It depends on preparation
Most early failures come from poor preparation. Grease, soap, old sealant or loose previous coatings stop the new finish bonding. We clean and degrease the bath, deal with rust and loose material, and use a bonding primer before the finish coats.
It depends on use and care
A guest bath used once a week will look good for longer than a family bath used every day. Abrasive cleaners, suction mats and dropped items shorten the life of any finish. Our care guide explains what to avoid.
Signs a finish is failing
- Peeling or flaking, usually starting around the waste or under the taps
- Bubbles in the surface
- Rust coming through
- A rough, dull surface that won’t clean
A failing coating from another company can usually be stripped back and redone.
What re-enamelling actually is
Factory enamel is glass fused to metal in a furnace, which can’t be done in a bathroom. On-site re-enamelling, also called resurfacing, uses a specialist coating system instead: the bath is cleaned, degreased and keyed, damage is repaired, a bonding primer is applied and then several coats of a hard-wearing finish are sprayed on and left to cure. Done properly, it bonds firmly and looks and feels like a new glossy surface. It is a coating, though, so how long it lasts depends on how well it was applied and how it is treated afterwards.
The preparation that makes it last
- Removing every trace of soap, oils and limescale. Bath products leave a film that stops coatings bonding.
- Taking out old silicone. Coating over sealant leads to peeling at the edges.
- Dealing with rust and loose material. Rust under a new coating keeps spreading and lifts it.
- Stripping a failing previous coating. Any coating that is peeling has to come off first.
- Keying the surface so the primer has something to grip.
- Masking and ventilation, so the spray goes only where it should and the coating cures properly.
Where finishes fail first
The waste and overflow, under the taps and anywhere water sits for long periods are the first places to show wear. Fittings tightened against the surface, dripping taps, and bottles left standing in the same spot all put stress on the finish. That’s why we take care around fittings and give you care advice for those areas.
How to make your finish last longer
- Leave the bath to cure for as long as we say before using it.
- Clean with a soft cloth and a mild, non-abrasive cleaner. Avoid scourers, cream cleaners with grit, bleach and strong solvents.
- Don’t use suction bath mats. If you want more grip, a non-slip coating is designed for it.
- Fix dripping taps quickly, and don’t leave bottles, razors or wet sponges standing on the surface.
- Rinse off hair dye, bath bombs and oils straight after use.
- Get chips repaired as soon as they happen, before water gets underneath.
Read our full care guide.
Repairing and recoating later
A resurfaced bath can be repaired just like one with factory enamel. A chip can be filled and colour-matched, and if the finish has worn after years of use, the bath can be stripped and resurfaced again. That means a sound cast iron bath can keep going for a very long time.
Questions to ask any company
- How do you prepare the bath, and do you remove the old silicone?
- What do you do about rust or a previous coating?
- How many coats do you apply, and how long before the bath can be used?
- How long is the guarantee and what does it cover?
- What aftercare do you recommend?
Our hiring checklist has more.
Re-enamelling versus a bath liner
A bath liner is a moulded acrylic shell glued over the existing bath. It hides the old surface but changes the bath’s shape and size slightly, and if water gets between the liner and the bath it can be hard to deal with. Re-enamelling coats the bath itself, so it keeps its shape and fittings. Read bath liners vs resurfacing for a full comparison.
Is it worth it for an older bath?
For a cast iron or steel bath that is structurally sound, re-enamelling is usually the most cost-effective way to get a bath that looks new without a refit. The body of a cast iron bath can last for generations; it’s the surface that wears. Resurfacing renews that surface and can be repeated in future if needed, so the bath itself never has to go.
Our guarantee
Every repair and resurfacing job we do comes with a one-year guarantee. We’ll explain what it covers when we quote.
Quick answers
How long does re-enamelling take?
Usually most of a day, and the bath can normally be used the next day. See how long resurfacing takes.
What does it cost?
Our bath re-enamelling starts from £350, confirmed from your photos.
Is it guaranteed?
Yes, our resurfacing comes with a one-year guarantee.
Every job is different. Send us a photo and we’ll tell you what we’d recommend for your bath, sink or surface.
