Beginner’s Guide to Bathtub Refinishing: 11 Simple Steps

Refresh Your Bathtub Without Hiring a Pro

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 4 - 6 hrs
  • Total Time: 1 - 3 days
  • Yield: Refinish bathtub
  • Skill Level: Intermediate
  • Estimated Cost: $100 to $200

Bathtub refinishing gives your bathtub a facelift by painting a tough epoxy coating over the existing enamel, acrylic, or fiberglass tub surface. It's not expensive compared to other options like replacing the tub, and it's easy to do with a do-it-yourself kit instead of hiring a professional.

DIY bathtub refinishing kits include epoxy resin with hardener, etching powder, latex gloves, steel wool, brush, cleaning solution, cleaner or thinner, and safety goggles. The epoxy coating comes in white or a few other basic colors.

Refinished bathtub with white ceramic wall tiles decorated with plants and bath items

The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

Read on to learn how to refinish a bathtub on your own and when it's best to call a professional to do it for you.

Cost of Bathtub Refinishing

Do-it-yourself bathtub refinishing costs $100 to $200 if you use a kit. To hire a professional to refinish the bathtub costs about $500, with a price range of $330 to $630.

Refinishing a bathtub is significantly cheaper than replacing a tub. Bathtub replacement costs about $6,000, though costs can range as low as $1,565 or as high as $10,420.

When to Refinish a Bathtub

Indicators that you should keep your tub and refinish it include:

  • Deep stains
  • Rust
  • Cracks
  • Outdated style
  • Peeling refinish coating
  • Antique or valuable
  • Too cumbersome to move

Bathtub Reglazing vs. Refinishing

The terms bathtub reglazing and bathtub refinishing essentially mean the same thing: to refurbish the surface of a bathtub with a coating.

Technically, though, bathtub reglazing is a subset of the larger bathtub refinishing process. Bathtub reglazing refers to the application of the coating itself. Bathtub refinishing refers to the entire process, including repairing small cracks and holes, applying filler, sanding, glazing, and then buffing the bathtub.

Safety Considerations

Bathtub refinishing kits emit toxic fumes. Run the bathroom exhaust fan. Place a box fan in an open window to remove gasses.

Wear manufacturer-recommended breathing protection such as a respirator when sanding or applying the refinishing product.

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What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Screwdriver
  • Putty knife
  • Abrasive pad
  • Rubber gloves
  • Breathing protection
  • Bucket
  • Sponge
  • Paint roller with roller cover
  • Sponge paintbrush
  • Roller tray
  • Caulk gun

Materials

  • Bathtub refinishing kit
  • Chemical caulk remover
  • Bleach
  • Abrasive cleanser
  • Dropcloth
  • Painter's tape
  • #400 to #600 wet/dry sandpaper
  • Paper towels
  • Tack cloth
  • Tub-and-tile caulk

Instructions

How to Refinish a Tub

The key to a durable, long-lasting DIY tub refinishing is thorough cleaning and preparation. Protect the surrounding area, including the tile, flooring, and other elements, by masking off and using a dropcloth before, during, and as the resin coating dries.

  1. Remove Hardware

    Remove escutcheons and cover plates from plumbing fixtures. Bathtub spouts can be temporarily unscrewed and removed during refinishing. Using a putty knife, clean dirt or caulk residue from bathtub openings.

    Metal cover over bathtub area thats not being refinished

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  2. Clean the Bathtub

    Clean the tub thoroughly and remove all caulking from the joints around the tub. If necessary, use a chemical caulk remover to remove all traces of caulk from the surfaces.

    Use bleach to clean mildew stains, then scrub the entire tub thoroughly with an abrasive cleanser or with LimeAway applied with an abrasive pad. Rinse with clear water.

    Bathtub cleaned with scrubbing brush and teal rubber gloves

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  3. Mask Off Areas Around the Tub

    Use dropcloths and painter's tape to mask off floors and walls around the tub. The epoxy coating will be hard to remove, so guard against drips and spills.

    Blue tape and kraft paper masking floor areas in bathroom

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  4. Ventilate the Space

    To improve ventilation in the space, open windows, turn on the exhaust fan, or set up portable fans. Wear breathing protection, as recommended by the manufacturer.

    Bathroom exhaust fan

    The Spruce / Letícia Almeida

  5. Repair Chips and Dings

    Use the epoxy putty included with the kit to fill chips and dings on the tub surface. Let the patches fully dry before sanding.

  6. Sand or Etch the Tub Surfaces

    Dull the tub's surface with etching powder or sandpaper (depending on the kit's materials) to help the new coating stick better.

    • Etching powder: Apply etching power with water and scrub with an abrasive pad.
    • Sandpaper: Sand with #400 or #600 with wet/dry sandpaper while the tub is still wet.

    Rinse the tub thoroughly with clean water, then wipe lightly with a tack cloth to remove dust or paper residue.

    Tub surface etched with water and etching powder with black sandpaper

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  7. Prime the Surfaces

    Use a roller and foam brush to apply the primer, and let it dry as directed.

    Some refinishers are self-priming and do not require a separate prime coat. Do not prime bathtub surfaces with ordinary commercial paint primer. Use only the primer included in the kit.

    Tip

    Clean the roller cover before applying primer or epoxy coating to avoid leaving lint on the bathtub surfaces. An excellent way to do this is using sticky tape to remove loose lint from the roller cover.

    Paint roller covered with white primer paint

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  8. Mix the Epoxy Coating

    Blend the hardener or catalyst into the epoxy resin. Work quickly, as epoxy coatings rapidly harden once mixed. The product label usually tells you how much working or open time you have. Be prepared to coat the entire tub in one working session.

    Epoxy coating covering paint roller

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  9. Apply the Coating

    Apply the coating to the sides of the tub with a roller. Alternate between vertical and horizontal strokes to prevent drips and roller ridges. Move to the tub deck (horizontal surfaces), then roll the bottom. Finish the edges with a sponge brush.

    Apply a second coat. Some products require immediate recoating, while others suggest one or two hours of drying before applying the second coating.

    Let the coating dry a full two days of cure time. Keep the area well-ventilated for at least the first day of curing.

    Second coat of epoxy painted over bathtub surface with black brush and blue latex gloves

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

  10. Caulk and Reinstall Hardware

    Seal the tub's joints with fresh silicone caulk and let it cure overnight. Reinstall the faucet hardware. Your refinished bathtub is now ready to use.

    Caulk applied to corner of bathtub and wall

    The Spruce / Liz Moskowitz

    Tip

    When cleaning a resurfaced tub, use non-abrasive cleaners, such as mild dish soap, and rinse thoroughly.

When to Call a Professional

Hire a professional tub refinisher for a mirror-smooth, durable finish that lasts more than just a few years. Do-it-yourself tub refinishing generally doesn't last as long as professional refinishing.

Pros typically etch the surface with an acidic solution rather than an abrasive powder, and a primer coat is almost always applied before the refinisher applies several coats of epoxy coating.

FAQ
  • Is it worth it to refinish a bathtub?

    If you plan on replacing your bathtub within five years, it's probably worth it to refinish your bathtub. The best long-term solution, though, is to replace the bathtub.

  • How long will a reglazed tub last?

    The lifespan of a reglazed bathtub is typically five to 10 years or possibly longer, depending on use, care, and maintenance.

The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. How Much Does Bathtub Refinishing Cost? HomeAdvisor.