Paint for a cast iron bath: how to paint a bath at home

Cast iron bathroom paint is intended for restoration of old products. It saves it from disposal, because the bathroom is a necessary room in a house or apartment. Many residents of apartment buildings have cast iron products, as they are convenient and practical to use. Cast iron bathtubs are a design in which you can bathe and wash clothes. They have a long service life.

But after mechanical and chemical influences (chips, scratches, detergents), the coating inside becomes unusable over time. It acquires a gray tint, cracks, and yellowness. You can correct defects without calling a specialist by painting the product yourself. Painting a cast iron bathtub at home with your own hands is the ideal solution.

Pros and cons of painting

For painting, you need to choose only a dye for metal structures.

This method has a number of advantages:

Large selection of paint and varnish tones;
The price of the dye saves a lot of money;
Possibility to paint a cast iron bathtub without calling specialists;
Saving time and effort, fast execution;
No unpleasant odor after the dye dries;
Beautiful glossy finish.

However, this method of surface renewal has disadvantages:

Before applying the composition, the outer coating must be treated with a grinding machine, and then with a primer mixture;
It is necessary to apply dye to an old cast iron product only after treating the coating with an antifungal compound;
There are acrylic solutions that take a long time to dry - three days.

How can you paint a cast iron bathtub? First you need to find the appropriate paint, only then begin work on treating the surface of the cast iron.

What kind of glue can be used to glue ceramics?

For ceramics that are used to store food, you can use PVA glue for gluing. But, it is recommended that after gluing the ceramic cup is covered with a layer of varnish. For gluing ceramic products, you can use epoxy glue, BF-2 and BF-4 adhesives.

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Types of paints

The dye is divided into four types:

Epoxy resin (two-component);
Acrylic (liquid base);
Epoxy;
Aerosol – good for long products.

Resin

For painting cast iron bathtubs with severe surface corrosion (chips, deep cracks). Epoxy enamel is applied in a thick layer, even without preliminary primer treatment of the surface.

The resin is diluted with solvents to a thick consistency, applied to chips, and then to the entire surface.

Acrylic dye (enamel)

How to paint or treat the inside of a cast iron bathtub at home? Acrylic. Resurfacing cast iron yourself is a simple, easy method of resurfacing.

Acrylic has a liquid consistency, which simplifies the work with its distribution over the coating. After drying, the acrylic composition becomes glossy, which is why this paint coating is popular today. The service life of acrylic film is from 7 to 20 years with proper care, so painting the product with this composition will be beneficial.

Epoxy dye

Epoxy paint is resistant to mechanical influences. It is a synthetic oligomer produced from a resin. Long-lasting, durable coating for metal and industrial equipment. Paint with a glossy effect, hydrophobic in property. You can paint with any convenient tool: roller, brush, spray gun.

Spray

Cast iron bath paint is an aerosol, namely a dye for cast iron products.

It is applied after treating the surface with grinding equipment and a primer. This is a finishing coating with a large assortment - from a bright, varied palette to the manufacturer. The paint dries quickly and can be used in hard-to-reach areas.

How to paint a cast iron or acrylic bathtub with epoxy enamel at home

Restoring bathtubs with epoxy enamel allows you to renew the enamel coating of the product and avoid unnecessary financial costs.

Required set of tools for painting:

Roller or brush made of natural bristles 70-90 mm;
Tweezers to remove stray hairs;
Solvent 646 or acetone;
Sander;
Rags;
Respirator;
Masking tape;
Apron and rubber gloves.

Manufacturers

How to paint a cast iron bathtub at home without knowing what paint to choose? Among dyes and enamels, we can highlight compositions that are in great demand for painting a cast-iron bathtub:

"Epoksin 51". Enamel.

According to the manufacturer (Russia), products with enamel will last about 9-10 years;

Liquid acrylic Luxury "Ekovanna". (Manufacturer – Russia).

