The bathtub is one of the most important features of your bathroom, so it’s important that you do what you can to keep it in good condition for years to come. Regular use of the bathtub will, over time, result in some wear and tear and discoloration, and if you fail to keep it properly clean, you could start to see some mildew growth as well.
The good news is that, if your bathtub gets to the point where its appearance has been significantly affected, you can refinish or reglaze the bathtub to restore its appearance. These processes typically involve stripping off the original finish, and then applying a new finish. You can do this to either bring the tub back to its original color or appearance, or to change its appearance entirely.
Of course, if you’ve refinished your bathtub, it becomes even more important to keep up with your cleaning and general maintenance to make sure all your hard work doesn’t go to waste. With this in mind, here are some tips for refinished bathtub maintenance in Phoenix, AZ that you should be sure to keep in mind as a homeowner:
Keep it clean: As we mentioned previously, keeping your bathtub clean will help you to slow discoloration and avoid issues with mildew and mold. In the curing phase that occurs after you’ve refinished your tub, you should make sure to clean the tub regularly with a sponge and soap to prevent dust from settling into the finish while it’s drying.
Waxing: After you’ve reglazed your bathtub, one of the best things you can do to keep up its appearance is make sure you’ve regularly waxed the surface. You should do this first within two weeks after the new finish has been applied, being sure to clean the surface beforehand. You can use standard auto wax, and apply it with a damp cloth. After that first waxing, you can continue to wax once every one to three months as needed to keep it looking pristine.
Ventilation: You should always be sure to keep your bathroom well ventilated. If your bathroom does not have an air vent and fan in the ceiling, you should strongly consider installing one. This will help to prevent moisture from just sitting on surfaces in your bathroom and will cut down on humidity levels, both of which will help prevent the formation of mildew and mold.
Keep surfaces dry: Again, if you want to prevent mildew from forming, you should make sure to keep all the surfaces in your bathroom dry. After you use a bathtub, use a dry towel to wipe out the inside of the tub. Do not leave wet washcloths or sponges lying around.
Quick repairs: If any chips or cracks form in the surface of the tub, repair them immediately. Otherwise water will be able to get into the cracks, which could result in a breeding ground for mold.
For more information about refinished bathtub maintenance in Phoenix, AZ, contact the team at A-1 Porcelain & Fiberglass Service Co., LLC today.
Bathtub refinishing is a necessary maintenance step if you wish to improve the appearance and structural integrity of your tub. The most dangerous part of the bathtub refinishing process is inhaling the fumes associated with the job. It’s also possible to injure yourself if the product comes in contact with the skin. For these reasons, proper ventilation and a well-fitting respirator are essential if you’re considering tackling a bathtub refinishing project on your own.
Of course, you could also bypass all these concerns by hiring professionals for bathtub refinishing in Glendale, AZ instead. But if you’re planning on doing it yourself, read on to find out the risks and how to keep yourself safe:
Recognize the dangers: The sad reality is that fumes have taken the lives of people who have failed to prepare adequately for this hazardous situation. The CDC reports that 14 workers have died since 2000 as a result of using stripping agents in bathtub refinishing that contained methylene chloride. This is an extremely dangerous compound when not used in the right way. Methylene chloride is liable to affect brain function, reducing concentration. Exposure to this dangerous chemical may cause dizziness, fatigue, headaches, nausea and eye, nose and throat irritation.
Ventilation: One of the main keys is ensuring that air is moving in and out of the bathroom so that the fumes don’t stick around for too long. A good start is to leave the bathroom vent fan running on high. If you’re able to open a window or otherwise encourage the circulation of air, you should do so.
Read the signs: If the fumes are a bit overwhelming at any point during the application process, you need to remove yourself from the room. The smell of the fumes will decrease as the products dry. Some people are more sensitive to the odor of refinishing fumes then others, so it’s important to respond to what your body is telling you.
Come prepared: No matter if you’re refinishing a tub or using a chemical stripper, you need to use organic vapor cartridges. A dust mask isn’t going to do the trick and will provide no benefits.
