Sunday, September 17, 2017

Sometimes A Bathtub Resurface Makes More Sense

By Betty Brown


These are great days for anyone who dreams of their own home improvement projects. Some couples desire nothing more than to find an ancient old house, grown over with vines and forgotten for decades, so they can turn it into a dream home. For anyone in this market, they just might come across what looks like a junkie, old claw-foot tub, but a bathtub resurface is truly all it needs.

These old porcelain tubs were given the boot by home builders in the 70s, but prior to this, they were found in nearly every home built. As lighter and cheaper materials became more standard, the porcelain was replaced with materials such as fiberglass and acrylic. Due to this change, those old-style, fancy bathtubs are sometimes worth a small fortune, and should never be overlooked.

One reason that porcelain tubs were replaced was due to the weight of the cast iron underneath. This is a particular issue for second-story bathrooms where the chances of sagging or even falling through was much greater due to this weight. Mobile homes were the first to introduce the acrylic tubs, but also the first to make them garden tubs in glamour baths.

As people tend to shower more often than lounging in a hot bath these days, the demand for tubs has lessened somewhat. In fact, many newer homes are fitted with a tub in the master bath, but only a shower in any additional bathrooms. If one is shopping for a one-bedroom apartment, they may need to ask if there is a tub, or merely a shower, before they sign their lease.

Home improvement buffs find it very easy, and reasonably inexpensive, to get modern acrylic shower or bath kits. In fact, this can be an excellent area to save on a home improvement budget, allowing one to spend more on stainless steel for the kitchen. It is unfortunate, however, that many old-style tubs have been junked before the homeowner had any idea that it was valuable.

Anyone who owns a home older than 1965 just might have a larger, porcelain tub underneath what appears to be their bathroom. Sometimes these very rare antiques have been walled in or covered up in prior remodeling. If you find such a thing in a home, it can be brought back very close to the original beauty with a kit that one buys in home improvement or hardware stores.

Having an antique tub priced should be a priority for anyone lucky enough to become the surprise new owners. There are services which will sandblast the tub to the metal, then put a coating of newer materials that are even prettier than the ceramic. Should the homeowner be on a tight budget, there are kits available to them which allow them to paint a surface that should match the old tub.

For those sad individuals who threw out a claw-foot tub, it is probably a sore subject. These antiques go for thousands of dollars, sometimes being valued that high when they have not been maintained. For those who do not wish to be bothered with any refinishing, they can still find eager antique collectors and dealers willing to show up, cash in hand.




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