’s BathWorks Refinishing. It comes packaged as a two-part resin mix. It went on easily, but he had to work quickly and methodically. The paint dried really glossy but also very hard.
While working with the refinishing paint, he used a mask, opened windows, and turned on box fans.
Once the paint dried, the tub was ready for the bathroom…and the total cost was only $300.
DIY projects may seem overwhelming at first, but they’re worth the effort.
This couple saved ~$700 on their basement bathroom, all because they took the time to figure out how to refinish a bathtub. I’d say that’s a victory!
Read more: http://www.viralnova.com/clawfoot-tub-restoration/
