Re: Porcelain Refinishing of Clawfoot Tub (5')...There ain't no such .... well..

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Comments:: : : : Hi, I found this site on the web and was looking to find someone who refinishes clawfoot tubs with real porcelain. I live in Los Angeles, and would like to know if anyone can point me in the right direction to a place down here. Any help would be greatly appreciated! : : : : Thanks : : : xxxxxxxxxxx : : : Scott, If anyone tells you,(and unfortunately there are those that do) they are putting porcelain (real porcelain) on your tub, I suggest you put a skull and cross bones next to their name. There is no process that puts real porcelain on an old bath, the origianl porcelain was put on at very high temperatures, and refiring would be a risky business, there was one fellow doing that on one of the islands here in his large oven, and he always told folks it could explode if they wanted to reglaze a bath. And explode they can. Do not confuse a heat cure that some use, this is an infared light that helps the curing of the refinishing, this only helps it cure faster and does nothing that i can find in all the data i look at to do anything more than that. So I believe it is safe to say ALL REFINISHING IS DONE WITH SYNTHETIC MATERIALS. And they vary greatly. : : : Here is a post on refinishing Clawfoots, it does not really go into the difference in detail and the Mechanical Bonding Products used and the limits they experience but may be of some interest. Also I am putting a link to a locator page for you to find a Refinisher. : : : Restoration is simply the process of taking something old, worn or well used and trying to recreate what it would be like if it was brand new. With Clawfoot Baths this is done alot. There are three areas of restoration. 1. The Inside 2. The Outside 3. The Feet. I will go over each area but everyone's restoration is different because everyone's bath may be in a better or possibly a worse state than another. : : : 1. We have the Feet (I will go in reverse because I am going from easier to harder areas) To restore the feet, you have to have them all (of course), if you are missing one or all there are posts here that can help you with your options. You must remove all of the paint, rust or other coatings on the feet, a wire brush works well, you can use a paint stripper on them also, we soak them in stripper sometimes and them brush them down. After they are clean and all residues are removed, (solvents work well, such as a wash grade shop solvent), be careful and we always insists that all safety precautions and safety gear is used such as gloves, safety glasses, and a respirator. Follow all precautions on any chemical's label that is used in cleaning the bath. Once all residue is removed you can coat them with any paint you choose, they all stick differently and a good reliable metal primer is best applied first. We use our porcelain substitute Glazecoat, this patented product is a hard enamel and our patented process makes the coating stronger than anything available to someone doing it themselves. But conventional painting if done carefully will satisfy you if that is what you want. Also you can have the feet plated, cost is anywhere from 65.00 to 75.00 dollars per foot. Usual choices are polished brass, chrome, nickel, and sometimes brushed nickel. : : : 2. The Outside of the Bath, well good luck here, this for some would be a very hard task, but if you are asking for step by step instructions then I am sure you are up to the task. I will tell you are process and you can apply part or all the steps. First the outside is cleaned of everything, we try to bring our baths down to the metal on the outside, sandblasting is used by some, we prefer heavy grinding and finish sanding. We also like to apply several coats of a polyester material that helps to create a nice flat smooth finish, when we are down we have to be able to put our hand up to it and see the reflection. They look good! Then we use a porcelain substitute on the outside, not just a water resistant paint, but a water proof glazing enamel, for the do it yourself enthusiast a oil based enamel can create a very homey appeal, and some use different types of artwork to add a special effect. : : : 3. Hardest for Last The Inside of the Bath, Home owners really truly cannot do this and have it called refinished, all coatings that claim to coat porcelain and you can just put it on, will not give you a very long life and usually you will not be happy with the look also. There are professional services that claim they will refinish your bath, beware, every product used for refinishing is a little different, some are worse than others, Bathcrest has the only Molecular Bonding Product, Through a series of layering and applications of a patented product, the electrons of Bathcrest Coating share the same space as the electrons of the Surface of the Bath. This is called a covalent bond and is the strongest bond known to glass. All other products in refinishing are mechanical bonding and lay on the surface like a paint, there protection is there shiny layer, once that shiny layer is broken, nicked, chipped, water penetrates and rapid adhesion failure usually occurs, the coating can lift in large or small sections. With our coating even if you get a chip or nick you have a molecule-by-molecule back up. So all you end up with is just a nick or a chip. It is not that theses other coating are fraudulent, they can give you a life, you just have to treat them very carefully. : : : If you need a locator for an Authorized Professional Glazecoat Franchise let us know. The email link will allow you to send us the information you need. Thanks Pat at Bathcrest of Seattle : : I read your submission and I would really like any additional information that you can give me on starting up my own refinishing business.

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