No practical difference exists between refinishing and reglazing - the terms convey the exact same meaning to the consumer; painting a bathtub.
Joy of St Croix sands and polishes all bathtub refinishing projects to produce a mirror like reflection
Three types of Refinishing
Joy of St Croix - Tub Repair and More offers three particular types of refinishing projects that require slightly different materials and techniques: bathtubs and shower units, bath tile, and restoration of antique farm sinks and clawfoot bathtubs.
Comparing Offers on Bathtub Refinishing
What are your expectations?
What final product are you paying for?
Are you being overcharged?
Think very carefully before you choose a company based on low price, you might get stuck with a high replacement cost.
Refinishing a fiberglass or acrylic composite bathtub or shower is a one shot deal because the chemicals used to strip the paint off will destroy the unit. You have one chance to do it right.
It's a terrible thing for us to have to tell someone who chose a lower priced company that we can't fix what the other company left them with. Compare offers and take notes.
offer and acceptance are the essential ingredients of a contract
Click here for a guide to comparing offers for bathtub refinishing...or reglazing or whatever you want to call it.
What's the difference between recoating, resurfacing, refinishing, and reglazing a bathtub?
No practical difference exists between the terms "refinishing" and "reglazing" - they both convey the exact same meaning to the consumer, i.e., reapplying a protective coating to a bathtub.
A bathtub is constructed of metal that rusts or fiberglass that absorbs water. A protective coating is applied to prevent degradation of the structure and allow for hygienic cleaning. The protective coating is called the "finish" because it's the last step in production before the surface can be used as intended; the process is finished. If the coating is damaged, a new finish needs to be applied; it needs to be "re-finished".
To "glaze" comes from the word "glass" and means "to create a smooth glassy-like surface"; like a donut with a shiny coating...a "glazed" donut. Porcelain coatings have a paper thin layer of glass called a "glaze". When a bathtub's smooth and hygienic surface is no longer smooth and hygienic, regardless if it's porcelain or gelcoat, a new "glaze" needs to be applied; it needs to be "re-glazed".
However, since the 14th century, "glazing" has typically referred to cutting, installing, and removing the glass in windows done by a "glazier". Advertising in the yellow pages cost money, and each category you advertise in costs more money. Since customers were more likely to look under "furniture refinishers" or "appliance refinishers" to have their bathtub "refinished", the term "tub reglazing" was pretty much abandoned except as a marketing tool by those who could afford to advertise in multiple areas of the yellow pages to be in front of as many customers as possible.
Whether you want to call it refinishing or reglazing, Joy of St Croix - Tub Repair and More sands and polishes the coatings we apply on bathtubs to a mirror-like reflection - every time.
Joy of St Croix sands and polishes all bathtub refinishing projects to produce a mirror like reflection
a guide for consumers comparing offers for bathtub refinishing. by Joy of St Croix
page 1 of 3
OK, so…you need a bathtub refinished or reglazed or whatever it’s supposed to be called, and you pull out your phone and look up “bathtub refinishing or reglazing or whatever you call it”. You scroll for a bit… You like a company’s name so you follow the links that lead you to decide to contact the company. ~ You can afford their price, ~ they have a warranty, ~ they have 100 years of “combined experience”, ~ they can do it next week BAM – your research is done.
What could possibly go wrong?
Whatever happens next, nightmare or dream, is the best you can expect… because all you expected was a bathtub to be painted for an agreed on price by a person with “100 years of combined experience”. With expectations like that you might get exactly what you pay for.
Is bathtub refinishing worth it? Can you answer these questions?
1 – What are your expectations? 2 – What is the tub refinisher actually offering? 3 – Are you being overcharged?
What are your expectations? …are they realistic?
What did you expect – no, really – what did you expect?
Do you have unrealistic expectations? For some strange reason, a child will always be shocked and disappointed that the ice cream is in a one ounce plastic container with a waxed paper pull tab and a wooden spoon instead of homemade ice cream with fresh fruit in a waffle dish. That’s an unrealistic expectation. On the other hand, when an adult orders what they expect is a full sized Turkish rug and instead they receive a one dollar novelty item, I feel compelled to ask: How much did he pay for the rug…and the cost for shipping a heavy full sized rug? For the price he was paying, what should he have expected? Was it an unrealistic expectation?
