What are the advantages of bathtub liners versus refinishing a bathtub?

Answer 1

I would not. ReBath typically charges around $3200 just for a bathtub liner, and up to $5000 for the wall tile to be lined as well. They are nice, but they make the area just a little bit smaller. For around $320, you can have your bathtub reglazed. Check with the Better Business Bureau, and make sure you get a 5 year guarantee. It should last you 10 years plus if you take good care of it. Replacing a bathtub normally costs around $2500.

AnswerI would change tub out, but it is much more costly.

ANSWER

There are some advantages to going with a liner not provided above.

First, if you go with an acrylic liner for your bathtub, its likely to come with a lifetime warranty provided you choose a quality manufacturer that has been in business for years. Bath Fitter and ReBath both come to mind.

Refinishing a bathtub isn't like it was years ago. The reason reglazing was so popular in the past but has become less so more recently is because in 1978 the EPA stopped allowing the use of lead in paints and glazes. Lead was the key ingredient in the durability of paints and glazes and was great in this type of application until it eventually began to chip or flake and then posed health risks to children in particular. Because the glazes and paints can no longer contain lead, that solution is no longer such a good one and often comes with just a five year warranty. Great if you're selling your house, but not so much if you want to stay there.

A liner also provides the benefit of warmer water temperatures for the duration of a bath. Because the acrylic liner insulates you from either the steel or cast iron tub it covers, it takes less time to heat up and will retain the heat for longer. This is a particular advantage for those that like to take long baths. Repainting a tub does not provide this same advantage.

Additionally, a liner is much easier to clean than a painted surface. Acrylic in particular in non-pourous like glass so it cleans up as easily as glass does as well. You can use most household cleaners on acrylics and it will very effectively clean your surface. Paint eventually breaks down and becomes pourous and stains. You can have a clean tub that looks dingy with paint, but if your tub looks dirty with acrylic, its because it is dirty.

Finally, the quality companies that provide liners, also provide a full line of Plumbing services for your bath. If you want to update the entire look of a bathroom, you can also have that same company replace faucets, drains, shower heads, as well as storage shelves, soap dishes and more. You can update the look of your bathroom with one company, often in one day with a liner company.

So while a liner system may be more expensive initially, its often the better value whether you plan to stay in your home or sell it. If you want to get out cheap, and don't care how its going to look in a few years, then repainting a tub is the way to go.