Refinishing a bath tub isn't for everyone or every bath tub. Learn how to decide if refinishing an antique claw foot tub is a feasible project for you to undertake with your claw foot tub.

When evaluating a clawfoot tub for refinishing quality, there are many things to consider. Some older clawfoot tubs are not eligible or worth the time to refinish. Once they have deteriorated to a certain point, they are no longer worth the money nor the effort to restore them to their former glory.

Refinish a Clawfoot Tub Guide

Clawfoot tub refinishing is a great way to restore a piece of history. Some pieces are far too old and broken down to restore. By following this “Refinish a Clawfoot Tub” guide, you can distinguish between the hidden treasures and the pieces of trash.

Items to Check:

• Legs
• Exterior of Tub
• Faucet and Drain Holes
• Porcelain and Enamel

Legs

The legs need to be strong and level, they are the support of the tub. When checking the legs, make sure that they are adhered to the body of the tub by their bolts and not by rust. Rust can make the legs seem attached, when really the rust is holding them (like glue).

The feet of the tub should be in decent condition. If they are plagued with too much rust, they will never be level and will crumble once the tub is filled. Having all four legs is important. Sure, the tub seems fine with the three legs and may be in great shape, but finding the fourth leg to complete the tub can prove to be a huge hassle.

Exterior of Tub

Heavy rust is a deal breaker. If the tub is simply covered in surface rust, cleaning it off won’t be extremely difficult. You will have to heavily scrub, but recovering the tub is possible. Refinishing a clawfoot tub with heavy rust in the drains may prove to be impossible. If the drain begins to easily chip away if you pick at it, this may not be fixable.

Faucet and Drain Holes

When observing the claw foot tub, inspect the faucet and drain holes. If they are in pretty decent shape and have not been heavily chipped away or broken, hiding their imperfections should not be very difficult.

Porcelain and Enamel

If the tub is scratched or chipped, this is a minor problem. There are multiple companies that offer repair services as well as kits on the market for those who are interested in doing it themselves.

Take the angle of the tub into consideration. The placement of the tub in your home can help to hide and disfigurements that will be unappealing to the eyes. As far as stains and rust markings, these are minor surface blemishes that can be altered and cleaned. But, if there are heavy issues only on one side of the tub, you may be able to hide some of the major issues.

Clawfoot tub refinishing as well as the process of finding an eligible old tub can take some time. But, if you have the patience for such a chore, you can end up with beautiful antique results.