Porcelain Tub Refinishing
Porcelain tub refinishing — also called reglazing or resurfacing — repairs the chips, rust and worn enamel on a porcelain-on-steel bathtub and sprays a new glossy finish over it, in place, in about one day.
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Save up to 75%
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Finished in One Day
use it in 24 hours
2-Year Warranty
on bathtubs and showers
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One Day
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What is porcelain tub refinishing?
Porcelain tub refinishing — also called reglazing or resurfacing — restores the enamel surface of a porcelain bathtub without removing it. Most “porcelain” tubs are a thin layer of porcelain enamel fused to a pressed-steel shell. They were the standard builder tub from the 1950s onward, so they sit in the majority of postwar homes across Los Angeles, Orange County and the Bay Area. Worn enamel goes dull and rough, and any chip exposes the steel underneath, which rusts and spreads.
We grind out rust, fill chips and cracks, etch the surface and spray a new commercial-grade coating. The tub comes back bright white (or a custom color), smooth to the touch and ready to use in about 24 hours. The steel shell is thin, so it is also the tub most likely to be chipped at the rim or rusted through at the drain, all of which is repaired before the coating goes on.
Porcelain-on-steel is often confused with cast iron, which is the same enamel over a much heavier iron casting. A magnet sticks to both. The difference is weight and sound: tap the side and a steel tub gives a higher metallic ring, while cast iron gives a dull, heavy thud. Both refinish the same way; cast iron has its own page at cast iron and clawfoot tub refinishing, and the general process is on our bathtub refinishing page.
Replacement
- Demolition & new plumbing
- Weeks of disruption
- $5,100–$9,900+
Refinishing Best value
- Keep your existing tub
- Finished in a single day
- Just a few hundred dollars
Porcelain fixtures we refinish:
Ideal for owners of postwar homes, landlords with 1950s–80s units and anyone who has already tried a porcelain touch-up kit and watched it fail.
Real porcelain tub refinishing results
Chipped, rusted and dull porcelain restored to bright white across Southern and Northern California.
Why refinish a porcelain tub
The steel shell is sound. Refinishing repairs the enamel and gives you a new surface without a new tub.
Save up to 75%
A fraction of the $5,100–$9,900+ a replacement runs.
Finished in one day
Refinished in a few hours and ready to use in about 24 hours.
Rust stopped at the source
Rust at the drain, overflow and chips is ground out and sealed, not painted over.
Chips repaired invisibly
Rim chips and floor gouges are filled and sanded level so they vanish under the new finish.
Color change included
Pink, yellow, avocado and almond enamel returned to white or changed to a custom color.
No demolition
The tub, plumbing and tile stay exactly where they are.
Ready for a like-new porcelain tub?
Get a free quote5 Simple Steps to a Like-New Finish
Porcelain is the tub our five-step process was built around, and the one we refinish most.
*Repairing chips, cracks and other damage may carry an additional cost, quoted upfront before we begin.
Inspect & Clean
~30 minWe inspect the fixture and deep-clean the surface to remove soap scum, body oils and residue.
Acid Wash
~20 minAn acid wash strips and opens up the surface so the new coating can bond permanently.
Surface Refinishing
~90 minThe heart of the job, done in three stages. Repair: every chip, crack and worn spot is filled and repaired for a smooth, solid base. Sanding & surface prep: the entire surface is sanded and prepped so the new finish grips and lasts for years. Deep wash: a final deep wash removes every trace of dust and residue so nothing interferes with the coating.
Prime Coating
~30 minA bonding primer is applied as the foundation for a durable, lasting finish.
Reglaze
~60 minMultiple coats of commercial-grade coating are sprayed on for a smooth, glossy, like-new finish.
What is different for porcelain-on-steel
Three details that separate a porcelain refinish that lasts from one that fails at the drain in a year.
Rust at the drain
The drain and overflow are where porcelain-on-steel fails first: water sits, the enamel chips, and the thin steel rusts. We grind rust back to sound metal, treat and fill the area flush so it cannot bleed through the new coating.
Chips along the rim and floor
Dropped bottles and shower doors chip enamel and expose steel. Each chip is filled, sanded level and blended. Multiple chips or a rusted-through spot add repair time and are quoted before we begin.
Etched so the coating bonds
Fired porcelain enamel is glass-hard and glossy. The acid wash and sanding open that surface so the bonding primer and topcoat grip permanently, the step every touch-up kit skips.
Professional Equipment & Techniques
Our technicians use commercial-grade spray systems and premium coatings for a factory-new finish every time.
Why porcelain touch-up kits fail
A tube of porcelain repair paint from the hardware store looks like a bargain. Here is why the results rarely last, and what a professional refinish does instead.