This is a kit that includes the hardener and the enamel itself. The service life of a product treated with acrylic is 15 years with proper care;

Lako Colorful Materials Finnish. Price 1000 -1300 Russian rubles;
Rust Oleum paint (USA). "Specialty Tub & Tile Refinishing Kit." Price 1700-2000 Russian rubles per liter. Painting a cast iron bathtub with this composition will not be difficult;
Dulux (country – UK). Dulux Realife Kitchen & Bathroom. Dye. Its price is from 1000 to 2,500 Russian rubles per 1.20 l;
“Svetlana” (produced in Russia). The set includes clearing pastes (white and other colors). The price of such a kit is about 800 rubles;
"Renaissance" (manufacturer - Russia). Paint for cast iron. The kit includes all the products needed to paint the surface. Price up to 900 rubles per jar, volume 0.8 liters;
"Kudo" (domestic manufacturer). Spray (enamel). The price of one can differs (from 200 rubles to 500 rubles) depending on the composition and color. This paint can be used to paint the outside of a cast iron bathtub.

You can look at all the variety of things you can use to paint or update a cast-iron bathtub at home or in the country on the Internet or in a hardware store.

What to look for when choosing bath paint? It is better to restore the surface of the bathtub using high-quality materials and paint coatings.

When choosing a paint coating (this is what can be painted), the characteristics of each product are taken into account. How to choose paint:

The purpose of the composition is indicated on the paint can - for metal work;
Bath paint has a shelf life of one year. The paint kit includes tinting pastes and special hardeners.

Painting a cast iron bathtub with an aerosol spray (with your own hands) will not work, since the coating will not form a dense layer.

How to care for a decorated toilet so as not to spoil it?

A decorated toilet is more sensitive to improper care than a regular one, so the following rules should be followed:

do not allow the toilet to become heavily soiled;
use gentle products to clean it, rinsing them well with water;
if it is necessary to use caustic substances, apply them pointwise and rinse thoroughly with water;
do not rub decorative elements with a hard sponge or brush;
It is recommended to dry the outer surfaces of the bowl, tank, button and seat with a soft absorbent cloth.

Coverage Requirements

There are many types of paint and varnish coatings on the market and there is something you can use to paint your bathtub. There are restrictions that prohibit painting the bathtub:

The paintwork materials should not contain toxic substances that can interact with water, detergents and oxygen;
The texture of the paint should be dense and hard, with a glossy effect. This paint fits perfectly on the surface of old cast iron.

A paint coating is what you can use to paint a bathtub. But you need to test it in advance for color. To do this, you should apply one coat of paint, before painting the cast iron bowl, onto the clear glass and let it dry. You can evaluate the tone quality like this: look at the back of the glass.

Briefly about enamels

Kinds

Acrylic (latex) paint – the main component is acrylic. Also applies to two-component coatings.

In most cases, to restore the acrylic coating of a bathtub, the pouring method is used.

Alkyd enamel - contains components such as alkyd resin, organic solvent, vegetable oils and auxiliary ingredients.

Advantages and disadvantages of enamel coatings

Dye	Epoxy	Acrylic	Alkyd
Advantages	Uniform coverage. High resistance to aggressive chemicals. Doesn't thin out. Suitable for metal and cast iron	Holds color for a long time. Resistant to various types of damage (impacts, chips). Low level of thermal conductivity. Suitable for steel, cast iron, acrylic	Non-toxic. Retains color for a long time. Suitable for all types of coatings and ceramics.
Flaws	Toxic. The finished solution hardens quickly. Drips may occur during application. It quickly loses its whiteness.	Toxic. Big expense. The use of cleaning products containing acids and alkalis is prohibited. Incorrect application can lead to damage to the integrity of the coating.	Ideal surface preparation is required. Big expense. Application is difficult.

All types of paints are available in aerosols. Their main advantage is easy, quick, uniform application that does not require special skills. Loyal price.

Minuses

The main disadvantage of aerosol enamel is its thin layer and limited color range.

You should approach the choice of enamel in bathroom spray cans carefully.