If you’re comparing offers for tub refinishing then you already have some expectations, perhaps even subconsciously; but where did you get those expectations from? Are those expectations an average of the information you gathered in your search or are you expecting different levels of service from select companies? What are your realistic expectations for bathtub refinishing in your home?
Expectation # 1 – The Finish
a smooth, mirror-like reflection on a bathtub’s finish is more hygienic, easy to clean and keep clean.
What do you expect a newly refinished bathtub to look like?
The most obvious aspect of a newly refinished bathtub is the finish, but what exactly are you expecting it to look like – a new bathtub or a newly painted bathtub? Do you expect the finish to be “shiny” like how oil on a sidewalk is shiny or how a new penny is shiny? How about reflections? Should the finish just reflect light, or should it reflect images, too? How about dust in the painted finish? Should there be any dust? What about drips, runs, or sags in the painted finish? What is not so obvious about the finish on a bathtub is its purpose – hygiene. The bathtub is a tool to help keep you clean, and you need to clean your tools to maintain their functionality. A smooth to the touch finish is easier to clean than a rough surface where dirt, soap scum, and mineral deposits collect. If a company does not specifically state, in writing, that your finish will be sanded and polished to a mirror-like reflection then you should not expect a mirror-like finish. That would be an unrealistic expectation.
Will Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More produce a mirror-like reflection on my newly refinished bathtub?
Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More sands and polishes the bathtubs they refinish to produce a mirror-like reflection. This process is labor intensive and takes an additional 6 – 8 hour day.
Joy of St Croix sands and polishes all bathtub refinishing projects to produce a mirror like reflection
Expectation # 2 – The Caulk
Caulk is critical to the lifespan of both the bathtub’s painted finish and the wall. The most important and overlooked aspect of caulk is that it has a limited lifespan – meaning it has to be maintained if you expect it to last and be hygienic.
Do you expect the caulking to be painted over?
Caulking acts as a water seal and an expansion joint. As it gets old it gets hard and loses its flexibility. It shrinks and pulls away from the tub and the wall forming cracks that will allow water in. Water allows bacteria to degrade the edges of the bathtub’s paint. At the same time, the wall degrades with mold and mildew. Besides regular cleaning, you should expect that you will need to repair or replace your caulking at least two to three times in the lifespan of a tub or shower that gets residential family use. If it’s painted over how are you expected to do that?
What will Joy of St Croix do about the caulking?
Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More never paints over caulking. At the beginning of the project the caulking is removed and the remaining void where the caulking was is thoroughly cleaned out of debris and gunk. The bathtub surface that was covered by the caulk is treated for proper adhesion of the new coatings. The next day, after the new coating is dry, new acyrlic latex caulk is installed. We use acylic latex caulk with Microban rather than silicone for ease of maintenance and repair.
Expectation # 3 – The Drain
The drain is the weakest spot on a refinished bathtub and is the most likely place for the paint to fail because standing water collects around the circumference of the drain basket. If the newly refinished coating’s edge meets the circumference and works its way under the paint. Paint is weakest where it stops or where it doesn’t have a properly prepared surface to adhere to. If a bathtub refinishing company doesn’t remove the drain before painting the bathtub, then the drain area of the bathtub isn’t being painted…or cleaned or etched or primed or painted. Whether the drain is masked off or painted over or the gap between the drain basket and the tub is filled and caulked, it doesn’t matter – that is the edge of the coating. Water collects around the circumference of the drain basket and works its way under the paint. Bacteria grows in those crevices and begins to degrade the paint making it brittle. Little by little the edges of the paint chip and flake and the coating begins to fail. The solution to this is to prevent water contacting the edges of the paint by covering it with the drain basket. The drain should overlap the paint to create a seal – any other method is creating a seam that can separate and create an edge for water to collect. Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More process is to remove the old drain basket, refinish the bathtub, and install a new drain basket. The take-away is this: “The drain is the weakest spot on a refinished bathtub and is the most likely place for the paint to fail”…
Do you expect the drain to be painted over? (on your newly refinished bathtub)
The average bathtub refinishing company will paint over the drain because it saves time and material.
