DIY Network

Atlanta Victorian: Claw-Foot Tub Restoration From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-108

	The Dougherty home in the Grant Park neighborhood of Atlanta.

In this episode, DIY's Restoration Realities visits Atlanta, GA and the neighborhood of Grant Park where they help a young couple with a couple of projects in their 19th century Victorian.

In this second segment, work gets underway on the first of two projects: restoring and re-glazing an antique claw-foot tub.

Tools, materials and safety equipment:

High-volume low-pressure spray gun
Palm sander
Pipe wrenches
Screwdrivers
Channel-lock pliers
Crescent wrench
Drop cloths
Integrity Refinishing Coatings primer, EP-acrylic top coat
Paint buckets and paint stirrers
Stripper (Methylene Chloride)
Lacquer Thinner
Acid-etch cleaner for porcelain
Degreaser for porcelain
Bonding agent for porcelain
Coarse steel wool
Masking tape
Water hose and sprayer nozzle
240 grit sandpaper
Scouring pad
Plastic bags
Tape
Rags
Plumbers putty
Respirator mask with organic-vapor filters
Safety Glasses
Chemical-resistant gloves
Chemical-resistant suit

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Reglazing a Tub

The worn surface of the Dougherties' tub was actually painted with latex by former tenants, and the paint has begun to peel off. Aside from being unsightly and in improper surface for the tub, peeling paint presents a health-risk with small children in the home. Reglazing the tub will involve removing the old paint, cleaning and degreasing the surface, adding a bonding primer and a gloss-finish coat of epoxy.

• Begin by shutting off both hot and cold water supplies (figure A).

• Loosen and disconnect water supply lines and drain line.

• Remove the tub to the garage or well vented location. Because cast-iron tubs like this typically weigh from 250 to 400 pounds, this part of the job requires several helpers (figure B).

  Figure A

  Figure B

  
  

  For reglazing a tub, a respirator mask is required.

• With the tub moved to a suitable work space, the stripping and re-glazing process can begin.

  Safety Alert: Because this process involves toxic chemicals and gives off fumes, this project should only be done outside or in a well-ventilated location, and appropriate safety precautions must be followed. In this case, protective eye-wear, chemical-resistant gloves, a respirator mask and full-coverage chemical resistant suit are all essential for proper safety. Your eyes and every part of your skin must be protected from these caustic chemicals. Respirator masks with organic-vapor filters must be used to avoid breathing harmful fumes.
  

• The key to a good tub-refinishing job is good preparation. Cover the work area in plastic drop-cloths to protect surfaces and furniture from strippers and re-glazing chemicals.

• Carefully remove the valves (figure C) as well as the pop-up or drain and overflow (if there is one).

• Since our tub surface had been painted with latex, a paint stripper was needed to remove all the old paint. Following the manufacturer's instructions, spray on stripper using a pump sprayer (figure D).

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

• Wait for the paint to begin bubbling up (figure E).

• Scrub the loosened paint away with coarse steel wool (figure F).

• Depending on the paint, as many as two more applications of stripper may be needed.

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

• The next step of the process involves using methylene chloride -- or lacquer thinne -- which gives off strong fumes, so respirator masks (figure G) are required from this point.

• Go over the entire tub with lacquer thinner and coarse steel wool to remove any remnants of paint.

• After thoroughly scrubbing, rinse down the tub with water (figure H).

  Figure G

  Figure H

  
  

  Figure I

  Important: Since the water runoff contains harmful chemicals, it's critical that you handle and dispose of the waste water properly. Make sure there is drainage into some type of receptacle that can be carefully disposed of. Check with your local authorities on proper disposal. For our project, we fashioned a makeshift drain using a spare piece of guttering that emptied into a plastic bucket (figure I).
  

  Figure J

• The chemical cleaners and degreasers prepare the surface for a chemical bonding agent that will chemically react with the paint to form a tough, long lasting, factory finish for porcelain and tile. The first treatment in this process is application of an acid-etch cleaner. (Protective eyewear and chemical-resistant gloves are required.)

• Apply the acid-etch cleaner to the top edge of the tub (figure J) and allow it to run down over the surfaces.