Bath liner

How can you paint a bathtub? This question need not be asked, because this restoration method is called “bath in bath.” In an old cast-iron bathtub, a liner is placed on glue, which completely follows the shape of the bathtub.

This method has advantages:

The new coating consists of acrylic, which is able to withstand impacts and is resistant to chemical influences from detergents;
The surface does not change color over time;
The bathtub is like new – smooth and shiny.

However, there are a couple of nuances when installing the liner in the bathroom. If the bathtub is made of thin cast iron, then in the future it is impossible to avoid deflection of the structure, as a result of which the liner is deformed. Also, before laying the acrylic surface, the siphon is dismantled. From the above, we can conclude what and how to properly paint a cast-iron bathtub inside and out.

Polypropylene pipes

Replacing pipes in the bathroom is a rather long and labor-intensive process, especially if it is done independently, without the help of professionals. After all, at any stage of work various problems can arise. For example, accumulated sediment on the walls of cast iron and copper products can cause poor drainage. To prevent this from happening to plumbing products in the future, it is necessary to promptly replace old pipes with new ones made of polypropylene.

Changing pipes in the bathroom

Advantages of polypropylene pipes:

have high flexibility;
easy to replace (soldering);
when using pipes for cold water, the warranty period is 50 years, and for hot water – 30 years;
not subject to rotting, oxidation, rusting;
are light in weight;
environmentally friendly.

Required Tools

Painting an old cast-iron bathtub in an apartment by a specialist or with your own hands will not be effective without the following tools:

Sandpaper with various grits;
Paint thinner (No. 646) or alcohol (White);
The putty is waterproof;
A rubber spatula to carefully distribute the composition over the surface with your own hands;
Roller for applying emulsion;
Painting a cast iron bathtub with a spray gun;
Grinding machine for processing the outside of the bathtub;
A paint brush to paint the bath yourself;
Drill;
DIY nozzle for stirring enamel;
Separate container for cast iron paint (bucket or basin);
Container for diluting the primer;
Bathroom paint.

Restoration with liquid acrylic

You can restore damaged enamel of an old bathtub using liquid acrylic. To do this, you need to buy the necessary materials with tools and understand the technology of applying acrylic.

Tools and materials

To complete the work you will need:

liquid acrylic It is better to buy a two-component one;
container for mixing acrylate with hardener;
a small, rectangular container from which liquid acrylic is poured onto the bathtub (some manufacturers include it in the set);
a plastic or wooden spatula for stirring ingredients;
narrow metal spatula;
medium-width rubber or plastic spatula;
paint brush (you can not pour acrylic, but apply it like paint);
tweezers (only needed when applying acrylic with a brush);
headdress;
work trousers and a shirt - acrylic splashes are difficult to wash off the skin and are practically not removed from clothing.

Procedure for applying acrylic

The instructions on how to restore a cast-iron bathtub with liquid acrylic are not complicated. The work is carried out in the following order:

the components of liquid acrylic are mixed in a large container;
the finished mixture is placed on the bottom of the bath;
a little repair composition is poured into a smaller container;
Acrylic is poured in a small stream onto the far side;
Use a narrow spatula to remove excess mixture from the corners of the bowl. The movements are performed on oneself - this way the excess composition is distilled onto the walls and bottom;
the near side is processed;

Liquid acrylic is poured onto the far side.

after filling the sides, they begin to work with the walls;
the bottom is covered with acrylic lastly from the mixture that has drained from the walls;
Use a plastic spatula to smooth out areas with bubbles. The movements are smooth, without pressure.

All work on sealing problem areas must be completed before the polymerization of acrylic begins. The technology for restoring a cast iron bowl with liquid acrylic is described in detail here.