No surface prep
Kit paint goes on over glossy fired enamel with nothing to grip. Professional refinishing etches and sands the surface first.
Rust left underneath
Touch-up paint seals rust in rather than removing it. The rust keeps spreading and lifts the patch.
Brushed, not sprayed
A brushed patch leaves edges, brush marks and a color that never matches. We spray the entire tub, so nothing shows.
Wrong coating, no warranty
Hardware-store paints are not made for standing water; they soften, yellow and peel. Our refinishing carries a written 2-year warranty.
Read the full comparison
See our guides to bathtub refinishing kits and whether you can paint a bathtub.
Already tried a kit?
A failed kit or peeling coating is stripped and the tub is refinished properly; stripping is quoted before we begin.
The trusted name in tub refinishing
How much does porcelain tub refinishing cost?
Most porcelain tubs cost between $350 and $500 to refinish, including cleaning, etching, minor chip repair, primer and finish.
Typical porcelain tub · your exact price depends on:
Minor chips and light rust are part of every job. Multiple chips, holes, spreading rust or a coating that must be fully stripped carry a $35–$175 repair surcharge, quoted before any work starts.
Request a Free EstimateReglazing vs. Replacement
A porcelain-on-steel replacement is cheap only until you add demolition, plumbing, waterproofing and installation; the bathtub replacement cost guide lays out every line, and liners bring their own problems. Refinishing keeps the tub, the tile and the schedule intact, with a written 2-year warranty.
Porcelain tub refinishing across California
Porcelain-on-steel tubs are in the majority of postwar homes and apartments in every county we serve. Searching for “porcelain tub refinishing near me”? If you are in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo or Santa Clara county, we are already nearby, usually with next-day appointments.
County guides: Los Angeles · Orange · Alameda · Contra Costa · San Mateo · Santa Clara · San Francisco · Riverside · San Bernardino · Marin
Los Angeles County
Los Angeles · Pasadena · Glendale · Burbank · Santa Monica · Torrance
Orange County
Anaheim · Irvine · Santa Ana · Huntington Beach · Newport Beach
Riverside County
Riverside · Corona · Eastvale · Moreno Valley · Temecula
San Bernardino County
Ontario · Rancho Cucamonga · Chino Hills · Fontana · Redlands
Santa Clara County
San Jose · Santa Clara · Sunnyvale · Mountain View · Palo Alto
Alameda County
Oakland · Fremont · Hayward · Berkeley · Pleasanton
San Francisco County
San Francisco & all neighborhoods
Contra Costa County
Concord · Walnut Creek · Richmond · San Ramon · Antioch
San Mateo County
San Mateo · Redwood City · Daly City · South San Francisco · Menlo Park
Marin County
San Rafael · Novato · Mill Valley · Sausalito · Tiburon
Don’t see your city? Contact us — we likely serve your area.
Porcelain tub refinishing questions
Yes. Porcelain tubs are the most common fixture we refinish. Rust is ground out, chips are filled, the enamel is etched so the coating bonds, and a new commercial-grade finish is sprayed on. The tub is ready to use in about 24 hours.
Most porcelain tubs cost $350–$500. Multiple chips, holes, spreading rust or stripping an old coating add a $35–$175 repair surcharge, quoted before any work starts.
A magnet sticks to both, because both are porcelain enamel over metal. Tap the side: a porcelain-on-steel tub gives a higher metallic ring and is light enough for two people to carry; cast iron gives a dull, heavy thud and weighs several hundred pounds. Both refinish the same way.
Yes. Rust at the drain and overflow is ground back to sound metal, treated and filled flush before the surface is prepped, so it does not bleed through the new finish.
Kit paint goes on over glossy fired enamel with no etching, often over rust that is still active, using a coating that is not made for standing water. Professional refinishing etches the surface, removes the rust and sprays a coating built for daily use.
Ordinary paint will not last on a tub. What works is a professional refinish: proper prep, a bonding primer and a sprayed commercial-grade coating. Our guide on painting a bathtub explains the difference.
Yes. Pink, yellow, avocado, blue and almond porcelain tubs from the 1950s through the 80s are returned to bright white, or changed to a custom color, in the same visit.
With proper care a refinished porcelain tub lasts 5–10 years and can be refinished again after that. Every job carries our written 2-year warranty. Porcelain and enameled cast iron sinks are refinished the same way.
Other tubs and surfaces we refinish
Cast Iron & Clawfoot
Acrylic Tubs
Fiberglass Tubs
Jacuzzi & Whirlpool
Shower Refinishing
Tile & Wall Refinishing
Bathtub refinishing · All refinishing services · Surfaces we refinish
Ready to restore your porcelain tub?
Text us a photo of the chips, rust or color and we will quote the job before you book, or request a quote online.
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