Thoughts and Recommendations on Tile Reglazing (homes, contractors, professionals)

[aaa0628]

Anyone done this? Any thoughts and especially recommendations of qualified professionals would be great. We have a homes with very old tile-mint green and the other bath is yellow, we would like to reglaze both. Thanks.

[lamishra]

I'd love to know too! We have that "vintage retro" mustard yellow tile in our bathroom. While it's in excellent condition for a 35 year old house, it's so UGLY! I keep trying to convince myself that in 20 years, it'll be "antique" and "cool".
(yeah...I'm thinking probably not, too )

[MI-Roger]

We had dated yellow tile surrounding an uglier yellow tub (with a slight advocado undertone) in our single full bath. We opted to have a vinyl tub liner and wall surround installed to update and cover it two years ago.

Not inexpensive (~$3500), but very fast (arrived at 10am, done by 3pm, shower usable the next morning). I have noticed recently that some companies now have colors and textures that resemble natural stone.

We have two friends who hired contractors to reglaze their tubs only. Both jobs were disasters! One friend sold the home to escape the results, and the other later did a tub liner. Their happiness with the tub liner prompted us to do the same.

If experienced contractors cannot achieve satisfactory and lasting results with just the tub, I can't imagine how they could successfully reglaze a tile wall.

[mdp_az]

MI-Roger's post is in line with what I've heard about reglazing, too. I've heard that only the best of the best reglazers can do the job properly. I even saw this done on a home improvement show, and they cautioned about making sure you hire only the best for such a job.

A cheaper alternative with less chance of iffy results might be a tear-out of the current tile and then replacing it with beadboard and trim.

[Vnyrd]

I also heard the results of reglazing is not always good. In my old house, I rented a heavy duty sander and scuffed the tiles real good. I then retiled over the existing ones and it turned out fantastic without the demolition. Everything was still in tip top shape 4 years later when we sold and the new tile was a major selling point for the bath.

[regroutpro]

Originally Posted by aaa0628

Anyone done this? Any thoughts and especially recommendations of qualified professionals would be great. We have a homes with very old tile-mint green and the other bath is yellow, we would like to reglaze both. Thanks.

Tub and tile refinishing also known as tub reglazing or tile reglazing has become a popular remodeling alternative in the recent wake of our down spiraling economy. Many homeowners are finding it more economical to refinish what they have instead of replacing it and at a 70% savings compared to replacement who can blame them.

Tub and tile refinishing is the process of applying a polyurethane coating to your existing fixture in order to enhance or renew the look of that fixture. This process if done properly will breathe new life into that tub or tile and save you the gruesome cost of replacing it completely. If it is not done properly you could be faced with the horrible task of having it refinished again at a greater cost than to begin with.

The search for a more favorable means of remodeling has opened the doors to a slew of new service providers. Some of these providers are less than qualified to complete the task at hand and this has caused a very unfavorable taste to many contractors, designers, realtors and home owners alike.

It is very important when choosing a service provider to follow a few simple guidelines. These guidelines will protect you and ensure that the job you are paying for is a job that is done by a professional and done right.

The first and foremost questions one must ask a perspective provider is do you have references, if they cannot give them to you then you know from the get go there’s a problem. If they do have references, be sure to call them before making a decision. Ask them how long they have been in business and how long the technician who is doing the work has been with them. Also, if a technician is doing the job, ask if he will be supervised or if a supervisor or owner will be checking on the work when he is finished to ensure quality control. Finally, ask what their process is. A proper refinish job should consist of several steps.

The first step is to thoroughly clean the tub or tile. Second, the surface that will get the majority of moisture exposure should be thoroughly etched with hydrofluoric acid. This step is very important because if it is skipped the probability of coating failure is almost 100%. Third, a high quality epoxy primer must be used. Many providers out there are using shellac based primers and these will not do. Some even skip this step all together. Finally, polyurethane is applied over the primer. Some companies use epoxy finishes and they will do that they will yellow over time.

With these steps, a proper cross link between the porcelain, primer and finish is achieved and you should get between 5 to 10 years of use out of the tub or tile before it needs to be refinished again.

If you follow these basic guidelines you will not only be proud of the work that has just been done but you will ensure a finish that will last a long time.
Best,
George Piccot
AB Ceramic Tile Regrout and Reglaze Systems
[url]http://www.regroutpros.com[/url]

[VickiR]

I had my tub reglazed over a year ago. Not the tiles but just the tub. It looks brand new. I'd have to go back through my paperwork as to who did it but I believe it had a 10 year warranty with it.

Vicki