From hammers dropping into tubs to soap dishes and towel bars falling off the wall, chips can happen in homes under construction, in homes just built, and in homes lived in for years! We've been repairing chips in bathtubs for homebuilders and homeowners across DFW for many years. Bathtub chip repair is our specialty, and our minimum charge is $275.
How to Get a Quick Bid
Describe the damage (chips, rust, cracks, holes) - how it happened, how long it's been there, and if it's gotten worse over time. When taking pictures of the damage, zoom in and out so that I can see the damage (taping a coin next to the damage will help isolate it in the picture), and also be able to gain perspective as to the size and location of the damage in relation to the rest of the fixture. Keep in mind I'm trying to see what you see.
LOCATION MATTERS!
If a bathtub has chips located above the water line, a repair is likely to last. However, if the damage is located below the water line, there is no guarantee, because repairs have exposed edges all the way around them which make them susceptible to lifting when under water, especially if the damage is located near or beneath the tub spout where the water comes out hard from the faucet.
It would be a complete waste of money to have damage located near the drain repaired, because the repair would eventually loosen and float away due to the amount of water coming out of the spout hitting it. The workaround here is to repair the damage and then refinish the tub to seal the repair and guarantee the work.
Fiberglass and Acrylic Bathtub Chip Repair
The most common kind of damage in fiberglass and acrylic bathtubs are cracks. Whether the damage is located above or below the water line, repairs can be made that may last a lifetime; however, repairs are never guaranteed on these kinds of bathtubs because the root cause of the damage is always unknown (possibly a house shift or improper initial installation) and unresolved.
It Takes an Expert
In most cases, professional chip repair means you won't be able to see the damage after the repair, but it takes years of experience to consistently achieve that kind of end result. In fact, that kind of precision chip repair requires an expert in color matching, too, even for white tubs, because there are many shades of white. Color matching is a big deal. Did you know white tubs can have a gray, brown, or even yellow hue to them? Thankfully, Jim has a great eye for color. It enables him to start out with a pure white color, then tint it on-site to match the color of the fixture he is repairing.
The last step in chip repair requires an airbrush expert with a light and steady hand. After getting the color matched, it is sprayed onto the repaired damaged area and carefully feathered in to blend with the surrounding surface. Yes, there are a lot of steps to professional chip repair. If you want it done right, you'll want Jim.
Chip Repair Warranty
Chip Repair is warrantied on porcelain bathtubs (if the damage is located above the water line) for one year against defects in workmanship and material. Rust repairs are warrantied for the original repair only, because steel tubs may continue to rust from the inside out. Repairs are not warrantied on fiberglass and acrylic bathtubs due to the cause of the damage being unknown and unresolved.