Firstly let us say that fully restored Thermoglaze freestanding bathtubs become the centrepiece of your bathroom.They look great ! If you are fortunate enough to have a matching pedestal basin that just compliments the look even more.
The Thermoglaze crew can give you the benefit of their considerable experience. We will provide helpful advice, because after repairing, restoring and resurfacing these beautiful cast iron baths and pedestal basins for over 35 years we have learnt a thing or two and would like to pass this onto you.
Most antique baths that Thermoglaze restore have been resurfaced before. The condition of the inside surface ranges from dull or discoloured to cracking or peeling paint. Most of this unsightly mess is attributed to the previous material that was used to resurface the bath.
Tip 1 : CHECK THE DO’S & DON’TS
When deciding on a company to resurface your antique bath ask for a copy of their Do’s and Don’ts: advice when turning on the tap. This is usually given to the customer after the job is done. If the after care sheet states that cold water should be added first before mixing in the hot water you know you have an inferior product.
Their reason; if hot water is always run first it places the surface under thermal shock. The shock distresses the surface which will eventually cause it to give up and crack that leads to peeling off. This same product when chipped the entire surface will be affected eventually. As this paint is just a covering the damage will allow moisture to seep beneath the surface which will in time undermine the area causing the paint to peel back.
Tip 2: Ask whether the resurface paint yellows and goes dull with age. We have even had some products start to turn grey.
Tip 3 : Check the clawfoot bath has been installed correctly
Check if the clawfoot bath has not been installed correctly or it has incorrect matching legs attached as this will cause the clawfoot bath to pool water and not drain fully. Water unfortunately does not just evaporate if left to sit on a surface for extended time. It will eat into the surface, blistering initially and then peeling off the paint. It is always a good idea to check to ensure your bath is draining properly.
The outside of the bath can also show signs of wear and tear or just look dated. Colours that were in vogue have changed. The most popular in the past were Brunswick Green or Burgundy which will still suit an owner looking for an antique look in a federation style bathroom. But over the last ten years owners have become more adventurous. So our advice is:
Tip 4 : Use your imagination there is no limit to your options when selecting the exterior colour.
Freestanding bath feet can be painted, chrome or nickel plated and this too dramatically alters the overall appearance.
Tip 5 : Ask our opinion on the colour combination.
We have the experience to help you decide what looks good. After all we have been resurfacing antique baths for over 35 years ( that’s a lot of baths ) so we have seen what looks great and what’s not so ..
You know most cast iron baths we work on are at least seventy years old, some have even survived pre 1900’s. But we still get excited when we come across a style of clawfoot bath that we have not seen in a long time or has some unusual characteristic.
Tip 6 : Use Thermoglaze premier bath resurfacing.
The process has been specifically designed for wet heat so you can fill up your tub with hot water and then add the cold to get the right temperature. Thermoglaze will not yellow with age. You can have a Thermoglazed bath in direct sunlight for over ten years and it will not yellow : a fact we tested and it didn’t.
Tip 7 : Remember to enjoy your new Thermoglaze clawfoot bath.
With Thermoglaze Hi Tech Finish you can enjoy using the tub without the worry of damaging the surface. Fill it with hot water, throw in some soothing bath salts or dissolve a bath bomb, dim the lights and light up a scented candle, open a bottle of bubbly and put on some gentle tunes and the stresses of the day will dissolve away.
Tip 8 : The best bath experience
A Thermoglaze clawfoot bath while being great to look at and a wonderful feature of your bathroom it also…… “gives the best bath experience.” It’s because of the cast iron. Once the hot water warms up the bath the cast iron conducts the heat so the surface becomes warm and therefore your desired temperature lasts a lot longer than any acrylic or pressed steel.bath.
“Happy Soaking! “
The ThermoGlaze crew
