After deciding on the style you want, you must choose the material and finish. Most bathtubs today are either cast iron or acrylic. Cast iron is extremely durable, solid, and elegant. However, they are extremely heavy, and tend to chip, so be prepared for a Bath Tub Refinishing project. If you prefer a lighter, easily maneuverable bathtub, you may want to consider an acrylic one. They also are completely waterproof, not only on the inside, which makes the tub incredibly easy to maintain and clean.
(1) Walk-in tubs are a necessity, not a luxury. If you are in the home you hope to stay in, a walk-in cast iron bathtub refinishing near me (or a slide-in or transition tub) is, without question, the single most important "first step" to being able to achieve independent living.
One end of the claw foot reglazing tub is rounded and the other is squared off. The rounded end is the end at which the bather would sit, whirl the faucet is placed at the square end. The vintage tub allows for the moist options being available.
Since a new bathtub costs only about a few hundred dollars, and since most people are able to afford that, you would think that most would readily decide to replace their worn out tub rather than repair it. However, replacement costs involve more than just the price of the new tub. There is the cost of demolition, the cost of removing and disposing the old tub, not to mention the cost of the plumbing, the cost of the tile work, and on and on. Soon your $200 new tub is costing you several thousand dollars instead. It turns out that in most cases, repairing the tub is much less expensive after all.
Start with the walls: I just finished refinishing the walls of our Airstream Landyacht with a wonderful product that is trowelled on and sticks to anything. It is called Lustrestone. It brings drab to its knees with a shimmery, yet stoney look; and can be done any number of color combinations. After removing the window cornices and patching any holes, a few coats and it's better than new. The bath tub restoration walls were done with a different color of Lustrestone, then stencilled with a bamboo trellis. The challenge was to work with the uneven angles of a motorhome. The bedroom walls were done in a faux lepoard skin which has transformed it into a lush, cozy room, and separate from the rest.
Hiring a professional to refinish your bathtub means guaranteed results. If you were to try to do the job yourself your bathtub may end up looking about as good as a Porshe that has been painted with several cans of spray paint. Hiring a professional means they come back and redo the work until you are satisfied.
With refinishing, there are many color choices and looks that can fit your budget. Instead of dropping thousands on a brand new tub, it may be best to consider this route first.