Anyone with dreams of owning an old farmhouse and turning this money pit into a palace may run across an old claw-foot porcelain tub. For some years, these were mistakenly regarded as an eyesore, and literally thrown into the dump where they are lost forever. The truth is, getting a bathtub resurface can bring such gems back from the dead, and preserve an antique.
These old porcelain tubs were given the boot by home builders in the 70s, but prior to this, they were found in nearly every home built. As lighter and cheaper materials became more standard, the porcelain was replaced with materials such as fiberglass and acrylic. Due to this change, those old-style, fancy bathtubs are sometimes worth a small fortune, and should never be overlooked.
One reason that porcelain tubs were replaced was due to the weight of the cast iron underneath. This is a particular issue for second-story bathrooms where the chances of sagging or even falling through was much greater due to this weight. Mobile homes were the first to introduce the acrylic tubs, but also the first to make them garden tubs in glamour baths.
Many people never make use of bathtubs these days, so the demand for that item in a house is not the same. Newer homes usually have only one full bath, with the others having a shower stall only. Newer apartments often have no tubs at all, favoring the small showering enclosure that allows more space for a sink or other vanity options.
In the world of refurbishing, easily installed acrylic tubs can be purchased and cut to fit almost any space. Many people have maintained their home improvement budget by pushing this easy button. Some newer styles actually fit over the tub that is already there, but unfortunately, many fancy claw-foot porcelain tubs have been sent to the landfill.
Any time one finds an older, metal tub in a home they come to own, they may want to find out what it is worth. In fact, many of these older tubs were built into the walls during prior restorations. Rather than losing this gem, it can be brought back to better than original, and again become the central feature of the bathroom; just as it was in the beginning.
Should your tub turn out to be highly valuable, it can be taken to an artisan who will sandblast and re-coat the entire tub. This includes making the outside match the inside utilizing techniques that differ from the past, but the results are better than ever. Old-fashioned ceramic was baked onto the iron, but now they can use many other materials to make a fancy old tub the center of the room.
For those sad individuals who threw out a claw-foot tub, it is probably a sore subject. These antiques go for thousands of dollars, sometimes being valued that high when they have not been maintained. For those who do not wish to be bothered with any refinishing, they can still find eager antique collectors and dealers willing to show up, cash in hand.
These old porcelain tubs were given the boot by home builders in the 70s, but prior to this, they were found in nearly every home built. As lighter and cheaper materials became more standard, the porcelain was replaced with materials such as fiberglass and acrylic. Due to this change, those old-style, fancy bathtubs are sometimes worth a small fortune, and should never be overlooked.
One reason that porcelain tubs were replaced was due to the weight of the cast iron underneath. This is a particular issue for second-story bathrooms where the chances of sagging or even falling through was much greater due to this weight. Mobile homes were the first to introduce the acrylic tubs, but also the first to make them garden tubs in glamour baths.
Many people never make use of bathtubs these days, so the demand for that item in a house is not the same. Newer homes usually have only one full bath, with the others having a shower stall only. Newer apartments often have no tubs at all, favoring the small showering enclosure that allows more space for a sink or other vanity options.
In the world of refurbishing, easily installed acrylic tubs can be purchased and cut to fit almost any space. Many people have maintained their home improvement budget by pushing this easy button. Some newer styles actually fit over the tub that is already there, but unfortunately, many fancy claw-foot porcelain tubs have been sent to the landfill.
Any time one finds an older, metal tub in a home they come to own, they may want to find out what it is worth. In fact, many of these older tubs were built into the walls during prior restorations. Rather than losing this gem, it can be brought back to better than original, and again become the central feature of the bathroom; just as it was in the beginning.
Should your tub turn out to be highly valuable, it can be taken to an artisan who will sandblast and re-coat the entire tub. This includes making the outside match the inside utilizing techniques that differ from the past, but the results are better than ever. Old-fashioned ceramic was baked onto the iron, but now they can use many other materials to make a fancy old tub the center of the room.
For those sad individuals who threw out a claw-foot tub, it is probably a sore subject. These antiques go for thousands of dollars, sometimes being valued that high when they have not been maintained. For those who do not wish to be bothered with any refinishing, they can still find eager antique collectors and dealers willing to show up, cash in hand.
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Learn more about the bathtub resurface process, today. You can also get more info about KB Bathtub Savers Ltd at http://www.bathtubsavers.ca right now.