The "Last Word" About Bathtub and Shower Refinishing

Bathtub refinishing is one of those strange, new home remodeling industries that has cropped up in the last few decades. Yes, bathtub refinishing, also known as bathtub reglazing (or going by the more inclusive term, “surface restoration”), has been around for much longer than that. But its popularity and wide acceptance by the average homeowner is a new thing. The reason this has occurred is mainly due to the aggressive selling of tub and shower refinishing franchises.

Bathtub refinishing is often seen as the easy, cheap way out. And in a sense, it is. Shower and tub refinishing is cheaper than a complete tear out and replace, and it is cheaper than tub and shower liners. After all, who can resist the temptation of taking care of that eyesore that has been hanging over your head for years by a simple application of bonding agents and coatings--all within the span of one or two days?

Refinishing: It’s a Matter of Pride

Chuck Pistor, CEO of Miracle Method, the leading surface restoration franchisor, notes that demand for tub and shower restoration falls along certain predictable patterns. The average customer tends to be age 35 and upward and female. More importantly, he notes that the big surge of customer demand for tub and shower restoration tends to happen right before holidays—when guests visit.

This strikes home with me. I distinctly remember one Christmas when we knew that in-laws would be visiting us, and the guest bathroom was in mid-process of being remodeled. Due to the ingenuity of our contractor, we were able to build out a temporary shower for them to use. I remember the anxiety that we felt about having guests come over and potentially not being able to provide a suitable bathroom space for them.

Is Refinishing Better than a New Tub or Shower? It Depends…

What it all comes down to is this: bath tub and shower refinishing extends the life of your tub and shower, but from a pure product-perspective is never as good as a replacement. The refinishing companies rarely make any claims otherwise (they only say that if you have a beloved tub, such as a clawfoot cast-iron tub, refinishing allows you to keep it, rather than trash it). But that’s just the product-perspective. When you roll in other factors—demolition, cost, time—then refinishing may even rise above the tear-out-and-replace option.

Library of Tub and Shower Refinishing Articles

Here is a compendium of all of our tub and shower refinishing articles to date:

• An Overview of Bathtub and Shower Refinishing.
• Should the Bathtub Refinisher Come Back for a Final Buffing…or Not?
• Refinish Your Bathtub Yourself?.
• Cost and Quality of Bathtub Refinishing?
• Miracle Method Company Profile.
• Permaglaze Company Profile.
• Comparing Miracle Method and Permaglaze.