How to Save Money by Reglazing Home Decoration Home Improvement by John Wildes - June 19, 2015November 17, 2015 How to Save Money by Reglazing When it comes to decorating and renovating your house – the bathroom is usually the last room on the list. Lack of budget can make it hard to get the fixes or updates that you are wanting, and buying an entire new tub? That’s out of the question! Usually if you wanted to change the look of your tubs, countertops or sinks, your options were to replace everything using a contractor. The work looked great but didn’t come cheap. Doing the work yourself could save you anywhere from 25% to nearly 50%, but you were still looking at a few thousand dollars in remodeling costs. Image – chameleoncoating.com Even if you just wanted to fit a PVC bath liner over your tub, you were still had to expect a price tag of $1,000 to $2,000. It just didn’t seem like there was a viable solution that wouldn’t break the bank until the option of reglazing came about. With this new solution homeowners were able to save over 30% from the costs of refitting, 70% of the costs of replacing the tub and tile yourself and a whopping 95% from having a contractor do the work. The Right Glaze For You So you know you want to reglaze – but which glaze is right for you? Most tub resurfacing materials consist of some type of epoxy compound. Epoxy has wonderful coverage qualities, looks professional and dries completely water tight. However, epoxy can be rather inflexible which can lead to peeling issues in just a few years. Acrylic glaze is another option. Like epoxy, it’s non-porous but is also has more flexible properties which help maintain the longevity of the product. Regardless of which glaze option you decide on out there, it’s important to choose a product that will chemically bond to the old surface so you get years of life out of your project. Most contractor services will use this type of product. Do It Yourself or Hire A Professional? Again, the choice here for most people comes back to costs. It’s a huge benefit for those looking to save money but also produce a finished product that you can be satisfied with. If you do choose to do the work yourself, your local home improvement stores most likely carry a tub and tile refinishing kit. Going the DIY option over hiring someone is probably going to save you a few hundred dollars and you’ll most likely end up with a decent end result. Just be wary that the instructions for at home reglazing can be precise and complicated and if not done with the greatest of care, you could end up with a finished job that falls short of excellent. It’s also important to note that at home kits often use a product that does not chemically bond to the old surface, so you may experience longevity issues. There are many options available to you when considering bathroom remodeling. Reglazing is a cost-effective measure that if applied correctly can look absolutely stunning. It’s definitely a choice worth looking into to give your tub a new look without the new bathtub pricetag! About the Author- John Wildes is the owner of rubadubtubreglazing.com and has a passion for home improvement, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.