bath re-enamelling

[Mike4]

Anyone here had a bath re-enamelled with good results? Would you recommend who did it?

I have a really nice-shaped good quality cast iron roll-top bath in my little cottage but the previous owners spoiled the glaze finish by using (I suspect) limescale remover. The enamel is rough and dull in places, looks dirty and will not clean up nicely.

It will be much easier to get it re-finished than getting it out and fitting a new bath. (Tiny little old and winding staircase!)

Lots of websites offer it but none really inspires much confidence, hence my enquiry...

[bungeejumper]

I take it you mean painting it, rather than sandblasting it down to the bare metal and baking on a new porcelain finish at 1,500 degrees?

No personal experience of on-site repairs, but probably best to ask around locally. Definitely not a job for the average DIY-er, as my bro-in-law could have attested. Mind you, it didn't help that the colour he chose was avocado.

BJ

[Mike4]

I take it you mean painting it, rather than sandblasting it down to the bare metal and baking on a new porcelain finish at 1,500 degrees?

Well ideally, if you know someone who can do that with the bath still in situ, great, thanks!

But yes I did originally put a para in about realising it was paint not vitreous enamel, but deleted it again for simplicity and clarity of question!

[88V8]

Renubath have been around a long time.

From comments I recall, how well the result lasts depends how well you look after it. It won't be as robust as the factory glaze.

Dunno if the female version of Dilbert's boss is part of the package.
http://www.renubath.co.uk/

V8

[sg31]

I had an old art deco bath redone in situ in the early 90's. We moved after 5 years but it was as good then as when it was redone.

I would expect techniques and /or materials have improved since then.

[Mike4]

Renubath have been around a long time.

From comments I recall, how well the result lasts depends how well you look after it. It won't be as robust as the factory glaze.

Dunno if the female version of Dilbert's boss is part of the package.
http://www.renubath.co.uk/

V8

Lol that is a GREAT photo though. Model is clearly having a right laugh with the photographer!

As far as looking after it is concerned, it won't be getting a great deal of use. I have a bath once a month regardless, whether I need it or not.

[SMarkus]

Mike, we did get our cast iron bath coated with a resin coating. It doesn't last especially well, I'm afraid to say and we had it redone a couple of times. Then I found someone who would come and collect the bath and do proper vitreous re-enamelling. That was fantastic, but not cheap, in the region of £800. If you want the name of the company then I can probably find it for you - I would not recommend the resin coating.

Steve.

[GrahamPlatt]

I had a lovely old cast iron bath which was part of the fixtures in a house I bought a long time ago (since sold). The enamel was getting a bit shonky so I contacted a firm who purported to do “re-enamelling”. Turned out to be a guy who came around to the house with a can of resin paint . The finish looked good for about three years, then started peeling.

[AsleepInYorkshire]

Anyone here had a bath re-enamelled with good results? Would you recommend who did it?

I have a really nice-shaped good quality cast iron roll-top bath in my little cottage but the previous owners spoiled the glaze finish by using (I suspect) limescale remover. The enamel is rough and dull in places, looks dirty and will not clean up nicely.

It will be much easier to get it re-finished than getting it out and fitting a new bath. (Tiny little old and winding staircase!)

Lots of websites offer it but none really inspires much confidence, hence my enquiry...

Buy new Mike

AiY

[Mike4]

Anyone here had a bath re-enamelled with good results? Would you recommend who did it?

I have a really nice-shaped good quality cast iron roll-top bath in my little cottage but the previous owners spoiled the glaze finish by using (I suspect) limescale remover. The enamel is rough and dull in places, looks dirty and will not clean up nicely.

It will be much easier to get it re-finished than getting it out and fitting a new bath. (Tiny little old and winding staircase!)

Lots of websites offer it but none really inspires much confidence, hence my enquiry...

Buy new Mike

AiY

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Yes I would normally buy new, but in this case the reason not to is disposing of the existing bath. It weighs an absolute ton and frankly, having spent 20 years in the bathroom business and moved several hundred of these things around I don't want to risk trying to get this one down a tiny and lightly built 300 year old winding staircase. Cast iron baths are incredibly clumsy things to handle especially on stairs. I very much doubt it came up this staircase in the first place, my guess is a cherry picker or fork lift put it in through the window during the ground-up renovation here that took place around the year 2000.

The other option is to break it up in situ, but having done this many times too I know how much sledge-hammer swinging this one will take, in a cramped bathroom contining some other expensive sanitaryware nearby and a nice glass shower enclosure. Also the sheer mess it creates with millions of shards of shattered glaze showered with every blow rather troubles me, hence my interest in getting it resurfaced.

[AsleepInYorkshire]

Anyone here had a bath re-enamelled with good results? Would you recommend who did it?

I have a really nice-shaped good quality cast iron roll-top bath in my little cottage but the previous owners spoiled the glaze finish by using (I suspect) limescale remover. The enamel is rough and dull in places, looks dirty and will not clean up nicely.

It will be much easier to get it re-finished than getting it out and fitting a new bath. (Tiny little old and winding staircase!)

Lots of websites offer it but none really inspires much confidence, hence my enquiry...

Buy new Mike

AiY

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Yes I would normally buy new, but in this case the reason not to is disposing of the existing bath. It weighs an absolute ton and frankly, having spent 20 years in the bathroom business and moved several hundred of these things around I don't want to risk trying to get this one down a tiny and lightly built 300 year old winding staircase. Cast iron baths are incredibly clumsy things to handle especially on stairs. I very much doubt it came up this staircase in the first place, my guess is a cherry picker or fork lift put it in through the window during the ground-up renovation here that took place around the year 2000.

The other option is to break it up in situ, but having done this many times too I know how much sledge-hammer swinging this one will take, in a cramped bathroom contining some other expensive sanitaryware nearby and a nice glass shower enclosure. Also the sheer mess it creates with millions of shards of shattered glaze showered with every blow rather troubles me, hence my interest in getting it resurfaced.

Ah ha

Buy a bigger cottage with straight stairs then (My bad)

Am in the lobby with my coat

So to summarise

Option A - leave it
Option B - do something with it

Where do I send my bill

AiY

[bungeejumper]

It will be much easier to get it re-finished than getting it out and fitting a new bath. (Tiny little old and winding staircase!)

Naaah, taking the old cast iron bath out takes half an hour. Big heavy army blanket, turn it over, warn the neighbours. Lump hammer, carry the bits out to the skip. Mind you, you'll be hoovering up shards of glass for the next five years.

Done it twice. Horrible rubbishy old baths on both occasions. Now, if they'd been clawfoot it might have been a different matter? I'll tell you one thing, though. The water stays warmer for longer in an acrylic tub. All you need to add then is the bubbles and the naked lady.

[Edit: have just seen your latest reply, looks like we crossed there. I did try cutting up one bath with an angle grinder, and it worked, but the mess was unbelievable. I have a photo somewhere of me looking like a coal miner, covered from head to foot in black iron filings. Apart from the white bits where my goggles had been. ]

BJ

[AsleepInYorkshire]

All you need to add then is the bubbles and the naked lady.BJ

Not pc

AiY

[bungeejumper]

All you need to add then is the bubbles and the naked lady.BJ

Not pc

You're right. A dog would be just as happy in there.

BJ

[jfgw]

Naaah, taking the old cast iron bath out takes half an hour. Big heavy army blanket, turn it over, warn the neighbours. Lump hammer, carry the bits out to the skip. Mind you, you'll be hoovering up shards of glass for the next five years.

You didn't mention the ear defenders.

The bells, the bells...


Julian F. G. W.

[Mike4]

Now, if they'd been clawfoot it might have been a different matter?

That's EXACTLY what it is....

I have a really nice-shaped good quality cast iron roll-top bath

Roll top (as opposed to flat top) always means oval shape, claw feet, extra deep, extra wide, extra heavy, extra thick, weighs 3cwt...

Apart from them newfangled plastic things masquerading as baths.

[Mike4]

Buy a bigger cottage with straight stairs then (My bad)

Am in the lobby with my coat

So to summarise

Option A - leave it
Option B - do something with it

Where do I send my bill

AiY

Many thanks for your excellent and most incisive analysis.

Cheque's in the post....




(Edit to fiddle with it.)

[AsleepInYorkshire]

Buy a bigger cottage with straight stairs then (My bad)

Am in the lobby with my coat

So to summarise

Option A - leave it
Option B - do something with it

Where do I send my bill

AiY

Many thanks for your excellent and most incisive analysis.

Cheque's in the post....




(Edit to fiddle with it.)

Well I was going to BJ's line and tell you to drink a few beers and then smash seven bells out the bath. But I did feel my sense of humour wouldn't be appreciated

AiY
PS ... I only do cash

[pompeygazza]

I'm pretty sure on Escape to the Chateau they re-enamelled an old bath, you may be able to find the clip on youtube.

[JohnB]

Follow Mr Pooter's advice (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1026/1026-h/1026-h.htm chapter 3), he used Pinkfords enamel paint.