Our Refinishing Process, Step by Step
Before we arrive, the five steps we follow on every bathtub, sink, tile and countertop, the 48-hour cure, and what a job done right looks like.
How professional refinishing actually works
Refinishing (also called reglazing or resurfacing) is a five-step process: inspect and clean, acid wash, surface refinishing, prime coating and reglaze. It takes a few hours on site, the fixture is ready in about 24 hours, and the coating is fully cured at 48.
Every bathtub, shower, sink, tile wall and countertop we refinish goes through the same sequence, refined over more than ten years. Each step exists for a reason, and skipping any of them is how a finish ends up peeling. This page walks through the whole appointment in order: before we arrive, on site, the 48 hours after we leave, and the written warranty behind it.
If you are looking for bathtub refinishing near you in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside or San Bernardino counties, or in San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo or Santa Clara counties, this is the process you get. Prices are on the cost guide; surfaces are under surfaces we refinish.
Before we arrive: what you do
A little preparation keeps the appointment on schedule, protects your belongings and gives the coating a clean, dry surface to bond to. The full checklist is on our area preparation guide; here is the short form.
- Clear the space completely. Everything off and out of the tub, shower or counters. Our technicians cannot handle personal belongings, so an uncleared area may mean rescheduling.
- Move and cover what stays. Furniture, rugs and wall hangings at least 8–10 feet away; cover anything left in the room.
- Scrub the old surface with an abrasive cleanser to lift soap-scum buildup. This applies only to the old surface; once reglazed, abrasives must never touch it again.
- Fix dripping faucets and valves. Water reaching the finish during its 48-hour cure can ruin the coating and may void your warranty.
- Pets out of the home for the entire appointment, for their safety and ours.
- Plan to be away for the full appointment; while the coating is applied, only our technicians may be on the premises.
- Make sure water can drain. Prep uses water, and it is the customer’s responsibility to provide a suitable way to drain it.
Hardware and shower doors
In about 99% of our jobs the faucet, drain and overflow stay where they are and we mask around them. We are a licensed refinishing contractor, not a licensed plumber, so hardware removal is a plumber’s job; it can go back on 48 hours after the reglaze. Shower doors can stay too. Removing them is a separate charge and the frame bends in almost every removal, so talk to us first. The binding wording is in the before-your-appointment section of our terms.
What we do on site
These are the five steps published on our bathtub refinishing page, and the steps on every fixture we touch. Timings are typical for a standard tub; a tile surround or full shower takes longer.
- 01
Inspect & Clean ~30 min
We confirm the quote against the real fixture, then deep-clean the surface to remove soap scum, body oils and residue that would stop the new coating from bonding.
- 02
Acid Wash ~20 min
An acid wash strips and opens up the surface so the new coating can bond permanently. This is the step hardware-store kits leave out, and the reason painted tubs peel.
- 03
Surface Refinishing ~90 min
The heart of the job, in three stages. Repair: every chip, crack and worn spot is filled for a smooth, solid base. Sanding and surface prep: the entire surface is sanded so the new finish grips and lasts. Deep wash: a final deep wash removes every trace of dust and residue.
- 04
Prime Coating ~30 min
A bonding primer is applied as the foundation for a durable, lasting finish, tying the topcoat to the etched surface underneath.
- 05
Reglaze ~60 min
Multiple coats of commercial-grade coating are sprayed on with a commercial spray system for a smooth, glossy, like-new finish in bright white or the color you chose.
Damage beyond what the photos showed may carry an additional $35–$175, quoted upfront before we begin.
Why the order matters
Clean before the etch, wash before the primer, prime before the topcoat, spray rather than brush.
Price My ProjectWhat happens on the day, from arrival to hand-back
Arrival and inspection
Your quote was based on photos, so the technician first confirms it against the real fixture. If there is damage the photos did not show, the $35–$175 repair surcharge is explained and agreed before any work starts. A fiberglass floor that flexes needs an inlay repair first.
Masking, work and ventilation
Walls, cabinets, fixtures and floors are masked with quality painter’s tape; tape can occasionally lift paint when removed, and touch-ups are the owner’s responsibility under our terms. The five steps then run back to back with the room ventilated. No one other than our technicians may be inside while refinishing is in progress; our safety guide explains why, and why the cured finish is completely safe for everyday use.
Hand-back and payment
When the topcoat is on, the masking comes off and you receive the aftercare instructions. Payment is expected when the work is completed, by card or check to the technician; “pay later” providers must be arranged beforehand and the invoice paid in full before completion. See payment terms.
