Bathtub refinishing is the process by which the outward appearance of an existing bathtub is improved.  In general, the physical structure of the bathtub remains exactly the same.  Any type of bathtub (ceramic, fiber glass, iron, and stone) can be refinished, but the costs and methods vary.  Some companies, such as ReBath, don’t actually refinish your bathtub, they add an entire new layer of material over your existing bathtub.  Bathtub reglazing falls into the same category of work as bathtub refinishing, in that it upgrades your existing bathroom fixture.

Interestingly, bathtub refinishing is usually more expensive than the cost of buying a new bathtub.  After all, you can find a modest whirlpool bathtub at surprisingly affordable prices.  The real cost of replacing your bathtub is the construction costs; you need to rip out the old bathtub, put in a new one, probably rip out/install at least some tile, if not a ton of tile, and you’ll need to connect plumbing and possibly electricity.  In general, you can earmark more for these associated construction costs than for the price of the tub itself.  Bathtub refinishing eliminates all of the work, costs, and headaches that the more serious work of replacing a bathtub brings with it.

Porcelain Bathtub refinishing is a two step process that is somewhat labor intensive.  In the first step, the existing surfaces of your bathtub must be sanded down so that they are extremely smooth, and all paint/coatings are gone.  Next, all negative areas (holes in the tub, etc) must be filled in.  After the entire tub is perfectly smooth, a layer of urethane primer is coated across the entire tub.  Urethane primer allows the final layer, which is usually some form of urethane, to stick to the tub.

In general, the tub will be ready to use within a day of the entire procedure.  Before you cast any judgments, be sure to check out some before/after pictures of the procedure at work: