During operation, a bathtub, like any other piece of furniture, gradually wears out. Mostly, the enamel coating deteriorates: the gloss and shine of whiteness disappear, traces of rust, smudges, roughness become visible, chips and cracks appear. This is due to chemically aggressive detergents, mechanical damage and poor water quality.
In such a situation, most people come to the conclusion that the bathroom needs to be changed. And how many have learned about the restoration of bathtubs , what kind of service it is, how much does it cost, can you do it yourself? It turns out you can save time and money. In this article, we'll talk about liquid acrylic, which you can use to restore the shine and color of your bathtub with your own hands.
restore the bathroom with liquid acrylicMaterial properties
Stacryl (STACRIL) is a compound obtained by mixing a white base (acrylic) and a liquid transparent hardener. The material has the following properties:
viscosity - allows you to form an acrylic coating with a thickness of 4 mm (on the walls) and 6 mm (bottom of the bath);
fluidity - the composition envelops the surface in an even layer;
"Delayed" polymerization - the hardening process makes it possible to carry out the restoration of the bath without haste.
As a result of a chemical reaction, a gradual petrification of the composition is observed with the formation of a plastic-like material with a gloss. The polymerization process starts already at room temperature when the components are mixed. At the moment of applying the composition to the restored surfaces, a strong acrylic film with a thickness of 4–6 mm is formed.
At the end of the work, the restored surface acquires resistance to mechanical shock, which is many times stronger than acrylic inserts or a layer of enamel.
Stages of restoration
The technology for restoring the enamel surface consists in the step-by-step implementation of the recommendations:
1 . The preliminary preparation of the bath before applying the composition is to thoroughly clean its surfaces. At this stage, the quality of the future coating is laid, therefore it is necessary:
apply abrasive powder to the old enamel and clean the surface with emery (sanding) paper or a sanding tool;
to process the areas of corrosion with a rust converter, then after 30 minutes. re-sand the surfaces with sandpaper;
thoroughly rinse the enamel remnants with water and treat the surface with a soft, lint-free cloth soaked in a degreasing agent;
2 . Before applying liquid acrylic, disconnect the siphon and place a container under the drain to drain excess acrylic.
3 . Prepare the working staff according to the step-by-step instructions from the manufacturer's package leaflet.
4 . Slowly pour the finished acrylic mixture onto the upper edge of the bath, smoothly moving the stream along the perimeter of the container to be restored until the circle is closed.
Depending on the quality of the material, the time of its polymerization varies within 4 days. The service life of the bath after restoration is at least 20 years.
It is important to remember that:
the liquid hardener is extremely toxic, therefore, if it comes into contact with the skin, it causes chemical dermatitis, work with gloves.
the presence of lint on the surface of the bath before the application of liquid acrylic reduces the quality of the restoration.
the process of filling restoration occurs continuously, so the container for the composition must be suitable (excess acrylic will drain into the prepared container, directly under the drain hole).