Coming home
Allow at least 5 hours of ventilation before re-entering; anyone with asthma, allergies or other respiratory sensitivities should stay out 24 hours or more.
Cure time: the 48-hour rule
A sprayed coating is dry to the touch long before it is fully cured: a tub that looks finished the next morning is still hardening underneath. The fixture is ready to use in about 24 hours; keep it completely dry for the full 48 hours so the coating hardens properly. Water inside that window can damage the finish and may void the warranty, so arrange a second bathroom ahead of time.
| When | What you can do | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| First 5 hours | Stay out; let the room ventilate | Re-entering; closing the room up |
| 5–24 hours | Be home; sensitive people wait a full 24 hours | Touching the surface; any water |
| About 24 hours | Fixture ready for normal use | Mats, suction cups, standing water, harsh cleaners |
| 48 hours | Fully cured; hardware and shower doors can be reinstalled | Abrasive cleansers, scouring powders, scrub pads, ever |
Timings as published in our terms; tile floors are ready for foot traffic in 24–48 hours.
After the cure, care decides whether the finish lasts five years or ten: no abrasives or harsh chemicals, no mat left in place, no standing water. The routine is in our care and cleaning guide; the lifespan to expect is in how long refinishing lasts.
Why we insist on the leak check. A faucet dripping onto the tub floor during the 48-hour cure puts water on a coating that has not hardened, which can damage it and may void the warranty. Fix the drip beforehand and the problem never exists.
What “done right” looks like, and where corners get cut
We strip and redo a lot of failed coatings, and it is almost never the coating in the can that let the homeowner down; it is a step that was skipped. The comparison sets the process above against the brush-on shortcuts we warn about in painting a bathtub and refinishing kits, and it is a fair checklist to hold any refinisher to.
| Stage | Done right | The shortcut, and what you see later |
|---|---|---|
| Bond | Acid wash opens the glossy surface | Scrub and light sand only; edges lift at the drain and waterline |
| Repairs | Chips, cracks and rust filled and sanded flush | Damage coated over; every defect telegraphs through |
| Primer | Bonding primer between etch and topcoat | Straight to topcoat; nothing ties the finish to the surface |
| Application | Multiple coats sprayed with commercial equipment | Brush or roller; strokes, stipple, drips, thin spots |
| Cure | 24 hours to use, 48 to full cure, in writing | “Fine by tonight”; soft spots and water marks |
| Accountability | Written 2-year limited warranty | None; the redo plus a $35–$175 stripping surcharge is on you |
The honest caveat, from our terms: reglazing is an alternative to replacement, not a factory, and humidity, heat and air circulation can make a 100% impeccable result hard to achieve. What the process guarantees is a finish that bonds, holds and is stood behind for two years. See the results in our gallery and reviews.
Questions about how refinishing works
A few hours on site: about 30 minutes to inspect and clean, 20 for the acid wash, 90 for repairs, sanding and the deep wash, 30 for primer and 60 for the sprayed topcoats. Ready in about 24 hours, fully cured at 48.
Usually not. In about 99% of our jobs the hardware stays in place and we mask around it. We are not a licensed plumber, so if you want hardware removed you must hire one; it can go back on 48 hours after the reglaze. Shower door removal is a separate charge and usually bends the frame.
About 24 hours after we finish. Keep it completely dry for the full 48-hour cure: water reaching the coating in that window can damage it and may void the warranty.
Our technicians use proper ventilation and safe application methods, and the cured finish is completely safe for everyday use. Allow at least 5 hours of ventilation before re-entering; anyone with asthma, allergies or respiratory sensitivities should stay out 24 hours or more.
If we find multiple chips, holes, cracks, rust or an old coating that must be fully stripped, a surcharge of $35–$175 may apply, always quoted before we begin. Major fiberglass repairs can carry a higher surcharge.
Yes, the same five steps with repairs matched to the material. Tile floors are ready for foot traffic in 24–48 hours. Tubs, showers, tile walls, countertops and bathroom sinks carry a two-year limited warranty; kitchen sinks carry six months.
Our FAQ page covers more, and this guide settles the refinishing vs. reglazing vs. resurfacing question.
See the process on your own bathroom
Send two or three photos and we will reply with a firm price, usually the same day. Serving Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties and the Bay Area.
Mon–Fri 7AM–5PM · Sat 8AM–12PM · Licensed & insured · Written 2-year warranty