Restoring 100+ Year Old Claw-Foot Tub
The original tub is still in the house we bought. All the hardware is damaged but the tub is still in beautiful condition. There’s some minor dings and some minor water damage in the interior. What is the best way to restore this tub. I want to do it the best way I can do…
The original tub is still in the house we bought. All the hardware is damaged but the tub is still in beautiful condition. There’s some minor dings and some minor water damage in the interior. What is the best way to restore this tub. I want to do it the best way I can do I don’t have to upkeep it every few years. I heard something about sandblasting? What’s the best method and where can I get this done?
…and as for as lead, you will be exposed to more lead standing in a subway station as an express train passes than you could ever get from an old tub. And, that same station air will test positive for asbestos. Just sayin
The “re-glazing” is a paint and will not last long and does not look or feel like porcelain glaze.
There are companies that do sandblast and bake (@1400+ degrees) a new porcelain enamel on to the cast iron. As of two years ago, there were none in the New York area. I think the one I found was in Wisconsin or Michigan. The cost of shipping and the work was equal to or greater than buy a quality new cast iron tub.
Clean with “bar keepers friend” and live with the imperfections or buy a new cast iron tub.
I once heard lead leeches into old tubs. No idea if this is true.
BHS, funny you should say the claw foot tubs are easier to clean. I’ve noticed that too — seems like they don’t get dirty as fast. Can’t imagine why. Also, we have no tile, so that’s easier.
Resurfacing/reglazing is applying a thick paint to the tub. In order to get this coating to stick, they have to rough up the glazed tub surface. The “reglazed” surface initially looks flawless but it isn’t anywhere as thick or durable as the original finish (again paint vs. porcelain) and after some time will start to wear away, exposing the duller and less bright white roughed-up porcelain underneath. If anyone uses abrasive cleaners like Comet on the reglazed surface it will deteriorate sooner. It might be one year or 5+, depending on the quality of the installation and how often you use and clean the tub. But if the original porcelain is in good condition, there’s no reason to resurface. It’s only a last-ditch effort for a tub in bad shape or in preparation for a sale when the tile’s okay but the tub is looking grungy after cleaning. You can get a nearly perfect finish combined with the durability of porcelain with the products I mentioned above. Maybe you’ve rented an apartment at some point that had the weird peeling paint in the tub? That was reglazing.
The bathroom has to be gut-renvoated. We’ll need to take the tub out regardless.
Why will resurfacing damage the tub?
Please ignore fake Amzi Hill post — that is not Amzi. BHS is correct, resurfacing will destroy the tub. Hardware is very easy to change. Strom (Sign of the Crab) makes high quality fixtures that closely match the originals. Just FYI, you may not be able to change the drain shoe under the tub without opening the floor, but that’s not likely to be necessary.
just call this guy Pat He is super cheap a few hundred bucks it depends on your paint. Your tub will look like new 718-598-4408
by the way, you’re going to love the tub. I have one and it is really easy to clean. I haven’t bothered to repair any of the tiny dings in the porcelain, just used CLR around the drain and it is much easier to clean than a modern fiberglass tub and is super for soaking.