Replies

1. 
   Rick_Knowlton | Mar 09, 1999 10:46pm | #1

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   Mary,

   I sympathize with your situation. My parents have built numerous homes over the past 40 years, and from time to time, dad would get a deal on product that was either discontinued or leftover from commercial jobs he was on. This led to the mismatched syndrome, but allowed them to own their own homes which is always better than paying someone else!

   There are a few products on the market for refinishing bathroom fixtures, however they are mostly epoxy based. They need to be, because most other products have an extremely difficult time bonding to slick surfaces, such as porcelain. Another problem is that often there are cleaning products built up on the surface. These need to be removed prior to applying any product. It is also usually recommended to rough up the surface first to help give the paint a "bite".

   There are do it yourself products available (I think Valspar had one). Most are a two part epoxy, and start as low as $25 for enough to do a bathtub. I would steer away from this unless you have previous experience working with epoxy paints. Mixing can be tough, and clean up can be a real problem. Masking off surrounding areas is another chore, if not removing them to the garage (hard to do with the tub and toilet!).

   The best option: Search your local yellow pages for a contractor (painting) who does refinishing. It may take some leg work, but it would be worth it to have someone come in, prep the area, mask it off, spray it and be out the same day. Your appliances should be ready to use within 48 hours. And the contractor has to deal with the clean up.

   Good luck on your project. Also, build the house! It is a very rewarding experience, if the proper forethought and preparation are put into it. Sounds like you are doing that. Have fun!

   Rick

1. 
   mary_alldian | Mar 10, 1999 12:09am | #2

   *Rick,Thanks for info. Quick question...does the product you mention also work on ceramic tile. I'm thinking that maybe I'll leave the appliances alone and simply paint the wall tile white or create some type of pattern that would bring white in. We are having fun getting ready to build. I never imagined that so much needed to be done before we even begin actual construction. It's a real learning experience. ThanksMary

2. 
   mary_alldian | Mar 10, 1999 05:21pm | #3

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   We want to update our guest and master bathrooms to prepare our home for sale. We will be building new home and don't want to spend alot of money on these improvements. The tile in our guest bath is dark green, toilet and tub are light green. We are considering putting in a new vanity in white and want to make minor changes that will bring room together. Have been told that there is new product that can be used to paint the tile and tub without having to replace. Does anyone have experience with this product and does it work? Is it expensive to do and can we do it ourselves? Would appreciate any info. Have been perusing this site looking for information on building a home and have found it extremely valuable and interesting. Thanks for your help

3. 
   Guest_ | Mar 10, 1999 05:21pm | #4

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   I work for a company that makes porcelain insulators for power lines. We have not yet found anything suitable for doing this. We currently re-glaze them for reapirs when needed and re-fire them in the kiln. I just heard about a flame-spray system that they are looking into but I haven't seen a demo yet.

   regarding epoxies. While they are very durable, second only probably to the porcelain. They are quite a bit softer. They will scratch, and they will not be as durable. But they do form incredible bonds to whatever they are stuck to. If your plan is to sell the house maybe this isn't an issue. Make sure whatever they use is 100% solids epoxy.

   -Rob