Though it’s not too difficult to paint your bathtub with epoxy, you need to take care of and understand a few things. If you are looking to have a good job done, you should understand that the quality of paint used and the preparation of the surface to be painted matter the most while undertaking such a project.

You need to assess the difficulty level of this project. Have you been undertaking other home improvement projects for your home? Then, you should be aware that some of these can be over in a couple of hours while others go beyond a few days.

You’ll also need to assess the level of finished product. The painting of your bathtub should give expected results, meaning the paint should last a long time. And, what if the final result is not to your expectation? It might necessitate replacing of your bathtub!

What kind of bathtub paint should I use?

There are many manufacturers offering different kinds of paints for use on bathtubs, sinks and tiles. You get two part epoxy paint as also one part, and both can be used. I would suggest using two part epoxy paint wherein you are required to mix two parts of the paint to get the final product for painting the surface.
You may use epoxy paint contained in a spray can. It’s convenient to handle and gives a smoother surface but you’ll have tough time getting rid of paint from points and surfaces that you never intended to paint. That means you have to be extremely careful while masking of areas you don’t want to be covered with paint.
Using any normal paint for this purpose will simply be an exercise in futility as such paints are unable to bear continued exposure to water. An occasional wetting of paint is different from having an underwater paint exposed to water for prolonged hours.

How to paint a bathtub

Of course, the first thing to do is to go through the instructions provided by the manufacturer of paint that you plan using. Some paints are offered in two parts which need to be mixed together in the prescribed proportion while paints available in one part are to be used as such. You are most certainly going to apply two coats and the drying time of the paint varies with its composition or shall I say the manufacturer.

Before you start painting, the tub should be thoroughly washed using water and soap. This is the time for you to carry any repairs that the tub may need. Remove all the components like trim, water spout and faucet handles that can be dismantled easily. In case the bathtub is fitted with a shower door, it will be easier to remove it and then assemble it at the end, instead of masking the entire door before painting.

You’ll also need to mask part of the wall along the edge of the tub and any other part of area that you don’t want to get spoiled by paint. Don’t attempt painting without masking such areas as getting rid of excessive epoxy paint is not only time consuming, it’s nearly impossible. It’s worth putting that extra effort and time applying masking tape wherever needed.

Like painting of any other surface, you should be using a large brush or a roller for painting wider areas and a narrow painting brush for painting of edges around the masked off area. It’s quite cumbersome to clean rollers and brushes, making it a more economical to buy cheaper brushes and replace these frequently.

As per the instructions offered by the paint manufacturer, apply the second coat of paint after the first coat has been dried for the prescribed number of hours. While the first coat is getting dried, care should be taken to store the brushes and paint as per the instructions provided by the manufacturer.

After the second coat has dried up, you may remove the masking tape and reaffix all the items that were removed. Here, once again you need to check the manufacturers’ instructions regards the required time gap needed before you start using the tub.

Personal Experience

When I bought the present home it had revolting fixtures in avocado green all over the place. Well, I decided to change the ones in the toilets and kitchen but decided to save some expense by not changing the bathtub and thought of repainting it.

I bought two part epoxy paint which was easy to mix. I found the instructions rather interesting. The manufacturer had recommended storing of paint brushes in the freezer for the time that the first coat got dried. I almost concluded that it meant storing in the refrigerator but ultimately decided to wrap the brushes in Saran wrap and stored the same and also the paint as per instructions. The next day I realized that the brush was soft and supple and the condition of the paint was also good. All that I’m suggesting is that it pays to follow the instructions of the manufacturers.

My effort bore excellent results, as there were no streaks or runs. The paint was so smooth that it was difficult to make out if the bathtub had been painted.
Simultaneously, I also painted the bathroom sink. There was a small problem because my brush was a bit too wide for the sink, but the final result was quite satisfactory. I may add here that I waited for one week before making use of the sink or the bathtub, though there were no such instructions to wait for that long. As I had another bathroom available for use, it wasn’t any problem. I didn’t consider it worth taking a chance lest the paint should peel off prematurely.

I did that job almost ten years ago and only now I can see that paint is peeling off at some points or it’s getting chipped here and there. There is one big mark of paint having chipped off in the bathtub and a couple of small spots and chips in the sink too. I must say I didn’t expect it to last so long and I plan repainting the tub. It will be worth changing the sink and the countertop, for it takes more efforts to repaint the same. There is little doubt that the paint will not last forever, it’s a better proposition to repaint the bathtub using epoxy paint rather than replacing the same.

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