Aaargh! It’s that heart-sinking moment when you notice accidental damage to your beautiful bath. Whether it’s a chip from a dropped shampoo bottle, scratches from cleaning products, or peeling paint and rust on older baths – don’t worry! You have several options, and complete replacement isn’t always necessary.
Understanding Bath Damage Types
For Acrylic Baths:
- Chips and cracks typically occur from dropping heavy items or improper cleaning tools. That hairbrush or razor might seem harmless until it slips from your hands and takes a chip from the bath surface.
- Scratches often result from abrasive cleaners or scrubbing too vigorously, or someone stepping in a bath with something abrasive on their feet, or dropping something sharp onto the bath surface. Even those “non-scratch” scouring pads can damage acrylic over time.
- Discolouration happens gradually from hard water, certain bath products, or exposure to direct sunlight through windows.
For Metal (Steel or Cast Iron) Baths:
- Rust spots develop when the protective finish wears away, exposing the metal underneath to moisture.
- Paint peeling occurs due to age, improper painting techniques, or using harsh chemicals.
- Chips in enamel happen from impacts with hard objects or thermal shock (extreme temperature changes).
Your Bath Repair Options
No matter how the accidental damage has happened to your bath, you have a few options available to you that can be easier and cheaper than replacement.
DIY Solutions: For minor damage, DIY kits are available at hardware stores. These work best for very small chips or scratches in acrylic baths. However, matching colors perfectly can be challenging as it’s a specialist skill, and results vary based on your skill level.
Professional Repairs: Specialized repair services (like FIX ‘N’ CHIPS) can fix most damage without replacement. Using advanced color-matching techniques and professional-grade materials, expert technicians can restore both acrylic and metal baths with high-quality repairs. Repairs are typically completed in just a few hours and at a fraction of the cost of replacement.
Refinishing/Resurfacing: For more extensive damage or if your bath shows significant wear, refinishing applies a new surface over the existing bath. This option works wonderfully for metal baths with widespread rust or peeling, or in some cases with acrylic baths where there is limited structural damage, such as cracks.
Replacement: Sometimes, particularly with structural damage that compromises the bath’s integrity, replacement becomes the most practical solution. If the bath has cracked through the surface, it can cause water damage to your bathroom if not properly addressed. However, many homeowners are surprised to learn that even seemingly serious damage can often be professionally repaired.
The good news here is that you don’t need let bath damage dampen your spirits! With today’s repair technologies, that chip or scratch doesn’t have to mean a costly replacement or renovation project. Give your bath a second chance – your wallet (and your bathroom) will thank you!
If you want a free quote, simply fill out the chat in the corner of the screen or the enquiry form on our website with a photo and we’ll connect you with your local repair expert.
