Trying To Give Your Bathtub A New Look? Refinishing Is Not The Answer — Here Are 3 Reasons Why
Everyone loves getting into the bathtub…
… until it’s time to clean up.
Much like the story of the Little Red Hen, the “not I’s” are as thick on your ears as the soap scum in the tub.
Even if you do clean up often, there is bound to be a bit of staining that occurs over time.
Bathtub refinishing is the most widely recommended way to give your tub a brand new look.
However, there are some disadvantages associated with this method.
The following are three which should be considered before choosing a bathroom refinishing job.
1.Refinishing involves the use of dangerous chemicals
Many bathroom refinishers use a chemical known as Methylene Chloride.
As effective as it is in restoring the beauty of a bathtub, it is equally lethal.
Reports indicate that several bathtub refinishers have died as a result of Methylene Chloride exposure.
The chemical is said to evaporate quickly when sprayed or poured into tubs and is a major hazard to the lungs in enclosed places.
Like bathrooms, you know?
Are you willing to expose your family to such a dangerous chemical?
2. Refinishing often requires you to hire professional help
As stated before, bathtub refinishing employs the use of dangerous chemicals. This means that professional help is needed.
While you might not have any issues with hiring a professional, there is an occupational safety aspect to the refinishing job that you might have to pay for as well.
The CDC requires professionals to establish OSHA specifications with any bathtub refinishing job. This means that additional equipment and safety measures need to be in place.
This might require more manpower, and it will certainly add a few more zeros to your bill.
Can you afford a professional for the sake of a better-looking bathtub?
3. Refinishing takes too long to be done
The typical refinishing process takes 3–5 hours to complete.
With the frequency at which most people use the bathroom (4–10 times per day, studies suggest), that’s not a minor inconvenience.
While they might not need to use the bathtub right away, the volatility of Methylene Chloride will put the entire area out of commission.
Additionally, it takes 24 hours before you can resume normal usage of your tub.
Fortunately, some alternatives are safer, more affordable, and less time-consuming than bathtub refinishing.
One of these is a pour-on resin called Ekopel 2K. It’s a DIY kit that gives you the same finish as a bathtub refinisher, but uses a child and pet-friendly safe active ingredient.
While it takes 24 hours for the resin to harden, the application process is 2 hours at most and delivers a coat that is 20 times thicker than regular refinishers.
So the next time you think about upgrading your bathtub aesthetics, why not go DIY?