Do you you expect a fake drain cover to be glued on? (onto your newly refinished bathtub)
Some companies will claim that they’re installing a brand new drain basket when all they’re doing is gluing a cover on. This is actually worse than simply painting the drain basket because there is more areas for water to gather and bacteria to grow.
Do you expect a brand new drain? (with your newly refinished bathtub)
Joy of St Croix does not paint over drains nor do we glue fake covers on. Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More will remove the drain basket, remove any rust, and repair damage to the drain area if required. Repair charges may apply if the damage to the drain area is a published repair service. Repair services in conjunction with refinishing services may be eligible for a discount; repairs that are not eligible are those that extend the project to another day, e.g., floor and drain rebuilding .
After the refinishing process is completed a new drain basket will be installed. The drain basket to be installed will be new and non-used; it will be chrome plated with a solid brass body in a push/pull style.
Should you expect a refinished bathtub to have a mirror-like reflection?
Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More sands and polishes our refinishing projects in order to produce a mirror-like reflection. You should only expect a mirror-like reflection from bathtub refinishing if the company you hire specifically states that you should expect that feature from their service. Important – To produce a dust free and smooth to the touch finish with a mirror-like reflection requires sanding and polishing when the coating has dried.
Should you expect a refinished bathtub have new caulking?
Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More removes the existing caulking on day one before refinishing, and installs new acrylic latex caulk on day two after polishing the newly refinished bathtub. Important – Caulking is wet and needs 12 hours to dry cure before painting it, so it can’t be applied before the paint on the day of the refinishing. Caulking can only be applied on a dry and cured coating after the refinishing day. When is the caulking being installed?
Should you expect a brand new drain basket to be installed?
Joy of St Croix – Tub Repair and More never paints over drain baskets or glues on drain trim covers. We remove the old drain basket and overflow cover on day one before refinishing and installs a brand new, unused drain basket and overflow cover on day two after the newly refinished bathtub is polished. Important – To install a new drain basket so that it overlaps the coating requires the coating to be dry and cured.
Next page: What is the refinisher actually offering?
Why do bathtubs have feet?
And why an animal holding a ball?
In this post an ancient Greek goatherder inspires a furniture maker, who inspires a painter, who in turn inspires another furniture maker thousands of years later to create fashion trend and a tidy profit by giving bathtubs animal feet and making them balance on a ball which was largely due to the f the new scientific discovery of germ theory by giving bathtubs animal feet balancing on a ball.
Goats are everywhere
In ancient Greece goats were as common as end tables.
End tables that get in your way.
And stink.
...and then knock you down for no reason, stink a little bit, and then get in your way again for some more stinking.
They did have some good things going for them, like food and clothing, but most important was their personalities. The goat's personality has such ancient cultural and religious sterotypes that we still reference them today, like calling a grumpy old man an Old Goat. Goats can be cantankerous but they can be mischievous with a sense of humor. A young goat is called a kid - and if you've ever been around a kid who's so full of energy they could burst you'll know why they named one kid after the other kid . The French called a two-wheeled horse-drawn carriage a "cabriolet", after the Old French word "cabrioler" which meant "the way goats leap and bounce" because the carriage would bounce around violently and unpredictably.
Greeks and Nature
For the ancient Greeks, Reason was the highest expression of humanity. The ancient Greeks used their Math to describe and explain nature. One example of this is their fascination with function, e.g., the rear legs of ungulates - hoofed animals like cows, horses, gazelle, and of course, goats. With the ungulate leg being mathematically examined, explained, and described the artists used that knowledge to design and build a lightweight support that looks like a goat's rear leg that could take heavy loads and sharp impacts by distributing the stress loads.
The Romans liked the Greeks
In Pompei and Herculaneum the charred remains of these "goat legs" on tables and chairs have been recovered. Frescoes with incredible "goat-legged" wooden tables almost look out of place to our modern eyes; they look just like modern tables. Everything else in a Roman fresco looks ancient except those AI deep fake tables with their modern legs. The Romans who made those frescoes thought so too. It was a very modern - a revival of the Classical Greek form with a modern Roman twist .
