What Is the Difference Between Reglazing and Refinishing a Tub?

What Is the Difference Between Reglazing and Refinishing a Tub?

By: Faycel Bihich 

When talking about refurbishing a bathtub, people frequently use terms such as: “reglazing,” “refinishing,” “resurfacing,” and “repair.” Which can get confusing. Honestly, any of these words can be used, but these terms can refer to different parts of the process. Let’s explain what each word means to clarify the difference

What does ‘Reglazing’ really mean?

Technically, reglazing a bathtub is the application of a professional coating. which is the very last step in the process of restoring a bathtub. After a bathtub’s surface has been sanded, cleaned, and buffed to a smooth finish. It is ready to have a new coat of glaze coating that has been applied and sprayed evenly, all over it to serve as the final finish and seal.

What does "Tub Refinishing" mean, exactly?

Most of the time, “refinishing” means the whole process of fixing up a tub. Which could include repairs, resurfacing, and reglazing. It’s the most used term to describe the whole project, from the beginning to the end. So, the main difference between “bathtub refinishing” and “bathtub reglazing” is that “bathtub refinishing” refers to the whole process of restoring the tub. While “bathtub reglazing” refers to the final steps. Which include re-caulking the tub and sealing what’s been scrapped off from the beginning of your project.

What is a Tub Repair, exactly?

If you want to be really technical, you could say that “repairs” refer to fixing any imperfections you have in the tub. This can mean filling any cracks, chips, holes, dents, or pitted areas with car bondo and then sand smooth again.

What does it mean to "resurface the tub"?

Tub resurfacing is a term that like “refinishing,” can be used to describe the whole process of fixing an old bathtub. However it can also be used as fixing the tub before starting your project. This would include making any repairs that are needed, and buffing the surface to make it as smooth as possible.