Guidelines for Painting a Plastic Tub in a Mobile Home: What to Do and What to Avoid

So you feel like your mobile home’s bathtub could use a little sprucing up. Hard as you try, scrubbing it down just doesn’t cut it – your bathtub needs something more. It needs to be painted. Well, let’s just say you’ve come to the right place.

Your mobile home shouldn’t have to look drab on the outside or on the inside.

LET US HELP YOU

So today we’re gonna show you how painting a plastic tub is done. You’ll have information that will provide insight on the right and wrong way to do it. We hope that by talking the do’s and don’ts, you’ll spare yourself some pain.

Whether you’re here to make your tub like new or you simply do not like its current color, this guide will prove useful.

Read on and we’ll guide you along through the whole process from start to finish.

DO’S AND DON’TS FOR PAINTING A PLASTIC TUB IN A MOBILE HOME

Now let’s get started. For this project, you’ll need a clean tub. So if you haven’t cleaned out your bathtub, the time is now. With that out of the way, we’re ready to move forward.

Clean your bathtub and scrub away the mildew.

The big “don’t” here is that you don’t work with a dirty tub.

MOISTURE NEEDS TO GO

To begin, ensure that your tub is dry – you don’t want a smidgen of moisture on the surface. Clean and dry is what we’re going for. Don’t be shy about pulling out a towel to thoroughly dry the tub.

For your best interest, let’s clarify: dry your tub because you can’t work over a wet tub.

Now that your tub is dry, let’s move on to the next step.

SANDING THE TUB

For painting purposes, we need to sand the tub. Your refinishing kit should come with the right sandpaper for roughing up the surface. 120 grit will work if you didn’t buy a refinishing kit. By sanding the surface, you add a good grip to the tub so the paint will stick.

Sand your tub and be sure you don’t miss a spot.

TAPE THE EDGES

Get your hands on some painter’s tape and cut out the edges of the tub. This will protect the sheetrock or tile from your painting. In this manner, you won’t have to worry about having a steady hand for precision. You can also cut out your showerhead and drain with the tape.

Take the time to do those right – you’ll be glad you did. Such efforts will save you time in the long run. Just think about what would happen if you got paint on your tile or wall. It would be a “bear of a problem” to deal with. What if it doesn’t wipe off easily?

Don’t allow yourself to think you can bypass this step.

APPLY THE BONDING AGENT

Your bathtub refinishing kit should come with a bonding agent to help the paint adhere successfully.

Apply this to your tub’s surface using a roller for open surfaces and a paintbrush to cut in the hard to reach areas. Once this is dry, follow the instructions on the package, proceed with the paint primer.

To be clear, you want to use a bonding agent.

However, you don’t want to prematurely apply the primer. Ensure you’ve allowed the bonding agent to dry adequately.

PAINT THE TUB

Here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for! It’s time to get that plastic tub painted.

See? Painting a plastic tub isn’t so hard and it certainly isn’t rocket science.

Carefully paint the tub and you’re almost done!

With this step and the following, please be sure you have ample drying time between each step.

SEAL THE FINISH

Finally, we’ve arrived at the end! Make sure your paint is dry and apply the sealant. This will ensure your finish is protected.

Let it dry and now you have a spruced up tub! Looking like new! Additionally, the effort put towards painting a plastic tub was definitely worth it.

A FUN DIY TO SPRUCE UP YOUR HOME!

Now that you know what goes into painting a plastic tub, you’re all set to get to it. All you need is to remember these do’s and don’ts and you’re all set for success. Painting your tub is a great do it yourself project and your mobile home will look better for it. A little scrubbing, a little sanding, some painting, and sealing – you’ve got a brand new looking tub!

But the changes don’t have to stop with your tub. We have a few tips for remodeling your mobile home’s entire bathroom. And it’s something you can do without breaking the bank. Thanks to a little thrifty-ness coupled with wisdom, you can get your whole bath looking like new.