Often, acrylic bathing, the reviews of which are very different, is the only possible budget option, because not everyone can afford to put expensive new plumbing.
Until ten years ago, no one thought that in two hours to completely renew the old bath, so that all roughnesses, cracks were smoothed out, rust disappeared.
In which cases the reviews are positive
Now it has become possible thanks to a method such as acrylic bath coating. The feedback of those who used it depends on the level of the specialist who made the repair. If this is a master of his craft, then the consumer is satisfied: the coating lasts more than ten years (no one has tested it for longer), its cost is from two to four thousand rubles (depending on the region and the year of the restoration). Acrylic does not turn yellow and does not scratch - of course, subject to all the rules of operation of the bath. They are quite simple: you can’t wash the dogs in the bath (or place a mat to prevent the claws from scratching the cover); When swimming, children should not be given metal toys. You should also not use abrasive materials for cleaning - just ordinary detergent for dishes. Do not let too hot water. Also, the acrylic coating of the bathtub, reviews of which are positive, does not like a sharp change in temperature and water with various impurities, for example, iron. In this case, it may turn yellow.
In which cases the reviews are negative
If the repair was carried out by Uncle Misha, the best neighbor in the world, but without special equipment, knowledge and experience, then the result will be appropriate: poor-quality and unstable acrylic coating of the bathtub. Reviews in such situations are negative: for more than a year, acrylic does not stand up and exfoliates (turns yellow, rusts, etc.), roughness and cracks appear.
What is liquid acrylic
In different years, various materials were used for restoration. At first the acrylic coating of the bathtub was done with a brush, but that composition did not withstand any criticism.
Today, manufacturers have created a wonderful material that allows you to get a perfectly flat and smooth surface. This is a two-component substance containing a large amount of non-volatile substances. It is made from imported raw materials of such companies as Du Pont (France) and Byk Chemie, Dow (Germany). Thanks to its high-tech base, coating the bathtub with acrylic allows you to get a beautiful and reliable surface.
Material benefits
Restoration eliminates a persistent unpleasant odor - it disappears in a few hours and does not annoy the owners in the future. Unlike the previous options, acrylic coating of the bathtub takes place using the bulk method - rollers and brushes are not used. The layer is obtained with a thickness of 4-6 mm, taking into account the defects that need to be fixed.
Liquid acrylic has high ductility and the ability to mix well. Therefore, you can add any color to change the color of the coating. In addition, no air bubbles remain during application. Its fluid and viscous properties prevent the material from hardening quickly. Therefore, it is evenly distributed on the walls and bottom of the bath with a layer of 4-6 mm. Low thermal conductivity of the material will provide comfort, and antibacterial properties - health.
Only on the size and regional prices will depend on how much it costs to cover the bath with acrylic. In Moscow, the cost of restoration starts from 1900-2000 rubles.
Self-contained bathtub
If restoration has never been carried out, then it will consist of the following steps.
- Stage One. Doing acrylic coating of the bathtub with your own hands will be possible after treating the entire working surface with a grinder with an abrasive wheel or a drill with a nozzle. You can use a grinding machine with a special abrasive that allows you to work even with factory enamel of the Soviet Union. The result should be a rough surface, cleaned of the bulk of fat and rust. This preparatory stage is most important, since the adhesion force (adhesion) of acrylic to the bath depends on the area of their contact. And on rough surfaces, it is maximum.
- Stage Two. The dirt from stripping is washed off. The bath is degreased with solvent and dust free. The surface is ready for coating.
- Stage Three. You need to remove the siphon and put a jar under the hole in case the substance drips. Do-it-yourself coating of the bathtub with acrylic does not exclude this. Professionals work in such a way that the material does not drain into the hole, or use a special cork that prevents this.
- Stage Four. Direct bath coating with liquid acrylic. To do this, the material is poured onto the edge of the edge with a gentle stream. With a rubber spatula, acrylic is neatly pulled to the walls. When it reaches the middle of the bath, a slow movement of the container with acrylic around the perimeter begins. It is important to ensure that the material is sufficient for continuous coverage without gaps. The whole process should be carried out continuously. You can not stop until the perimeter is passed and the ring closes. No need to fix anything - the influx and sag will disperse themselves.
How to make a mixture
Liquid acrylic consists of two components - the base and hardener. Before mixing, they must be kept at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Then the base is thoroughly mixed (5 minutes) with the gradual addition of a hardener. Stirring is continued for another 10 minutes. The mixture is allowed to stand for 10-15 minutes, and it becomes ready to use. If necessary, color is added and mixed thoroughly. It should be remembered that the mixture should be used within an hour. If the components are purchased in advance, then their storage should be carried out in a dry room, without access to moisture and sunlight, away from heating and heating appliances.
Consumption of time and material
To cover the bath with liquid acrylic, reviews say 2-4 hours are enough. In this case, most of the time will be spent on surface preparation.
Material consumption is directly proportional to the size of the bath. On a regular container with a length of 1.5 m, 3.5 kg of the base will take. And already for a bath 1.7 meters long, you will need 4 kg.
Tub tips
When applying liquid acrylic on your own, you can not avoid streaks from the drain hole. Therefore, before connecting the siphon, dried drops must be cut off and cleaned, and the connecting parts should be treated with silicone before installation to prevent leakage.
Around the bath you need to put newspapers or rags, as acrylic will drip from the sides. On the second day, the frozen drops are removed with an ordinary kitchen knife.
The surface must be dried before applying acrylic.
Often the space between the walls and sides of the bathtub is tiled or painted. With a perfect new surface, these "artifacts" will look unaesthetically. Therefore, it will be advisable to fill them with acrylic too. To do this, they must also be cleaned and degreased. If a piece of cement fell out somewhere, and a through hole appeared (usually from the end) between the wall and the bathroom, then pieces of polystyrene can be pushed into it, a new dry sponge for washing dishes, etc., while trying to align the horizontal surface as much as possible for applying acrylic. On the vertical of the walls in contact with the bathroom, you need to glue masking tape so that they do not get dirty, and make the corners clear and even.
Acrylic does not need to be diluted to save. Get a thin layer that will last very short.
The bathroom can be used in a day, but it is better to wait four days - for better drying of the coating.
It is advisable to keep freshly applied acrylic from the drafts for the first two hours, until it grasps well. Then you can open all the doors, windows - the smell will quickly disappear.
If the result is not satisfactory, then the restoration can be repeated, only first remember to treat the surface with an abrasive.
be careful
You need to carefully review the quality certificates for the material before you purchase it and independently cover the bathtub with acrylic. Reviews indicate that often it is replaced by enamel, made artisanal. This can be fraught with such consequences as the appearance of a yellow tint of a new coating and stains, cracking, peeling.
Tinting Liquid Acrylic
According to statistics, the majority of the world's population prefers white coating of a cast-iron bathtub with acrylic. The reviews indicate otherwise. Today, more and more, a white bathtub does not fit into the overall design of a sanitary room and looks unnatural against a background of bright or dark walls. Therefore, many want to flower it in tones that are more consistent with the general mood of the room.
To do this, paste or liquid color is added to the acrylic, knead until smooth and the tone is checked by applying a smear to the surface. Color intensity can be increased. Important: you need to mix color and acrylic under the same lighting that will be used in the bathroom. A variety of color options are possible with such a restoration method as coating baths with liquid acrylic. Reviews allow you to draw conclusions about the most popular tones. These include shades of red, brown, pink, yellow, light green, emerald green, blue and gray.
Relaxation in a colored acrylic bath
Our ancestors knew about the possibility of color to influence well-being. For example, in Athens, a stone font was covered with red ocher. Even then, water was endowed with healing properties. It was believed that in combination with yellow, these qualities were enhanced. Water, illuminated by the sun's rays through colored glass, increased the mood of a person.
The ancients attributed a certain energy to each shade. So, red gives protection and is suitable for insecure people. Orange eliminates neurosis, recommended for public figures. Yellow suits everyone, it gives life energy. Green brings healing to the sick and wounded. The blue color of the sky will heal after psycho-emotional shocks. Blue will give decisiveness. Violet will give energy to higher powers.
In modern life, achieving the desired shade of water is not easy. Firstly, the bathroom almost always has no windows and, accordingly, there is no sunlight. Secondly, color lighting will not solve the problem of water colors. Thirdly, the colored sea salt added to the water will scratch the acrylic. Fourthly, not everyone has the opportunity to stain water with the help of herbal decoctions.
Therefore, a color acrylic bath coating was immediately appreciated as a practical means for relaxation and color therapy at affordable prices. For use, you just need to fill the bathtub with water.
If the room is equipped with good ventilation or a window, then aroma lamps can be used to enhance the effect. The choice of oils is unusually large today. You can also arrange candles and enjoy the fire. The resulting ensemble of color, light and aroma will come in handy after the hard work of coating the bathtub with liquid acrylic, help to rest and relax.