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How to fix small crack in bathtub

Hi there,

There is a small crack in my bath tub that is kind of an eye sore. Then the water outlet also looked like it had seen better days. There are also very small surface cracks that’s not as obvious.

Is there anything I can do to make my bath tub look better without changing it?

Many thanks in advance.

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MitchellMc

Hi @ee,

It looks like you'll need to prep the surface and repair the crack before any coating is applied. Applying a paint coating would improve the bathtub's appearance. If this is an older bathtub, I'd highly recommend you start with a 3M Instant Lead Test Kit to know what type of paint you are working with and wear appropriate PPE if necessary.

Correct surface preparation is critical to the success of the painting project. Clean the surface thoroughly with an abrasive cleaning product to remove all transparent body fats and soap deposits on the tub's surface. Pay special attention to the edges against the wall, around taps, plug hole and handles. Rinse off with clean, warm water and repeat as many times as necessary to ensure all build-up is removed from the surface. Take some 120-grit sandpaper and sand the edges of the crack and the areas with small surface cracks. You'll then need to sand the entire surface of the bath thoroughly to remove all shine. Use a fine grade of wet and dry abrasive paper (240 - 320 grit) and pay special attention to difficult to reach areas and the plug waste if you plan to paint it. Rinse all surfaces down and allow to dry.

Take some Selleys 50g Aqua Epoxy Putty Knead It and mix it as per instructions. Apply it into the dry crack with a Craftright 50mm Joint Knife. Make sure to push it as deeply as possible into the crack and smooth the surface off with the scraper. Once the putty has fully hardened, you can use the 120-grit sandpaper to remove the excess putty and then 240-grit to smooth, ensuring the area blends in with the surrounding areas. Ultimately, you shouldn't be able to feel the repair by running your fingers over it. Our sense of touch is about the same as sight. So, if you can feel it, you'll see it.

Do one final clean down with White Knight Rust Guard Solvent Cleaner Paint Thinner - 1L before covering any taps and applying White Knight 500ml White Tub And Basin Paint.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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MitchellMc

Hi @ee,

Do one final clean down with White Knight Rust Guard Solvent Cleaner Paint Thinner - 1L before covering any taps and applying White Knight 500ml White Tub And Basin Paint.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

Hi Mitchell,

Thank you for your ideas and recommendations. They are most helpful. I’m getting really excited. It’s going to be my next project.

Any idea how to repair the plug waste? Is it common to paint over it?

Thanks!!

MitchellMc

Hi @ee,

You'd need to tell me if those marks are just scum that you could remove, restoring it. Or if they are chips and the chrome is flaking off. If they are chips, I'd recommend you paint over it too. Sand the chips smooth and then scratch up the chrome to key the surface with sandpaper. My plug was far worse than yours, so I had no real option other than to paint over it.

Ideally, if you can clean it to look like new, don't paint it. But if those marks are permanent, I'd suggest you paint it as it would be a shame to have an old-looking plug in your freshly paint bath.

Mitchell

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