The Renaissance looks back to look forward
Almost a thousand years later in 15 century Europe the Renaissance was beginning with a rediscovering of the Classical Greek and Roman world. The styles developed and perfected in Italy swept into Paris and the Loire Valley with Catherine de' Medici's entourage of craftsmen brought to the court of her husband, the future King Henri II of France. These new designs quickly supplanted the last remnants of Gothic style among the furniture makers of Northern France. At this time the French furniture makers named the "goat-leg" design "cabrioler"...meaning, to leap like a goat.
Industrial Revolution and health
Around this time (1760) the Industrial Revolution was gearing up and the indoor plumbing industry had just begun. In 1728 the first underground sewer was installed in New York, and in 1830 the first public water main was installed there as well. To follow was the invention of drainage pipes to take sewage away from buildings to a disposal terminal. In 1848 the United States Congress passed the National Public Health Act which gave all communities access to water mains and drainage pipes which resulted in a huge decrease in diseases and ranked the United States as the top leaders in modern plumbing.
Germ theory won't occur to Pasteur until 1850 and John Snow's findings in 1854 that cholera could be spread by contaminated water would still take some years to be accepted, but his work led to fundamental changes in the design of public water and waste systems.
Mass production equals choice
Bathtubs in the home were a luxury...especially when you consider that plumbing had to be introduced to homes that were already built. No building codes existed yet, and hardware, like connectors and straps, were being figured out as they went along, so many were custom designs for those luxury tastes. Pursuing hygiene was more a class and fashion statement then a norm and the bathtub was treated as a piece of furniture. Well, that just demands the latest styles - time to go shopping.
And what a shopping trip it was, too. Cast iron radiators, stoves, sinks, bathtubs, tables, and more could all have different design options for remote purchase and shipping. A bathtub's body could be mass produced and shipped and stored in various plumbing warehouses around the world. If the customer wants special feet that are not in stock the body can still be purchased and installation could begin while the specialty bathtub feet are being shipped separately. All styles of feet could be chosen, from fancy Rococo to modern Neo-classical and Empire. The Chippendale foot was a comfortable style that appealed to many people and has become typified by the American Standard Sanitation Company's classic model.
The simple and graceful lines of Queen Anne (1720-1780) used the same cabriole leg as the flamboyant and intricate styles of Rococo (1723-1760) and Chipendale (1755 - 1790) all of which made use of weighty lion and eagle claw's holding a ball.
The cabriole leg
A cabriole leg is one of (usually) four vertical supports of a piece of furniture shaped in two curves; the upper arc is convex and always bows outward, while lower is concave and bows inward. The cabriole leg style is found in the frescoes of Ancient Greece and the paintings of Ancient China. The design is inspired by the rear leg of hoofed animals. The etymology of this term specifically derives from the French word cabrioler, meaning to leap like a goat.
Identify the Style
The graceful curves of a cabriole leg are easy to love. What's decidedly more difficult is identifying the many styles within this broad genre of design. While all interpretations share a signature shape composed of two gently opposing arches, each style retains some signature element that makes the cabriole all its own. Follow some designer tips to readily identify four of the most popular variations of this timeless furniture classic.Queen Anne Style:Queen Anne cabriole legs commonly have a thinner ankle and a simple, pad-style foot. While occasionally seen without any embellishment, traditional shell motifs are typically found at the top of Queen Anne cabriole legs.
Chippendale Style:The Chippendale is most often identifiable through the appearance of heavy, substantial proportions and a large, prominent weighty ball-and-claw foot.
Louis XV Style:
The Louis XV style of cabriole leg is identifiable by intricate carvings and detail, a shorter leg, and with the opposing curves nearly identical in proportion. The foot of Louis XV cabriole legs traditionally ends with an elaborate drake foot on a small bun.
Colonial Style:Most closely related to Queen Anne style, Colonial cabriole legs are thin and delicate in proportion. Usually free from embellishments or carvings, the long graceful legs typically conclude in a tapered slipper foot, giving the leg a sleek profile.
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