Do you want to hand over the potentially hazardous job of bathtub refinishing in Glendale, AZ to the professionals? Let’s face facts: it just makes sense to bring in experts who will do the job right the first time, all while staying safe.
Since 1975, A-1 Porcelain & Fiberglass Service Co., L.L.C. has provided competitively priced bathtub and shower refinishing services across the Phoenix metro area. We specialize in repairing cracked fiberglass tubs and will also refinish showers, sinks, tiles and vanities.
Our loyal customers call us for all their bathroom maintenance needs, including caulking, installation and replacement of all bathroom fixtures. Our team of expert technicians is ready to make your bathroom look beautiful and increase your property’s value. Reach out to us today for all of your bathroom repair and refinishing needs—we look forward to working with you soon!
When you’re working on a home design or remodeling project, it can be overwhelming just how many options are out there. Consider the typical bathtub—most tubs look generally the same, and you would think that it wouldn’t lead to many design choices. However, once you start designing a bathroom, you’ll find out you can choose between porcelain, ceramic tile, fiberglass, acrylic… and the list goes on. After weighing all these options, you’ll likely turn to affordable and reparable fiberglass.
Fiberglass is a great option, and there are plenty of great places to call for fiberglass bathtub repair in Glendale, AZ. Read on for more information on why a fiberglass tub is one of the best options for your bathroom:
It’s affordable: The biggest benefit of fiberglass for most families is that it’s reasonably priced. The material is budget-friendly, and cheaper than natural materials as well as other plastic, like acrylic. And when you’re doing bathroom upgrades or designs, you will want to spend money on the fixtures and features that hold the biggest design punch, like tiling, vanities and flooring—not the bathtub.
It’s easy to repair: One drawback of fiberglass tubs is that they do show wear and tear more than tubs made of something like porcelain or ceramic. The surface is fairly soft, so it’s prone to things like cracks and scratches. However, sanding down the surface makes the fiberglass look like new, and you can hire a company to do all the difficult work for you. It’s a huge benefit that you can repair your fiberglass tub, as it’s always more affordable to repair than to replace the tub, and you avoid things like delivery fees and the extra installation time that comes along with buying a new bathtub.
It’s lightweight: This might seem like an odd point to raise, but because fiberglass tubs are relatively lightweight, they can be installed in your home more easily. Other materials make for a very heavy tub that is difficult to carry and place properly. Another important point about the lightness of the material is that it means you shouldn’t have to install any extra support in the floor to handle the weight of the tub. That saves you a lot of money and a huge hassle.
If you have a fiberglass tub that needs some love, make sure to seek a quality company to provide your fiberglass bathtub repair in Glendale, AZ. One first-rate option in the Phoenix area is A-1 Porcelain & Fiberglass Service L.L.C., a company committed to making sure you get the bathroom you desire at the best possible price.
For over 40 years, the team at A-1 Porcelain & Fiberglass Service L.L.C. has offered a wide range of services, including repair of tubs, showers and sinks and the refinishing of anything in your bathroom. On top of this, you can also call us for any type of maintenance you’d like to have done, including installations and caulking. Call our experts today for more information!
If you notice a crack in your tub during your morning shower, you might not think much of it. After all, the tub still drains and the shower still works, so everything seems status quo. But the reality is that a crack is a sign of serious damage. It’s liable to spread and deepen, causing water to leak out every time the tub is used.
By addressing the problem early on, you can save yourself money and hassle. You’ll want to bring in professional experts in bathtub repair in Glendale, AZ to ensure that your tub functions long into the future. Read on to find out about what exactly was causing this problem in the first place:
Flexibility: The source of the crack is dependent on the material the tub is made from. Some materials (for example, fiberglass) are highly flexible. This means the material will bend when weight is placed on top of it. However, if it is improperly installed or lacks sufficient support, the weight will put undue pressure on the surface and cause cracks to form. Unfortunately in these cases, the repairs may be more complex.
