Designing Kitchens and Bathrooms - Reglaze tub, DIY walls, or Re-Bath?
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MikaMan
12-14-05, 05:32 PM
Has anyone heard of Re-bath? Apparently it's a franchise, they advertise that they can install an acrylic overlay on your existing bathtub, and their proprietary shower walls, claiming it is much better than DIY walls & reglazing the tub.
My situation: tub (and house) is 40 years old, in perfect condition, I just don't like the color. No chips, no scratches, no imperfections -- just bright blue! Surrounding the tub is a ceramic tile wall which extends up to about 6 feet (above floor level). The ceramic tile is in perfect condition, no missing tiles, no chips, just that damn bright blue color. I see no evidence of water damage anywhere, everything looks perfect. I know the tiles are set in cement (wet bed method -- metal lathe, about 1/2" of cement, then tile). Not sure if the tub is cast iron or steel. I really, really don't want to tear down the tiles and remove the tub -- seems like way too much work!
This is a guest bathroom, and gets very, very little use -- just a few times a year. It doesn't seem to hold any humidity, no mildew or mold. I really just want to make it look nicer, it doesn't have to hold up to heavy use.
All I'm trying to do is change the color of the tub & walls. So, should I:
1) hire someone to refinish the tub, and then DIY install new walls over the existing tile?
2) Or hire this Re-Bath outfit to do their thing on the tub & walls?
Any idea on relative cost? I would guess reglazing + DIY walls would cost less than the franchise contractor.
If I do it myself, can anyone answer a few questions:
1) What's the difference between "refinishing", "reglazing", and "repainting" a tub? Or are these just different terms for the same process?
2) Are there different kinds of surrounds, different materials? What kind should I get?
3) Can I really install some sort of acrylic or fiberglass walls over top of the tile? Will the adhesive hold OK?
4) Since it is apparently possible to have a tub re-glazed to change color ... is it also possible to have the ceramic tile re-glazed? Same process? Or am I just imagining that this is possible?
Thanks,
MikaMan
My situation: tub (and house) is 40 years old, in perfect condition, I just don't like the color. No chips, no scratches, no imperfections -- just bright blue! Surrounding the tub is a ceramic tile wall which extends up to about 6 feet (above floor level). The ceramic tile is in perfect condition, no missing tiles, no chips, just that damn bright blue color. I see no evidence of water damage anywhere, everything looks perfect. I know the tiles are set in cement (wet bed method -- metal lathe, about 1/2" of cement, then tile). Not sure if the tub is cast iron or steel. I really, really don't want to tear down the tiles and remove the tub -- seems like way too much work!
This is a guest bathroom, and gets very, very little use -- just a few times a year. It doesn't seem to hold any humidity, no mildew or mold. I really just want to make it look nicer, it doesn't have to hold up to heavy use.
All I'm trying to do is change the color of the tub & walls. So, should I:
1) hire someone to refinish the tub, and then DIY install new walls over the existing tile?
2) Or hire this Re-Bath outfit to do their thing on the tub & walls?
Any idea on relative cost? I would guess reglazing + DIY walls would cost less than the franchise contractor.
If I do it myself, can anyone answer a few questions:
1) What's the difference between "refinishing", "reglazing", and "repainting" a tub? Or are these just different terms for the same process?
2) Are there different kinds of surrounds, different materials? What kind should I get?
3) Can I really install some sort of acrylic or fiberglass walls over top of the tile? Will the adhesive hold OK?
4) Since it is apparently possible to have a tub re-glazed to change color ... is it also possible to have the ceramic tile re-glazed? Same process? Or am I just imagining that this is possible?
Thanks,
MikaMan
Jeff123
12-15-05, 11:01 AM
I had a similar situation. Wanted to get a fresh looking bath w/o tearing out which would have cost big $$$. A company similar to rebath gave me an estimate of around $5,000 to cover tub and tub walls, and the four foot tile wainscotting around the rest of the bath. The bath was 5X7. A reglazing company came in and did the whole thing (tub and tile walls) for about $1,500. One day and they were in and out. With a little used guest bath you should be fine, just follow directions on care (e.g. no abrasives, don't leave shampoo bottles sitting on the tub edge). I got white, but you can get other colors. Only problem I noticed was occasional pin holes where the reglazing went over the grout, but not a big deal. I had white so I just put white caulk into the holes. You don't even notice it.
MikaMan
12-18-05, 06:10 PM
Jeff,
Do I understand you correctly, the reglazing company did your ceramic tile walls too? And changed the color of the tiles to white? That would be terrific! I was assuming they could only reglaze the tub, and I'd have to do something else with the tiles.
If you're still reading this post, please confirm, thanks!
MikaMan
Do I understand you correctly, the reglazing company did your ceramic tile walls too? And changed the color of the tiles to white? That would be terrific! I was assuming they could only reglaze the tub, and I'd have to do something else with the tiles.
If you're still reading this post, please confirm, thanks!
MikaMan