• With a scouring pad or 240 grit sandpaper, scrub the tub with the acid-etch cleaner and then rinse with water.
  

  	Figure K
  	Figure L

• You're now ready to start the second step of the reglazing with the degreaser.

• Add a little water to moisten the tub surface, and pour degreaser in the tub. This cleaner actually helped clean the corrosion and dirt from the copper drain (figure K).

• Using another scouring pad, scrub away any residue.

• Rinse with water.

• To prepare for the next step, the adheser, cover any features of the tub that you won't be painting. In our case, this meant covering the metal claw-feet (figure L).
  

  	Figure M
  	Figure N
  	Figure O

• The adheser is a bonding agent. Spray on a light film of the chemical adheser (figure M).

• Allow to set up according to the manufacturer's instructions. In our case, the set-up time was 10 to15 minutes.

• The next step is the primer. In our case the primer had to be mixed 1 part base to 2 parts reducer (figure N). This makes it possible to use in a paint sprayer. Mix thoroughly before placing the mixture into the sprayer.

• Using a paint-spray gun, prime the tub, inside and out, with three light coats of primer.

• Allow each coat to tack up about 15 minutes before the next coat is applied.

• Paint-Sprayer Tip: When spraying, continually move the gun. Never allow it to set in one place (figure O).
  

• The finish coat of paint is next. In our case, to use the sprayer, we mixed together a ratio of 4 parts glossy-white base to one part catalyst and two parts reducer (or thinner). We then mixed thoroughly and poured the mixture into the spray reservoir (figure P).

• Again with a spray gun, apply three to four light coats of a final paint-coat (figure Q), allowing each coat to tack up about 15 minutes before the next coat is applied.

  Figure P

  Figure Q

  
  

• Once the paint is completely dry, move the tub back into the bathroom (figure R), install the tub drain and reinstall the plumbing fixtures on refinished tub. Move into position to hookup water lines.

• Size and cut drain pipe. Slide the connections together (figure S) and test.

• Mark water line size. Use the pipe bender and form the bend to the fixture.

• Hook up the compression fittings and test.

  Figure R

  Figure S

  
  

  	The Grant Park neighborhood in Atlanta.

• Do not use your reglazed tub for the specified number of days or hours recommended by the manufacturer -- usually 24 hours.

• Do not lay objects on your newly reglazed tub. Soap, washcloths, and shampoo bottles can ruin the finish.

• Avoid abrasive cleansers. Use a spray cleaner along with a soft cloth. Wiping the tub down with a cloth after each use can also help maintain the finish.

• Avoid bath mats with suction cups underneath.

• Maintain caulking around the tub.

• Some manufacturers recommend waxing your reglazed tub after it has been refinished and again every four months with a urethane polish. Check manufacturer specifications.

Important: Always dispose of toxic chemicals responsibly. Check the directions on the products for proper disposal methods. Some home centers may have chemical reclamation stations. Your local environmental agencies can provide you with helpful information as well.

Note: This is a summary of steps included in the procedures shown in this episode of Restoration Realities. There may be variations in procedures for your particular restoration project based on the types of materials you select and the nature or extent of your particular project. Always follow proper safety precautions, and read and follow manufacturer's guidelines, diagrams and safety notices that come with materials or products that you select.

RESOURCES :

Victorian: American Restoration Style
Model: 0879058870
Author: Joan M. Brierton
Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publishers
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes
Author: George Nash
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561585351
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Renovating and Restyling Older Homes: The Professional's Guide to Maximum Value Remodeling
Author: Lawrence Dworin
Publisher: Craftsman Book Company
ISBN: 1572180293
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Selecting and Renovating an Old House: A Complete Guide
Author: United States Department of Agriculture
July 2000
Publisher: Dover Publications
ISBN: 0486409562
Order this title from Amazon.com.

Integrity Refinishing Coatings
Dallas, TX
Phone: 214-631-8717
Web site: www.integritycoatings.com

Carlton's Rare Woods and Veneers
Atlanta, Georgia
Phone: 404-876-1144
Web site: www.rarewoodsandveneers.com