Dropped objects: If a heavy object is dropped in the tub, it might appear to be fine at first. But over time, the divot, crevice or crack will expand and grow. What was at first something barely noticeable could become a major problem. These stress cracks are typically on the surface level. If you get to them early, you can use a DIY kit to fix them on your own.
Heavy-duty cleaners: Highly abrasive cleaners such as bleach can ruin the finish and gloss on the bathtub. This is more than a mere cosmetic issue. This erosion can lead to pockets of moisture collecting and expanding cracks. These are referred to as hairline cracks, which can cause the tub to warp over time. This is when you need to call in the experts to fix the problem.
How to prevent the problem: It’s possible to have a stone-resin tub installed which is non-porous and therefore won’t crack. However, these are more expensive, and a properly installed and maintained fiberglass tub should last for years to come.
If your tub is cracked or damaged, you may think you can do the repair job yourself. But if you don’t want to risk the investment you’ve made, you’ll need to call in the experts for bathtub repair in Glendale, AZ. Since 1975, A-1 Porcelain & Fiberglass Service L.L.C. has been providing the highest-quality bathtub and shower repair services in the greater Phoenix area. We specialize in repairing cracked fiberglass tubs, along with refinishing tubs, showers, sinks, tiles and vanities. Our customers know they can rely on us for every maintenance item, including caulking, installation and replacement of all bathroom fixtures.
For more than three decades, we’ve provided quality service no matter how simple or difficult the job may be. Call us today for all of your bathroom repair and refinishing needs and get a free estimate!
If your tub is looking a little worse for wear or you want to update its appearance, bathtub refinishing in Phoenix, AZ can give you the look you desire. However, most homeowners fail to realize that there is one crucial step to take before having your tub refinished: you must check to see if the tub has been resurfaced in the past.
To the untrained eye, bathtub resurfacing can be a little hard to spot—after all, that’s the entire purpose of refinishing! But proper identification of a previously resurfaced tub is important to getting the job done well and budgeting for the project appropriately.
The problem with resurfaced bathtubs
When a bathtub is resurfaced, professionals will repair any cracks or holes in your tub, then coat it with a specialized chemical spray or roll-on substance.
Previously resurfaced bathtubs are able to undergo the refinishing process again, but a few more steps will need to be added to the process. If your tub has been resurfaced, it will need to be sanded down and stripped before the new layer of coating can be applied.
This is because new coatings will not adhere properly to existing coatings; they are designed to bond to the tub surface itself. This means that any existing coatings must be completely removed, so that they will last longer and look better.
Unfortunately, this process also comes with a higher price tag. Since stripping takes extra time, your bathtub refinishing in Phoenix, AZ will probably cost more. However, this extra cost is worth the longevity and beauty that comes with a newly resurfaced bathtub.
How to spot a resurfaced tub
In order to tell if your bathtub has been resurfaced in the past, look for these three signs:
Peeling or flaking: If the surface layer of your tub is peeling or chipping away like old paint, the tub has probably been resurfaced in the past. Refinishing coatings don’t last forever, and they can eventually become worn-down and flaky over time. Chipping usually occurs near the tub drain and spreads outwards. You will usually be able to see the original tub’s color underneath the flakes, as well.
Painted drain cover: If your tub has a colored drain cover that matches the tub, it’s likely that it has been resurfaced in the past and that the prior refinishing company left it unmasked and coated over it as they did work on the tub. Covers for tub drains are typically only sold in metal finishes like chrome, and most homeowners aren’t in the habit of painting the covers themselves.
Tub looks newer or is a different color: If you have an older bathroom in which the walls and floors match, but the tub does not, it may be a possibility that your tub has been resurfaced. Older bathtubs used to be coated to match the bathroom colors, so a newer-looking, shiny white tub might be a sign that it’s been refinished recently to look more modern.
Call a professional for assistance
If you’ve checked for the signs and still aren’t sure if your tub has been resurfaced, call a professional like A-1 Porcelain & Fiberglass Service L.L.C. for help. Our team is full of experts in bathtub refinishing in Phoenix, AZ, and we can identify a previously refinished tub and get to work making it look like new once again.