Preparing the bathtub for painting

After the question of what paint to paint the bathtub has been sorted out and the final conclusion has been made, it is necessary to begin work on preparing the surface of the cast iron for applying the painting composition:

First of all, the drain and pipes are removed from the cast iron bathtub;
All grease and limescale deposits are removed from the inner surface using special detergents that contain alkali (oxalic acid or baking soda). The cast iron bathtub is polished from the outside;
Peeling paint and enamel are removed with a grinding wheel or electric drill with abrasive attachments to smooth the surface;
Cracks and log frames are sanded separately with sandpaper;
The primer is distributed throughout the bathtub, a thick layer is applied to chips and to the edges of the sides of the bathtub;
We prepare the mixture and dilute it. You need to know that the diluted composition should not sit for more than half an hour - this is the time to paint the bathtub, as it begins to harden.
Next, a coloring composition is applied to the dried surface and evenly distributed over the surface of the cast-iron bath by hand;
The second layer of paint for a cast iron or metal bathroom (quick-drying option) is applied only after the first layer has dried;
After application, allow to dry for at least a day with doors and windows closed.

The grinding attachment is selected in accordance with the material being processed - metal; you can also use sandpaper or a steel brush.

Check the cleaned surface for paint and enamel residues, and check the quality of degreasing using a stream of water. If there are smudges and drops left, the surface has been poorly processed, but if it is smooth, then the work has been done properly.

What is an unusual way to paint a cast-iron bathtub on the outside? You can use bright paint, and after it dries, apply a design.

The pattern can be found on the Internet and printed on a printer. Typically, the outside of the bathtub is covered with plastic frames or ceramic tiles. You can use a cast iron bath after painting no earlier than seven days after applying the pigment.

Using a spray can

This is a less durable option. With such a bathtub repair, it is guaranteed to last only a year, and then problems in the form of yellow stains and chips may begin again.

It is not recommended for beginners to spray paint a bathtub. Must have experience with similar painting work. Otherwise, the result may be very sad.

The container must first be shaken: its contents will become uniform in consistency thanks to the metal ball inside

For professionals, this painting method has a number of advantages:

the employee does not need additional tools and equipment;
spray paint dries faster;
using a spray can you can achieve a perfectly flat surface - stripes and relief will be eliminated.

In addition, the choice of paints in cylinders is very wide, and they are suitable for bathtubs of any material. As for the technology, everything is simple: painting the bathtub must be carried out strictly according to the instructions included with the can.

All work is carried out wearing a respirator. At the very beginning, the craftsmen paint the most difficult places - hard-to-reach surfaces of the sides. Next you can start working on the sides and bottom of the bathtub.

To get a quality result, it is important to remember some rules for spray painting:

during operation it should be at a distance of approximately 10 cm from the surface to be painted; painting should proceed smoothly and under no circumstances stop; skipping sections and leaving something for later is strictly prohibited, since such squares and rectangles will stand out against the general background; It is important to avoid smudges, because to eliminate them you will have to interrupt painting.

It is advisable to apply up to 3 layers of paint. This is done as the layers dry. Non-professional craftsmen are not advised to rush the process - the better the lower layers adhere, the longer the new coating will last. By the way, the layers should not be too thick. After all, the thickness of the paint will not affect the quality and degree of adhesion.

For those who are going to paint the bathtub using a spray can, it is better to immediately buy one in reserve from the store. Often, even with the most accurate calculations, just one thing is missing. And while painting the bathtub, there will, alas, be no opportunity to interrupt the process and go to the store again.

After painting the bathtub using a spray can, as with other painting methods, it is recommended to close it for a day. The paint should harden as much as possible.

Coating the bathtub with a new layer of paint will make its surface more resistant to microorganisms

To extend the life of the bathtub, the main thing is to take care of it and not forget about the simplest rules:

never soak laundry in it with washing powder;
do not wash it with aggressive detergents;
Do not leave a bathtub filled with water for a long time.

Replacing a bathtub is an expensive proposition that not every family can afford. Moreover, such a step will entail the start of a major renovation in the entire bathroom, which will result in much greater expenses and create many additional problems. Therefore, painting is the best option in all respects: it will save the budget, the bathtub will delight you with an excellent look and will last for many more years.